The Daily Press. HONGKON, JANUARY 14TH. 14.
PRIZE DAY AT ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE.
Enclosure
Saturday was the great day of the year to the boys of St. Joseph's College, it being selected as the occasion for the annual distribution of prizes to the boys who have earned those distinctions at the examination. The boys and their masters, as on the corresponding occasion last year, got up an entertainment to render the occasion the more enjoyable to all, and to show what progress the boys are making in the lighter accomplishments, as well as their mastery of the English language. A very neat stage was erected at one end of the main school-room, which was furnished with an artistically painted proscenium and drop scene, and with foot lights, and all the usual paraphernalia of a stage on a somewhat small scale. At half-past three the schoolroom was filled with ladies and gentlemen, who take an interest in the progress of the pupils of the school and of the relatives of the boys. His Excellency the Governor presided, and Lady and the Misses Bowen were also present; the visitors also included the Very Rev. Bishop Raimondi, Very Rev. Father Burghignoli, Contre-Admiral Meyer, Major-General Sargent, the Colonial Secretary with Mrs. Marsh and Miss Thornton, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Fleming, Mr. Musso, Italian Consul, and Mrs. Mosso, Mr. and Mrs. A. Sath, Mr. A. G. Romano, Brazilian Consul, Mr. J. J. Francia, &c.
The National Anthem was sung as his Excellency entered the room, and an overture opened the programme.
Bishop RAIMONDI then delivered the following address—Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, the Directors and the pupils of St. Joseph's College gratefully greet your Excellency's coming among them for the second time. Your Excellency came the first time to visit the College and encourage the youngsters to thoroughly study the English language, and now you will be happy to see the good result of your excellent speech on the importance of studying the English language. The speech, I am glad to say, was reprinted from the local press into the leading Catholic newspapers in India, Europe, and America. The words which fall from the representative of our gracious Queen are never uttered in vain when directed to our loyal Catholic youth. St. Joseph's College is conducted by the well-known brothers of the Christian Schools, who came to Hongkong in 1875 to take charge of our schools, which at that time were in Wellington Street, at St. Saviour's College, the present College being the third building used for the education of our youth. It was a great relief to us to have been able to intrust the education of our youth to such a highly distinguished educational body, which is not of to-day but one which has fought for over two hundred years the battle of education and has won a golden reputation throughout the world. The parents of our pupils were highly pleased and the public, through the Press, highly complimented us on procuring such a valuable acquisition. The number of pupils, who were 75 when the brothers took charge of St. Saviour's College, rose in a short time to 150. St. Saviour's College became too small, and the Mission bought a second building in Caine Road, which took the name of St. Joseph's College. At that time our schools were not under the grant-in-aid system, although that scheme was already in force in Hongkong and the public was insisting upon our accepting it. It was only in 1879 that St. Joseph's College was received under the grant-in-aid scheme. St. Joseph's College, under Government inspection, prospered even more than it did before. The result of the examination held by the Government Inspector proved every year that the education imparted by the Brothers was extremely good. The number of the pupils doubled in a few years, and we were compelled to have this College built in this place where we stand. The College was opened last year by the worthy late Administrator, Mr. Marsh, who always took a great interest in it, with a staff of eight teaching Brothers, the majority of whom are English born, and three hundred pupils, and ourselves, feeling at that time the satisfaction of having during the last 20 years qualified not less than three or four hundred Portuguese and Chinese boys to occupy good situations, which they fill at present with the greatest advantage to their families.
But St. Joseph's College got something else under the grant-in-aid scheme. It was lately credited with having grown a wealthy institution. To one who is poor to be credited with being rich is a very good thing, but the fact is that the grant which St. Joseph's College, with its 300 pupils, annually received, although apparently a large one when compared with the grant which the other denominational schools, with their fewer pupils, received, can hardly cover a third of the expenses annually incurred by such a large College as St. Joseph's, and, far from having a fund of one thousand sterling pounds, St. Joseph's College has not even one thousand cash, nay, I tell you, confidentially, it is, I believe, in debt. People cannot understand how we, being poor, can do so much, and imagine that this College is backed by a very rich and wealthy corporation. I am afraid they mistook the corporation, as there is more than one corporation in Hongkong, and Catholic although they are one in matter of faith, each of them has the administration of temporal affairs quite independent of each other. But I will explain to you the mystery. We are rich in the sense that we are contented with what we have. We don't require any salary and all we ask from the Mission is to be fed, clothed and lodged. We have not many expenses, nor many bills to pay. For instance, we have not the bills from the millinery shop for ladies' dresses. All the profit of our economy goes to start and maintain schools.
But to come to the principal part, which is the result of the last examination, every one of you will agree with me that the surest and best way to test the proficiency of a scholar and the efficiency of a school are definite results by examination. The grant-in-aid scheme in force in Hongkong, which I believe was framed on a parliamentary act of England, the work of the most experienced men in educational matters, is entirely grounded on definite results. Now, before I tell you the result of the last examination I must caution you on the matter. The standards on which the boys are examined, which are required by our grant-in-aid scheme in Hongkong, are higher and a great deal more difficult than the standards of the grant-in-aid scheme in force at Singapore, at Ceylon, and I have reason to say even in London. Moreover, our good Inspector of Schools acknowledged that the questions which he put this year to the pupils of St. Joseph's College were unusually difficult. Having cautioned you thus, I come to tell you the result of the examination. I will say it in a few words: we presented 205 boys to be examined; of these 205, 180 were examined, and only fifteen failed, giving thus a percentage of 92. I think you will agree with me that the good Christian Brothers have reason to be proud of this. In London, I am told, a percentage of 90 is considered as very good. We got a percentage of more than 91, nearly 92, which we can consider as a great success. But the principal and most important feature of the result of the last examination is that in the highest standard, the sixth, in which English composition is one of the prominent subjects, we presented this year 19 boys, more than ever were presented before, and of those 19, all passed but one. St. Joseph's College was credited before with being strong in the lowest standards, but the result of the last examination proves that it is strong also in the highest standards. Ladies and gentlemen, the Directors of St. Joseph's College look for nothing but for facts; and you will agree with me that the results of the examination are enough to declare St. Joseph's College a first-class educational establishment, and institution of which the community may be proud.
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The
Daily Press.
HONGKON, JANUARY 14TH. 14.
PRIZE DAY AT ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE.
Enclosure
Saturday was the great day of the year to the boys of St. Joseph's College, it being selected as the occasion for the annual distribation of prizea to the boys who have earned those distinctious at the examination. The boys and their masters, as! on the corresponding occasion last year, got ap au entertainment to render the occasion the more enjoyable to all, and to show what progress the boys are making in the lighter accomplishments, as well as their mastery of the English Jan- guage. A very neat stage was erected at one end of the main school-room, which was furnished with an artistically painted proscenium and drop scene, and with foot lights, and all the usual paraphernalia of a stage on a somewhat smull scale. At half-past three the schoolroom was filled with ladies and gentlemen, who take an interest in the progress of the pupils of the school and of the relatives of the boys. His Excellency the Governor presided, and Lady and the Misses Bowen were also pre. sent; the visitors also included the Very Rev. Bishop Raimondi, Very Rev. Father Burghignoli, Contre-Admiral Meyer, Major-General Sargent, the Colonial Secretary with Mrs. Marsh and Miss Thornton, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Fleming, Mr. Musso, Italian Consul, and Mrs. Mosso, Mr. and Mrs. A. Sath, Mr. A. G. Romano, Brazilian Consul, Mr. J. J. Francia, &o.
The National Anthem was sung as his Ex- cellency entered the room, and an overture open- ed the programme.
Bishop RAIMONDI then delivered the follow- ing adress-Your Excelleñsy, ladies and gentlemen, the Directors and the pupils of St. Joseph's College gratefully groot your Excel- lency's coming among them for the second time. Your Excellency came the first time to visit the College and encourage the youngsters to thoroughly study the English language, and now you will be happy to see the good result of your excellent speech on the importance of studying the English language. The specch, I am glad to Bay, was reprinted from the local press into the leading Catholic newspapers in India, Europe, and Amerion. The words which fall from the re. presentative of our gracions Queen are never ut. tered in vain when directed to our loyal Catholic youth. St. Joseph's College is conducted by the well known brothers of the Christian Soboole, who came to Hongkon: in 1975 to take charge of our schools, which at that time were in Wolling- ton Street, at St. Saviour's College, the pre- sent College being the third building usad for ! the education of our youth. It was a great relief to us to have been able to intrust the ednoation of our poath to such a highly. distinguished educational body, which is not of to-day but one which has fought for over two hundred years the battle of education sud has won a golden reputation throughout the world, The parents of our pupila ware highly pleased and the public, through the Press, highly cor- plimented us on procuring such a valusblo acquisition. The number of pupils, who were 75 when the brothers took charge of St. Saviour's College, rose in a short time to 150. St. Saviour's College became too small, and the Mission bought a second building in Caine Road, which took the name of St. Joseph's College. At that time our schools were Do:
system, under the grant-in-aid
although that sebere was already in force in Hongkong and the public was insisting upon our acceptin it. It was only in 1879 that St. Joseph's College was received under the grant-in-aid scheme. St. Joseph's College, under Government inspoo. tion, prospered even more than it did before. The result of the examination held by the Govern. ment Inspector proved every year that the edn. cation imparted by the Brothers was extremely
go
C 0. 2700
RECP
PEGT 16 FEB 84.
good. The number of the pupils doubled in a few years, and we were compelled to have this College built in this place where we stand. The College was opened last year by the worthy late Administrator, Mr. Marsh, who always took a great interest in it, with a staff of eight teaching Brothers, the majority of whom are English born, and three hundred pupils, and ourselves, feeling at that time the satisfaction of having daring the last 20 years qualified not less than three or four handced Portuguese and Chinese boys to occupy good situations, which they fill at present with the greatest advantage to their fami lios. But St. Joseph's College got something else under the grant-in-aid scheme. It was lately credited with having grown a wealthy institu tion. To one who is poor to be credited with being rich is a very good thing, but the fact is that the grant which St. Joseph's College, with its 300 pupils, annually received, although ap parently a large one when compared with the grant which the other denominational schools. with their fewer pupils, received, can hardly cover a third of the expenses annually incurred by such a large College as St. Joseph's, and, far from havin; a fund of one thousand sterling pounds, St. Joseph's College has not even oue thousand cash, nay, I tell you, confidentially, it is, I believe, in debt. People cannot understand how we, being poor, can do so much, and ima gine that this College is based by a very rich and wealthy corporation. I am afraid they mis- took the corporation, as there is more than one corporation ia Lougkong, and Catholic although they are one in matter of faith, ach of theni bas the administration of tem. poral affairs quite independent of each other. But I will explain to you the mystory. We are rish in the sense that we are contented with what we have. We don't require any salary and all we ask from the Mission is to be fed, clothed and lodged, We have not many expenses, nor many bills to pay. For instance, we have not the bills from the milinery shop for ladies dresses. All the profit of our economy goes to start and maintain schools. But to come to the principal part, which is the result of the last examination, ¦ Every one of you will agree with me that the aurest and best way to test the proficiency of a scholar and the efficiency of a school are definite results by examination. The grant-in-aid scheme in fores in Hongkong, which I believe was fram- ed on a parliamentary act of England, the work of the most experienced men in educational mat- ters, is entirely grounded on definite results. Now, before I tell you the result of the last examination I must caution you on the matter. I he standards on which the boys are examined, which are required by our grant-in-aid scheme in Hongkong, are higher and a great deal more ifficult than the standarda of the grant-in-sid scheme in force at Singapore, at Ceylon, and I have reason to say oven in London. Moreover, our good Inspector of Schools acknowledged that the questions which he put this year to the pupils of St. Joseph's College were nuusually diffiealt. Having cautioned you thus, I come to tell you the result of the examination. I will say it is a few words: we presented 205 boys to be era. minated; of these 205, 180 were examined, and only fifteen failed, giving thus a percentage of 92. I think you will agree with me that the good Christian Brothers have reason to be proud of this. In London, I am told, a percentage of 90 is considered as very good. We got a percenta: of more than 91, nearly 92, which we can consider as a great suocess. But the principal and most important feature of the result of the last exam- ination is that in the bighest standrad, the sixth, in which English composition is one of the pro- minent subjects, we presented this year 19 boys, more than ever were presented before, and of those 19, all passed but one. St. Joseph's Col. lege was credited before with being strong in the lowest standards, but the result of the last exam. Fination proves that it is strong also in the highest standards. Ladies and gentleman, the Directorsef St. Joseph's College look for nothing but for facts; and you will agree with me that the results of the examination are enough to declaro St. Joseph^« Collage a first class educational establishment, and institution of which the commanity may be
prend
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