25th January, 1986
PRIZE DAY AT THE CENTRAL SCHOOL.
Enclosure 3
The annual distribution of prizes took place at the Government Central School on Saturday morning in the presence of a considerable num- ber of visitors. The prizes were presented by His Excellency the Acting Governor, who was accompanied by Mrs. Mash. Amongst those pre- sout were the Right Rev. Bishop Burdon, Hon. F. Stewart. L.L.D., Acting Colonial Secretary; Hon. W. Keswick, Hon. Wong Shing. Lient.- Colonel Murray, A.C.G.O.; Mr. A. G. Romano, Consul for Portugal and Brazil; Captain Porter, A.D.C.; Dr. Eitel, Inspector of Schools; Rev. Dr. Chalmers, Rev. Dr. Faber, Rev. J. C. Edge; Brothers Cyprian and Williams, of St. Joseph's College; Mr. Granvillo Sharp, Mr. Hamilton Sharp, Mr. Wei Ayuk, Dr. Ho Kai, Mr. J. H. Cox, and several ladies.
Mr. G. H. BATESON WRIGHT, the Head Master, opened the proceedings by speaking as follows:-May it please Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, the total number of boys on the school roll for the past year was 596. Of these 499 were present at one time in the month of March. It might be supposed that this increase of numbers was due to overcrowding of the school. It will be therefore as well to explain that the numbers in the Middle, Lower, and Preparatory Schools remained at their old figure; the increase must therefore be attributed to the Upper School and is the direct result of the higher standard of work introduced two years ago into the Middle and Lower Schools. Out of 412 boys just examined 95 per caut. passed, the same percentage as last year, but as more boys underwent examination and the papers were of a more searching character, I think the result. may be considered of a higher order. This year I introduced as a novelty into the examina- tion ofthe firstclassa "general intelligence paper." The object of this paper was to discover how far the boys' minds were educated ontside the general routine. 32 per cent passed, and, considering the novelty of the paper, I hope this may be considered satisfactory. In the past year we may noto the arrival of Mr. Jones, from Chester Training College, and the resignation of Mr. Hutchison on leaving the Colony. Mr. Hutchi- son had for three years proved himself a most energetic, successful, and popular master, and we were all sorry to lose him. A scheme for articling six pupil-teachers, with a view to pro- riding efficient Chinese assistants for the Central school, was approved by the Secretary of State, and we are only waiting for the new building to be fairly commenced to put it into execution. I am happy to be able to report that Mr. Bosman, who was sent home as Government scholar last February, is distinguishing himself at the on- gineering school in connection with the Crystal Palace. Before I sit down I must express a hope that your Excellency will be able to make some statement respecting the progress of the new school.
HIS EXCELLENCY-Mr. Wright, ladies and gontlemen. I confess it is with some feeling of disappointment that I find myself called upon to preside here again in this room at the annual distribution of prizes of the Central School, for, if I remember aright, on the last occasion when I presided here, now three years ago, I was able to announes that the Secretary of State had do- cided the long-vexed question whether there was to be a new Central School and had given iv- structions for the erection of a new and much larger building than the present on the piece of ground close by here, which was acquired for that purpose many years ago. I confess that at that time I entertained a hope that in three years time the main building would have been ready, and that this distribution of prizes would have taken place in the hall of the new Central School, or Victoria College, as Her Majesty the Queen has been graciously pleased to allow it to be called. The plans were prepared and the ground got ready, and the foundations were laid. The work was then stopped. I believe I am to a certain extent responsible for that-partly responsible for towards the end of 1884, when His Excellency the Governor was away from this colony, the finances of the Colony were in rather a bad way, the revenne was not coming in so fast as usual, retrenchment became usces- sary, and I had to give directions for the sus pension of the work. After that some modifi- cation of the plans was necessary, and then the officer of the Surveyor General's Department charged with the preparing of these fell serious-
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ly ill and I believe has now gone homa. The work has been resumed during the past week, and
I am informed there are 200 mon at or 8
this morning. A sum of $50,000 has been pro vided in the Estimates for this year for the completion of the building, and I earnestly trust there will be no further interruption of the work, and that by the end of the year, if the new College is not completed, it will, Ataly rate, be so far advanced as to router it possible with- out much delay to make use of the building. (Ap- planse). I have in my hand the report of the Head Master for the past year and that report is a highly satisfactory one. The number of pupils attending the School, as the Toad Master has just informed yon, has been larger than in any previous year, and the percentage of those who passed was 95.38. I propose to read to only one paragraph concerning a subject to which this Government has always attached great importance, viz., English education:-
yon
Tho general result of the English Examination of 1835 is good. In spite of the large number, 412, exa- mined, and in spite of the papers being of a more sarching character than nanal throughout the school, 95 per cent. passed, which reflects great credit on all the Musters and the Chineso Assistants. I think a special word of commandation is due to the two new mastera, Mr. Dealy and Mr. Jones, who in one year have so readily and completely adapted themselves to their new surroundings.
I think this Report, considering all the disadvan- tages which the School has to contend with owing to confined space, the nt of proper ventilation and other causes, reflect great orelit upon the management of the School. and I beg to con- gratulate the Hoad Master and his assistants on their success. I wish I could express the hope that the distribution of prizes would take place next year in the new building, but I am afraid that would be too sanguine a hopo. At any rate, I think within two years' time there will be a very good chance of the building being complet. ed. I will use overy endeavour in my power to push on the work. I understand from the Head Master that there is a gentleman present who has bean connected with educational matters in Eng- land for about 25 years, who takes some interest in this School and wishes to express his views on the subject. I call upon Me. Hamilton Sharp. Mr. HAMILTON SHARP-Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, there is a little misappre- hension. I had no wish nor any thought of intruding any remarks, for I am a mere stranger and visitor amongst you, and do not know much of the working of the school. In the most casual way I have had the pleasure and privilege of looking at the papers, and I remarked then that I only wished His Excellency could see them as I had seen them, but I never thought of being asked to make any remarks here.
HIS EXCELLENCY-We shall be very glad to hear you, Mr. Sharp.
Mr. SHARP-If there be any subject in the world I do understand, it certainly is examina- tious and examination papers, because I have for the last quarter of a century boon very much mixed up with examinations held in England at the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and London, at which I suppose some 20,000 of our youths and young men are annually examined. If that gives me any right to speak. I am very glad to say that I visited the school the other day, at least I hoped to do so, but I found the school dismissed, much to my regret, and I was turning away, when Mr. Wright saw no, came forward, and, to my great surprise, asked if I would like to see the examination papers. I at once seized upon the opportunity and spent an hour or two, through his great courtesy, in care- fully looking through these papers, and I must say I never saw a series of examin- ation papers-and I have seen a great many handreds, or thousands-which gave me such unqualified surprise and satisfaction. My first thought was that it was all very fine to write these papers, but I would like to see them answered, because I have soen questions answered very indifferently. I timidly threw out a suggestion, because I knew that this might be a touder point, when to my surprise Mr. Wright at once put a hundredweight of papers before me with the cordial invitation to pick and choose amongst them at random, and I was as much surprised with the answers as with the papers, with the exception, of course, of English composition, which is not first rate, but when you come to think that English to the Chinose is what Chi. nese is to us, there is no very great woader that they write English as they do. I cannot praise the English as such, but otherwise the in-
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