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taught in any class being compulsory to every boy in that class,--but the examination in Grammar is not. ns in the Grant-in-Aid System, confiued to Analysis Parsing and Definitions, nor in Geography to Map drawing and Definitions; on the contrary searching general questions are set, more after th type of the Oxford and Cambridge Local Examinations; nor must I forget to mention the two papers, translation from and into Chinese, in each class, which prove such a stumbling-block to noy- Chinese boys and so ruthlessly handicap them in the race for prizes. The system I adopted on arrival, and which I have since maintained, is that to pass in each subject a boy must obtain at least half-marks, and failure in more than half the subjects of his class makes a boy a complete failure. This year there were 15 subjects in the First Class, as opposed to 8 subjects in 1882; therefore this year, a boy required for a bare pass, as much as would have gained him excellent distinction six years ago. If this School had been examined on Grant-in-Aid principles, we could have presented 69 boys in the highest Standard. Standard VI; 41 in Standard V, 102 in Standard IV; 100 in Standard III; 52 in Standard II; and 20 in Standard I; moreover Copy-writing would have been taken into account for 274 boys, instead of merely for the 70 boys at the bottom of the school.
5. The Upper School was examined in a first year's work in Latin, the same paper was set to all three classes, and though the questions were stiff, very creditable answers were obtained. Class I was examined in three books of Euclid; and in Algebra offered Surds, Scales of Notation, &c. up to Har- monical Progression. Class IV passed excellently in Algebra and Euclid.
STAFF.
He was a tho- 6. Mr. ARTHUR, Third Master, was transferred to the Magistracy, early in the year. roughly efficient, successful, and popular teacher, able to maintain excellent discipline without any ostentatiou, and having no need to resort to severity. In the important subject of English Reading and Pronunciation, which, to those not practically engaged in teaching English to foreigners, might appear easy, he was unrivalled. The school was fortunate in obtaining the services of Mr. JAMESON, a graduate of Peterhouse Cambridge, whose engagement at another school happily terminated at the time of Mr. ARTHUR's transfer, Mr. JAMESON laboured strenuously throughout the year, with what success may be estimated from the fact that only one boy failed, out of the three classes in his charge, which comprised 126 boys. On April 1st Mr. Mox, 3rd Chinese Assistant was transferred to the Registrar General's Office, Mr. Cnt took his place, and Mr. Lo Kit was promoted from Senior Pupil Teacher to be 4th Chinese Assistant. In my report on the requirements of the New School forwarded twelve months ago, I drew special attention to the injury done to the school, by Masters, English and Chinese, leaving on account of dissatisfaction with salaries, and I trust that my suggestions on this head will meet with the approval of the authorities.
7. That the whole Staff deserves credit for the past year's work is evident from the results of Examination given above; but I wish to bear my testimony to the important fact, of which I alone can be cognisant, that in this school, there is no spasmodic cramming at the end of the year, with a view to dazzling effect; but steady uniform work, willingly and cheerfully performed consistently throughout the year. As in the New School a larger amount of responsibility in teaching will fall into the hands of the Chinese Assistants, I desire to draw particular attention to the good results obtained by the four classes V-VIII, which were entrusted to the care of the four Chinese Assistants. The excellent papers, in most instances, done by these boys, in English Grammar, Geography, Dicta- tion and Arithmetic show that there is no ground for apprehension, that English subjects cannot be adequately taught by Chinese.
8. I have received from Mr. JAMESON, Master in charge of the Preparatory School, a very favour able report of the work done by the six Articled Pupil Teachers. This is very satisfactory, and marred alone by the fact, that one of the Pupil Teachers gave evidence of persistent neglect of his First Class studies, which culminated, as might naturally be expected in a pass, which can only be viewed as discreditable.
CAMBRIDGE LOCAL EXAMINATION.
9. The six candidates who entered for the Cambridge Local Examination in 1886 acquitted them. selves well. The Senior candidate passed in Arithmetic. English Grammar, Composition, and History, Geography, Euclid, and Algebra, but failed in Scripture. As a Chinese, he had natural difficulty with this subject, but his experience has led him to devote more attention to it for the late examination. Of the five Juniors, Howard and MADAR obtained certificates and have therefore the distinction of being the first Hongkong boys to obtain that honour; two others WONG FAN and WONG PING failed only in History and Geography, or it may be in only one of these as particulars were not given. The remain- ing boy was incapacitated by fever. That the boys themselves considered this result encouraging is evident from the fact, that they all entered for the late examination; MADAR abandoned the project only on leaving school, and five new boys swelled the number. In October last the Colonial Secretary; Hon. F. STEWART, LL.D., presented the parchments to the two successful candidates, for it seemned specially appropriate that the late licadinaster should perform in his old school a ceremony, that occurred for the first and last time, and which will prove a prominent link between this school and the new college.
This
10. I cannot refrain from here taking the opportunity to defend the Local Examinations against two serious imputations, cramming and competition, that have been laid to their charge. Cramming the process by which a man of experience reduces, for the sake of his pupils, the wide area of any given subject, by judiciously selecting those portions, on which questions are likely to be set.
ethod is open to the obvious objection that first principles and sound basis are sacrificed to show results in answer to Catch Questions. Now when year after year, bodies of examiners, like the Oxford Delegates and Cambridge Syndicate set forth varied questions, testing the knowledge of rudiments in each subject, as well as embracing the highest achievements, and at the same time distinctly state that each candidate must satisfy the examiners in Rudimentary knowledge in each subject-to talk of cram- ming in connexion with these examinations merely argues want of information in those who hazard the statement. As regards the Central School, this charge is simply ludicrous; the local candidates study their subjects in a class of 60 boys; only one hour a week, in the afternoon, is allowed for in- structions in each of the special subjects (as Shakespeare and the Epoch of History) and for instruction in Higher Euclid and Algebra.
11. The idea of Competition is foreign to the purpose of local examinations, which is to provide one standard for boys educated in different schools on widely varying principles. Each boy does his best to pass well, and if possible to obtain distinction; but there is no personal emulation to urge him to outstrip any particular boy, which is the necessary element of competition as applied to school-boy life. Unfortunately, however, the attempt has been made, to raise the spirit of competition, not among scholars but schools. Such a feeling should not be admitted for a moment; not only is there no con- test, but there is actually no uniformity of conditions. One school may send in all the boys in certain classes, another may offer only selected candidates. One school may have a large staff of masters, another may be without this advantage. It is not the custom in England, as far as my personal know- ledge reaches, for comparison to be made between the results in different schools in the same town. Whatever wholesome emulation may be personally stirred among the masters, no comparisons are drawn between the results (say) of a Grammar School and of a Board School, nor between the latter and those of a Denominational School; nor in fact would it be possible as the basis of comparison is wanting.
OLD SCHOLARS.
12. In the past year we were gratified by the news of Mr. WALTER BOSMAN'S (Government Scholar) final success at the Engineering College at the Chrystal Palace. He was presented with the Society's Bronze Medal for sustained distinction, in no less than 9 terminal examinations. His fature successes will not come within the scope of School Reports, but he will continue to carry with him the good wishes of his old school-fellows and schoolmasters.
13. It is also worthy of note that Mr. TAI TIN-eur, who left the Second Class of this school at inidsummer after showing inarked aptitude for English Studies, graduated last November as Sau Tsoi at Canton. I am informed that this is the first time this success has been achieved by a Central School boy. It must, however, be clearly understood that the credit of this success does not belong to this school, for as a rule we can do but little more than preserve the knowledge of Chinese a boy brings with him; still Mr. TAI has shown conclusively that application to English studies need not cause a boy to abandon the pursuit of native literature.
HEALTH.
14. The health of the school suffered from the fever and small-pox prevalent in the town, at the close of the year. The Sick List in December is the largest I remember.
CONCLUSION.
It may
15. I will conclude with a few general remarks. The new school is lasting to its completion, and I sincerely trust, that we are not doomed to pass another summer in these overcrowded class- rooms, from which air is effectually blocked out by the houses that hem us in, on every side. be that in another year Chinese dwellings may stand on the site of this old School, but its memory will endure; a dozen Morrison scholars, and one Government scholar, hundreds of clerks in English and Chinese Government Service, and a countless number of mercantile clerks scattered over the Far East will have these old walls photographed on their memory of happy youthful days, as long as life shall last. The standard of education at the Central School may be said this year to have attained its High Water mark, it only remains for the Victoria College to take this tide at the flood and so be ted on to Fame and Fortune.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
The Hon. FREDERICK STEWART, LL.D.,
Colonial Secretary,
SC.,
the
GEO, H. BATESON WRIGHT, M. A.,
Head Master.
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