$88
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MATERIALS FOR A HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN HONGKONG.
the falling off in the attendance was caused chiefly by undue interference with the native methods of teaching the Chinese Classics and by the futile attempt to im prove those methods by the application of European principles of teaching. A sem- blance of Bible reading was still kept up in all the Schools while the Board lasted, The Report states that the Bible is not used as a text book in English, but it is taught by the Chinese Masters in their own language to those scholars whose parents offer no objection,'
1965. During the year 1865, St. Paul's College School continued under the tuition of Mr. Reeve, assisted by a Chinese Master, with an attendance of 38 boys, and an expenditure of $3,350. The Diocesan School also continued its established course, under Miss Eaton, with 35 girla, at a cost of $2,400, but it became evident that the results of an English Education upon Chinese girls drafted from famílies undermined by the peculiar temptations of Hongkong were not such as could justify a continuance of the School, which was accordingly closed at the end of the year and temporarily utilized to accommodate two Baxter Schools. The premature death of Misa Baxter (from Hongkong fever) caused a temporary disar- rangement of the Schools established by her, but the work initiated by her was nobly resuscitated by Miss Oxlad and worthily continued later on by Miss Johnstone on whow Miss Baxter's mantle was destined to fall. Consequent upou Miss Baxter's death, her Staunton Street Boarding School under Miss Oxlad was transferred to the Diocesan School and virtually took the place of the latter School for some time. The remainder of Miss Baxter's pupils were removed to St. Paul's College under the charge of Miss Rodel A short-lived new School, under the direction of the Church Missionary Society (now for the first time taking up educational work is Hongkong) was sturted, in April 1865, by the Rev. Ch. J. Warren, Acting Warden of St. Paul's College. The
School commenced with 17 Chinese girls as & Boarding School, and had cost 8470, when it was closed, in November 1865, for want of funds.' The London Mission continued ita two Chinese Schools, at Taipingshan and Wantsai, with an attendance of 80 boys at a cost of $400. At the Berlin Foundling House, Mrs. Hanspach and Miss Sties, as- Bisted by 2 Chinese teachers, gave to 21 girls a German-Chinese education, at a cost of $1,480.
The Roman Catholic Mission made, in the year 1865, a great step in advance, by amalgamating, on the principle of the Government Central School, their several English, Portuguese and Chinese Schools, hitherto located under separate management in Wellington Street, into one institution thenceforth known as St. Saviour's College (in Pottinger Street). This new School as- sumed, however, a novel and, having regard to the peculiar educational demands of the Colony, most appropriate feature in conati- tuting itself expressly as a Commercial School, specially designed to supply clerks for the commercial offices of Hongkong and the ports of China. Bishop Rai- mondi evidently took a leaf out of Dr. Legge's book, but it is equally evident, from the actual results obtained by St. Saviour's College, that it was an improvement upon Dr. Legge's creation. This now College, the rival of St. Paul's College as well as of the Central School, brought into play a healthy emulation between the principal local Schools, which has continued to the present day as a prominent factor in Hong- kong's educational movement, St. Saviour's College commenced with a strong staff, con- sisting of Messrs. T. Terry, J. Mayer, V. Pereira, J. Baptista and C. Wagner, and with an attendance of 152 boys, costing $1,440. The Propaganda Society continued its Chinese Elementary School, under Mr. T. Leang, with an attendance of 24 boys, cost- ing $84, but the Aberdeen School appears to have been closed this year. Two Chinese Schools at Spring Gardens are also recorded
MATERIALS FOR A HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN HONGKRONG,
Schools under the sway of the secular sys-
33
tem.
as Roman Catholic Schools, viz. a Boys School under Mr. A. Leang, with 39 Chinese boys, costing $96 (probably under the Pro- pagation Society), and a Girls School under Mrs. Chan, with 27 Chinese girls, costing $81 (probably under the direction of the Italian Convent). The two Seminaries, for the training of a native clergy, were con-- tinued as in former years: the one in Pot- tinger Street, with 9 students, being under the tuition of Father B. Vigano and Mr. Jehoshaphat Li, and costing $432, whilst the other, at Sookonpoo, continued under the direction of Père Jaquemin, who had 22 students under his charge, costing the French Mission $960. The Italian Sisters Aloysia, Antoinetta, Virginia, Giuseppina, Perrari and M. Pomen had in their three Schools (English, Portuguese and Chinese) a total of 192 girls, costing the Convent $1,560. The French Sisters, of the Asile de la St. Enfance, had 10 boys and 23 girls (nationality and expense not recorded) under the tuition of Sister M. Lucien.
The year 1885 was a most eventful one in the history of the Government Schools in particular and of local education în general, for it witnessed not only the establishment of the Education Department, as a brauch of the Civil Service, but that which it involved: the supreme reign of secularism, for the next thirteen years, under the advice of Dr. Stewart. As the advent of a new Governor (Sir Hercules Robinson) had en- abled Dr. Legge to re-organize the Govern- ment Schools and to found the Central School, so Dr. Stewart, soon after having Kaived the upper hand as Head of the Education Department, finding in the next two Governors (Sir Richard G. MacDonnell and Sir Arthur Kennedy) staunch supporters of his own secularistic notions, was enabled to give them full swing, and we shall find that this principle was carried so fur that at one time the question was seriously con- sidered of making St. Paul's College a secular School and that at another time the attempt was made to bring all the Mission
At the beginning of the year 1865, the Board of Education held several meetings and passed yarious resolutions as if uncon- scious of its impending dissolution. For some time (January, 12 to 26) Dr. Stewart acted in place of the Secretary (Mr. Power), and on the latter's resignation (27th March, 1863), the Board requested Dr. Stewart to undertake the duties of Honorary Secretary permanently. But on the sanie day Dr, Stewart received a communication from the Colonial Secretary unbeknown to the Board, informing him that it is not the intention of the Governor to perpetuate the Board, but at the fitting time to place him (Dr. Stewart) at the head of the Eduontional Department.' At the next meeting of the Board (4th April, 1865), summoned the day before, no quorum could be obtained, but on 2nd May, 1865, the last meeting was held (Dr. Legge, Mr. Rennie and Dr. Stewart being present), when several resolutions were passed and Dr. Stewart was instructed to report to the Colonial Secretary that the Village Schools are making encouraging progress. On 13th June, 1865, Dr. Legge and the other Mem- bars resigned their seats at the Board, and in doing so Dr. Legge expressed the opinion that the Headmaster of the Central School was now thoroughly fitted to supervise the Education Department. On 24th Juue, 1865, a Gazette Notification announced that Mr. F. Stewart had been appointed Head of the Education Department in place of the Board.
The Members of the Board how- ever and especially Dr. Legge received the cordial thanks of the Government, accom- panied by a handsome testimonial forward- ed to Dr. Legge.
In his first report on the Government Schools, for 1863, Dr. Stewart, whilst re- gretting that he, being Headmaster and Inspector in one person, had to review the principal part of his own duties, gives un the whole a favourable account of the Schools. His principal complaint is what
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