68
6674
Hongkong
394
50
MATERIALS FOR A HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN HONGKONG.
Scheme, In 1881 the number increased to 37 Mission Schools (7 Catholie and 30 Pro- testant Schools) with 2,237 scholars, the religious Grant-in-Aid Schools now muster- ing more scholars than the secular Govern- ment Schools. Thus the development of the Voluntary Schools continued to the pre- sent day, there being in 1890 as many as 4,656 scholars attending the Mission Schools (60 Protestant and 15 Catholic Schools), whilst Government Schools were attended by little more than balf that number, viz. 2,514 scholars. Moreover the annual cum- petitive examinations amply testify that the teaching given in the Voluntary Schools is not in any sense inferior to that given in the Government Schools, whilst the educa- tion thus given costs the Government (apart from cost of Government School-buildings) from $25 per scholar in Victoria College to $8 in the outside Government Schools, but in the Grant-in-Aid Schools only $5.62 per scholar. The principal gain, however, secured by the Amended Grant-in-Aid Scheme, is perhaps to he found in the fast that local education continued to develop ateadily, from 1878 down to the present day, without any friction whatsoever,
The further course of the development of the Schools in the Colony is within the personal recollection of those most inter- ested in them and is perhaps too near to our view yet to admit of impartial historic treatment.
We take leave of our readers with the consciousness of having impartially noted down the course of events, just as the facts within our reach appeared to us to demons- trate it. But the materiale for forming an in- dependent judgment are now before the reader and each will put his own construc-
tion upon them. Nevertheless we feel sure that those of our readers who are qualified to judge will agree in at least two conclu- sions, viz. that the development of local education has on the whole run a course of healthy though slow growth, and that success in the future lies in stimulating voluntary efforts in education. But this, we believe, oan only be done by confining directly governmental educational work,to gratuitous Elementary Schools and by set- ting Voluntary Schools of all creeds (Pro- testant, Catholic, Jewish, Mahomedan and Confuciau etc.) free, with the aid of a liberal Grant-in-Aid Seheme, and without being handicapped by low fees in Govern- ment Schools, to overtake the needs of an annually increasing population by the volun- tary supply of Secondary and High Schools in proportion as the demand for such may grow.
In conclusion we would urge upon all local Educationists the importance of a careful study of the course which education has so far run in Hongkong. If we ignore the past, we cannot understand the present nor forecast the future.**
E. J. E.
*Note. The paragraph headed '1860' requires the addition of the following re- marks.
During the year 1860, four Protestant Schools were at work. St. Paul's College School was attended by 53 boys costing $3,750. The 'Ladies' Chinese Girls School' at the Albany, under the tuition of Miss Wilson, was attended by 15 girls costing $1,500. St. Andrew's School, under the direction of Mr. J. Kemp, had an attend- ance of 70 boys and cost $1.200. Miss Legge re-opened the former London Mission Girls School with 2 teachers and 15 girls, costing $200.
DRAFT.
No 88
Hong Kong Six W. Robinson Hiring
Mr.
MINUTE.
3. Lucas 6. April
Mr.
Mr. Fairfield.
Mr. Wingfield.
Mr. Bramston.
Mr. Meade.
Baron de Worms.
Lord Knutsford.
for
6afil
Consideration
Mink to
be noted in Sastan
*
CPF
рич
the
Sin
墜
April 92
I have the honour to ack:
recipt of your desp: no. 68 of the 27th of
Feb: enclosing, with refermen
t
my deep: No. 198. of the 1st of September last, a copy да гран of a further refat on Educa timol mattos by the Inspection 9 School. 2. I shall be glad if you will convey
to B. Eitel my
for his
ach nasledgements,
accompanying
wport and for the pamphlet
горов
Al
education in
'it
Hong Kong
entitled "Materis. for history of
I do not propose
and
aulexpre
to discess ssion of
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.