Enclosure 1.
C.O.
• Houghing Daily Press, 10th Feb. 11.02 p
REC
(Pecs | MAY 931
505
His Excellency said-Ladies and gentlemen, in response to what Dr. Wright has said, I rise to make a few remarks on this very interesting occasion. In the first place let me say that I think the College is to be greatly congratulated on the very large attendance here this morning, which shows the increasing interest which is exhibited in the work of this great institution. Last year the attendance was very small indeed, and I am afraid it was owing principally to my having selected an unfitting date, and although today is rather an awkward day for me to put in an appearance here I raised no objection as it had been selected by Dr. Wright and I willingly gave way to his wish at once although it was at some slight inconvenience to myself. I regret that Lady Robinson is not here. She wished to come but I really could not allow her as she is suffering from a very severe cold and has some heavy work in store for her this evening.
You have all heard Dr. Wright's interesting and most able report-one of the most able that I have heard in any school or college since my arrival here. I have no intention to criticise it in any way but I wish to make a few remarks upon it. As a predecessor of mine in the Government of this Colony once said, I do not enter into the discussions and controversies of educationists, the only desire of the Government is to do full justice to all schools and to give all parties fair play. (Applause.) Education is the greatest economy of crime and it is therefore the duty of the Government to promote education and to extend it to the very humblest classes of society. There is a great deal that remains to be done in this direction in Hongkong still and the only policy I have in view is to assist the spread of education in every possible way.
I most fully agree with Dr. Wright in what he says in the fourth paragraph of the report -"Every school is a company belonging to the vast army that battles all over the world with ignorance and crime. If the great victory is to be achieved it will surely not be by means of petty jealousies and internecine conflicts between the various regiments of the army. Let them fight side by side and not turn their swords against each other." No, certainly not, as long as there is a common enemy. I fully agree therefore with what Dr. Wright has said on this subject. The learned Doctor made a remark about an ounce of practice being worth a ton of theory, and I quite agree with him on that point also. Every man has some theory, every man has a hobby of some sort, and I think if a man had no theory or hobby he would probably not be as happy as he is with such a theory or hobby.
I have a theory in reference to Victoria College which I am not sure whether the learned Doctor realises. My opinion is and always has been that in any school for Chinese like this Chinese should be taught by Chinese methods and English by English methods. All English classes should, I think, be arranged so as to place each section under the responsibility of an English teacher, with Chinese assistants under his direction, the supreme control being vested in the Headmaster; but, as Dr. Wright says, an ounce of practice is worth a ton of theory, and my view is only theoretical, while his is very practical, and if we differ upon this question I of course must give place to his superior knowledge and practical experience.
There is a statement in paragraph 11 of Dr. Wright's report that is very gratifying. It is to the effect that he hoped he had discovered the needed stimulus both for scholars and masters in making colloquial English a subject of examination for prize purposes. I believe that this afternoon there is to be an examination held in town for an interpretership, and the principal subject is, naturally, colloquial English-turning Chinese into English and English into Chinese. I believe about three old pupils of Victoria College have entered for that examination, and I am sure it will be very gratifying to all you boys, as it will be to me, if one of these three is the successful candidate.
I had intended to say something to you about the importance of learning English, but I am sorry I only got Dr. Wright's report yesterday afternoon, just before a meeting of the Legislative Council, and I have really hardly had time to go thoroughly into it so instead of boring you with a long speech I shall just mention a few points which I wrote down as they occurred to me with reference to this subject. It is said there is a great demand for a knowledge of English and European languages arising in China. I am not surprised at it, for a knowledge of European languages opens up a vast field of literature and certainly gives breadth of mind to the student.
The point was urged very strongly by a gentleman in Nanking a few months ago. He said that a knowledge of English was one of the principal requirements of the time in China and that she could not progress without it. We all know that China is the most conservative empire in the world, and very naturally so, for she existed thousands of years even before Europe was civilised. But there is a limit to all things, and thus it is that everything is modifying always, and people's opinions must modify with the times. A system of education which confines all thought to the limits fixed by the ancients, and which prevents people from making new investigations and from profiting by scientific and other research, cannot stand in the fierce light of modern invention and discovery.
The contact of China with England, France, Germany, and America ought to have revealed to her the necessity of striking out many years ago on a new educational line in order to keep pace with them in diplomacy and trade. I think it is a matter for great rejoicing that the present Emperor and his advisors seem alive to the necessity of modifying the present system of education by including within it a subject of supreme importance to the development of the country and the welfare of its people. How this desirable reform will be effected in the face of the exclusion of the Chinese from America, Canada, and the Australian Colonies it is hardly possible to guess at. I personally think that that policy is a very unfair and shortsighted one. (Applause.)
So far as my short experience of Chinese goes, my opinion is that the Chinese are one of the most good-natured, one of the most industrious and persevering people on the face of the earth, and that they are happily exempt from many of the vices which are a discredit to European people. Doubtless the strong prejudice which does exist against many of them is the outcome of ignorance of their good qualities, while many more are owing to the Chinaman's education and his inadaptability to and perhaps contempt for European customs and ideas. This latter can only be ameliorated by a knowledge of European languages, and naturally, I think, by a knowledge of the English language.
For these reasons I hold that in Victoria College and in all institutions of a like nature the main object to be kept perpetually in view should be the teaching of English, combined, of course, with the teaching of Chinese according to Chinese methods. And in addition to this there should be the importation in such institutions, as a necessary corollary, of the best of English customs and English ideas. Hongkong, boys, as you know, is a British Colony and will always remain so, and the more the Chinese youth understands this thoroughly and understands that it will be better for his own interests not only to be loyal to Her Majesty the Queen and the British Empire but to adopt what is best in European ideas and methods of thought the more advantageous it will be for him. This, I think, ought to be the work of a great educational establishment like Victoria College.
I hope you will understand what I have said to you. I congratulate you most heartily on the results of the past session and I ...
#
Enclosure 1.
C.O.
• Houghing Daily Press, 10th Feb. 11.02 p
REC
(Pecs | MAY 931
505
His Excellaney raid-Ladies and gentlemen, in respouse to what Dr. Wright has said, I rise to make a few remarks on this very interest. ing occasion. In the first place let me say that I think the College is to be greatly congratn- Iated on the very large attendance here this morning, which shows the increasing interest which is exhibited in the work of this grout in- stitution. Last year the attendance was very small indeed, and I am afraid it was owing principally to my having selected an nafitting date, and al- though to day is rather an awkward day for me to put in an appearance here I raised no objeo.i tion as it had been selected by Dr. Weight and I willingly gave way to his wish at once although i at some slight inconvenience to myself. I ra- gret that Lady Robinson is not here. She wish. ed to e me but I really could not allow her as she is suffering from a very severe cold and has some heavy work in store for her this evening. You have all heard Dr. Wright's interesting and most able report-one of the most able that · I have heard in any school or college since my ↑ arrival hero. I have no intention to oriticise it in any way but I wish to make a few remarks upon it. As a predecessor of mine in the Go- tornment of this Colony once said, I do not enter into the discussions and controversios of eduentionists, the only desire of the Government is to do full justice to all schools and to give all parties fairplay. (Applause.) Education is the greatest onomy of crime and it is there- for the duty of the Governmusut to promote education and to extend it to the yory humblest classes of society. There is a great deal that re- mains to be done in this direction in Hongkong still and the only polioy I have in view is to assist the spread of education in every possible way. I most fully agree with Dr. Wright in what he says in the fourth paragraph of the report -"Every school is a company belonging to the vast army that battles all over the world with ignorance and crime. If the great victory is to be achieved it will surely not be by means of petty jealousies and internsaine conflicts between the various regiments of the army. Let them fight side by side and not tara their swords against each other." No, certainly not, as long as there is a common enemy. I fully agree therefore with what Dr. Wright as said on this subject. The learned Doctor made a re- mark about an ounce of priotice being worth a ton of theory, and I quite agree with him ou that point also. Every man has some theory, every man has a hobby of some sort, and I think if a man had no theory or hobby he would pro- bably not be as happy as he is with such a theory or hobby. I have a theory in refer nee to Victoria College which I am not suro whether the learned Doctor realises. My opiniou is and always has boon that in any school for Chinese like this Chinese should be taught by Chinese methods and Euglish by English me- thods. All English classes should, I think. bo arranged so as to place each section nuder the re- sponsibility of an English teacher, with Chinese assistants under his direction, the supreme con- trol being vested in the Headmaster; but, as Dr. Wright says, an ounce of practice is worth a ton of theory, and my view is only theoretical, while his is very practical, and if we differ upon this question 1 of course must give place to his superior knowledge and praction ex- perience. There is a statement in para capli 11 of Dr. Wright's report that is rary gratifying. It is to the effect that he hoped he had discovered the uoadei stimulus both for scholars and masters in making collo- quial English a subject of examination for prize purposes.
I believe that this after- noon there is to be an examination hold in town for an interpretership, and the principal subject is, nata ally, colloquial English-turning Chi- ness into Buglish and English into Chinese. I believe about three old pupils of Victoria Col- luge have ontored for that examination, and I am sure it will be very gratifying to all you boys,
we it will be to me, if ons of these three is the successful candidate. I had intended to say something to you about the importance of learn- ing English, but I am sorry I only got Dr. Wright's report yesterday afternoon, just before a meeting of the Legislative Conucil, and I bave really hardly had time to go thoroughly into it so instead of boring you with a long speech 1 shall just mention a few points which I wrote down as they occurred to me with reference to this subject. It is said there is a great de- mand for a knowledge of English and Euro- pau languages arising in China. I am not surprised at it, for a knowledge of European Janguages opeus up a vast field of literature and certainly gives breadth of mind to the student. The point was urged very strongly by a gentle- man in Nanking a few months ago. He said that | a knowledge of English was one of the principal requirements of the time in China and that she could not progress without it. We all know that China is the most conservative empirs in the world, and very naturally so, for sho existed thansands of yours even before Europe was civi lised. But there is a limit to all things, and thus it is that everything is modifying always, and people's opinious must modify with the times. A system of education which confines all thonght to the limits fixed by the ancients, and which prevents people from making new investigu tions and from profiting by scientific aud other research, cannot stand in the fi roo light of modern invention and discovery. The contact of China with England. France, Germany, and America ought to have revented to her the necessity of steiking out many years ago on a new educational line in order to keep paco with them in diplomacy and trade. I think it is a matter for great rejoicing that the pre- seat Emperor and his advisors seem alive to the necessity of modifying the present system of elacation by including within it a subject of suprste importance to the development of the country and the welfare of its people. How this desirable roform will bo effected in the face of the exclusion of the Chinese from America, Canada, and the Australian Colonies it is hardly possible to guess at. I personally think that that policy is a very unfair and shortsighted one. (Applause.) So far as my short experience of Chianmon goes, my opinion is that the Chinese are one of the most good-natured, one of the most in- dustrious and persevering people on the face of the earth, and that they are happily exempt from many of the vioos which are a discredit to European people. Doubtless the strong prejudios which does exist against many of them is the outcome of ignorance of their good qualities, while many more are owing to the Chinaman's - education and his inadaptibility to and porhaps contempt for European customs and ideas. This latter can only be amehorated by a knowledge of European languages, and naturally, I think, by a knowledge of the English language. For these reasons I hold that in Victoria College and in all institutions of a liko naturo the main object to be kept perpetually in view should be the teaching of English, combined, of course, with the teaching of Chineseaccording to Chinese methods. And in addition to this there should by the importation in such institution, as a neo- essary corrolary, of the best of English customs and English ideas. Hongkong, boys. as you know, is a British Colony and will always remain Ro, and the scour the Chinese youth under- stands this thoroughly and understands that it will be better for his own interests not only to be loyal to Her Majesty the Queen and tho British Empire but to adopt what is best in European itons and methods of thought the more advantageous it will bo for him. This, I think, ought to be the work of a grent, educa- tional establishment like Victoria College. I hope you will understand what I have said to yon. I congratulate you most heartily on the results of the past stomiuntious and I own-
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