CO129-271 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1896 [1-4] — Page 420

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I have less hesitation in rebutting the charge of ruining thi the education of the Co llege through personal ambition, as the present curriculum has,Sir,net nely been approved by your predece ers, but I have more than once, been expressly instrusted by them, it to extend the scope of the College,that it should be the medsl Secondary School of the Colony.

5. When them, on the strength of the Eaminers' Report,His Excell publicly states that the #overning Body will shortly introduce cha (the direct result of whisk is retrograde) to resters the educati at queen's College to the elementary stage which I found at the Central Scheel on my arrival in 1882: I naturally desire that the Secretary of State for the Golenies should understand that I am in way responsible for the unfortunate consequences which I foresee is be inevitable.

I de net, før an instant, assert that our present system is peri it is however the result of bæeimakunai law of evolution, the prosti of which is slow. All that is required is – more manifest sympathy

and more perfect atti with the Chinese race from English Masters, ments in the English language in Junior Chinese Assistants. I am viewed as an obstruationist, because I maintain

(a) that it is absolutely necessary for the Chinese te have knowledge of their own language, before they san kopa to learn Ingli and that as the majority of our boys ars,en admission, hopelessly ignorant of their native written language ( as is testified by the Examiners Report) further native instruction in the Chinese lite ture and composition must continue to be providedin Queen's Collegi (b) that as five or six Inglisk Masters annet teash all thi English subjects to twenty-one classes, it is simply a matter of necessity that Chinese Assistants should take their share of this

ia testified by th work, That they are fully competent to do this Examiners' f*bles of Marks, where as many, and sometimes more, boys it elasses under Chinese Assistants,btained 60% and upwards of possí marks, when compared with a class under an English Master.

that as non-Chinese ratepayers complain that tee little prevision is made for the instruction of their boys, and object te their sana sitting among Chinese, it is necesasry te sentinue twe separate classes for their special needs. ·

(4) that as the Examinerscomplain in their Report of tee mi memeriter work already existing, I am hogaly to be blamed for oppti ing the introduction of an English Phrase-boek te be learnt by hew for purposes of examination. My position is that continuous conver tion from 9.te 1.30 on every elass subject,especially during Readi is the method best suited to our eirgumstances, The Governing Beij recommends that lessons in stricture of sentences, already given in @rammar and Composition should be repeated in another keur and at! a Colloquial Lessen. Because I think this unnecessary waste of th am viewed as incapable of recognising the wisdom of any suggestion from outside.

It must als be borne in mind, that in rejesting the above *** called improvements, when put forth by the saverning Body, I am onli consistent with my opposition in 1892,93 to the identical suggesti

when made by Dr Eitel.

7. Intimately' sonnested with the above questions is the refusal the Governing Body to permit the Head Master te held, as formerly, his Annual Prize Examination, though I pointed out to them the dan resulting from his anføreed ignorance of the work done by his mast and beys. Paragraph 9 of my Report dwelt fully with this point. Though suppressed by His Excellency's order,it has deuntless be forwarded for your consideration. I may remark in, passing, that is accordance with pressdant, I instrusted the government Printer t adhere to the original numbers above my signature,plasing asteris against paragraph 9, but he appears to have received sounter-ørden.

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I regret to repert that the governing Body,appointed by your Immediate predecesser,"in Dr Wright's ●wn interests, as well as these of the school' assumes the attitude of a Beard School Committee, keeping the Head Master at a distance, and intimating that his views are in their epinimm¤ worthless. When any important skage is sensider

,a letter is sent in the following terms the severning Body has decided to do so-and-so, and you are invited to express your opinion" My reply naturally takes the form of a protest.

.. If the Head Master is to be treated as a non-entity, and required to remain in complete ignorance of the work done by his masters and boys; if sentrary to the Regulations specially framed forthe rela- tions between the @overning Body and the Head Master,such questions as are connected with "geheel-hours,Time Table, Booki used, appoint- ment of Masters te several classes, and all internal management "which should include awarding of prizes and making of promotions: if,sir, all mick questions are to be under the sentrol of the #overning Body not of the Head Master, I respectfully submit that the latter cannet be in any way seseunted responsible for the general management and results of this college.

I have the keneur te be

Sir

Your most obedient humble servant

feritatison Mright. D.D. Oxon.

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