CO129-594-3 Rehabilitation of Hong Kong University. For extracted photographs see CN 3-45- Advisory Committee- minutes of... 18-1-1946 - 9-4-1946 — Page 111

the Chancellor of the Exchequer would be more readily moved by such a plea than by demands for finance for research.

5. The Committee began a survey or proposals for the type of University desired.

(a) The Committee agreed that a sound

Department of English was the first essential and that especial care in the training of Chinese in English Speech and writing was essential. Sir Humphrey Prideaux-Brune referred to the importance attributed by the Chinese Department of Education to good English teaching. The Committee unanimously supported the view or the special place of English in the University studies. Professor Penson said that we must regard English in Hong Kong University as having the importance of Latin in earlier days in Westera universities. Mr. Bloss claimed tulät the superiority of achievement, in English in Hong Kong schools was in large measure due to the work done in the past generation by the English Department or the University and the standard of English in Hong Kong already was at least a year ahead of that achieved in China.

(b) The Chairman stressed the importance of adequate training in Hong Kong in Chinese for local and overseas students. He suggested that the Committee should regard the Chinese also us a basic department of the University.

After discussion of (a) and (b) the Committee agreed that in a revival of the Faculties. of Arts and Science, the Departments of En lish and Chinese should be regarded as having overriding importance.

It

6. Discussion on the standard of entrance to the University followed. It was agreed that the standard in subjects other than English should not be lower than the standard of the matriculation examinations of the nglish university boards. was agreed however that with the development and improvement of schools the University should ain at the earliest dete at a materially improved

standard of entrance.within

a

for years.

A. Faculty of Arts,

7. The Committee discussed the development of a Department of History.

/ that.

At present the existing

B

8

H

S

It

arrangement was regarded by the Committee ́es insufficient, and unsatisractory. The importance of the teaching of Far Eastern history was recognised but this against a background of wide acquaintance with the history of Western institutions. was agreed that the University should endeavour to establish a Department of History to comprehend

λ, desirably,

modern

|-