Sessional_Paper_1894 — Page 63

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spend a year in 'each of the seven sections, in order that the instruction he receives may be properly graduated and matured. There is no objection to clever boys being promoted after half a year's study in the lowest classes; but unfortunately, as I have had occasion to remark more than once before, the classes generally have for the last few years suffered from forced promotions. This is partly due to the transfer from the Central School, explained in the next paragraph, but also largely attributable to the number of boys who leave and are admitted every year. The only cure for the latter evil would appear to be the increased prosperity of the Colony. I need hardly point out that promotions in the Upper School are only made at the beginning of each school year.

8. EFFECT OF TRANSFER FROM THE CENTRAL SCHOOL.-I suppose it will occur to but few people to enquire by what steps a school of 556 boys in 1883 developed in 1891 into a college of 1,108. To most it will appear as a sum in simple addition, or perhaps multiplication; but in reality the change was attended with many difficulties. In 1888 the number of the sections forming the Upper School was doubled, as I foresaw that the increased accommodation in this part of the new building would not be supplied by outside demand. After allowing a breathing space of four years, an extra section was added in 1892, another in 1893, and the remaining section will be formed next month, when the scheme devised seven years ago will be complete, and the nine class-rooms on the upper floor will constitute the Upper School. In the year 1882, the number of boys examined in the Upper School was 83 as against 190 just examined. During the last five years there has been an average of nine boys admitted annually to the Upper School from outside the College; the real increase is thus due to internal expansion. It should now be apparent that a continuous strain has been thrown on the whole establishment, by the transfer from the Central School. The strain was heaviest in 1888 and 1889, but it still reveals itself; and it will be a matter of gratification to the masters to know that there is only one more year of sustained extraordinary effort. From March 1895, we shall settle down into a more normal condition, the stage of what we may call corporal growth will be in the past, and we may hope to reap some of the benefits attendant on maturity.

9. EFFECT OF INCREASE OF UPPER SCHOOL.-I anticipate several advantages from this realisation of my day-dream; 1°, an increase in revenue from higher fees; 2°, a gradual filling up of vacant seats in the Upper School, which in two or three years should be attended by a further increase in revenue; 3o, a more normal rate of promotion throughout the College in 1895 and henceforth, as referred to in the preceding paragraph; 4°, a steady elevation in the tone of the work, by the removal of this strain; 5°, an improved attendance in the Lower School; for it is to be expected that as there will be only 528 seats available for this part of the College, instead of 660 (as in 1890) boys will be more careful to retain their places as was the case in the limited accommodation of the Central School; 6o, the gradual extinction of the Preparatory School, for we ought soon to be able to require some previous knowledge of English on admission; 7°, an improvement in the results of the Chinese School, for the present ground of complaint, that the classes are unwieldy, will be in part removed by their considerable reduction.

10. EFFECT OF OPENING VICTORIA COLLEGE UPON OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE COLONY.-It has been stated that Victoria College has unduly withdrawn non-Chinese boys from other schools in the Colony. I am happy to say that there is no evidence to support this conjecture, which naturally arose from the total increase of attendance in the present large building. The following table compares the attendances of non-Chinese boys at four schools of the Colony in the years 1888 (being the last year available for statistics at the Central School) and 1892. The figures are taken, as regards this place, from the School Roll, and as regards the other three schools from the reports of the Inspector of Schools. (Note. Only half the number of the Diocesan boys is given, as the other half, roughly speaking, are in Chinese dress.)

School.

Diocesan School,

St. Joseph's College,...

Victoria English School (boys),

Victoria College,

Total non-Chinese,

1888.

1892.

63

65

.191

199

62

163

85

107

...........401

534

The total non-Chinese attendance at these schools has increased 33 per cent.; but at Victoria College only 25 per cent.; while the Chinese attendance at Victoria College has risen 75 per cent. from 549 in 1888 to 955 in 1892. Thus the increase in numbers of our non-

-Chinese boys is very far from being equal in proportion to the increase observable amongst our Chinese scholars; and is actually even less than the average increase of demand on education from the non-Chinese sections of the Colonial community.

Colonial

11. NAME OF THE COLLEGE.-There are no less than five schools in the Colony with the common designation of Victoria, viz., Victoria Portuguese School, Victoria English School (boys), Victoria