Sessional_Paper_1900 — Page 199

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HONGKONG, 20th January, 1900.

SIR,-We have the honour to present, for the information of the Governing Body, our report on the Upper School of Queen's College.

We examined 237 boys, of whom 186 or 79% passed.

We were much struck by the high average of intelligence displayed by the boys, Chinese and non-Chinese, in both oral and written examination.

The neatness of the papers, and the good quality of the handwriting are also worthy of special

mention.

We are not in a position to compare the present result with previous performances, but have no hesitation in pronouncing the work of a large proportion of the boys excellent; while the bulk of each class has done creditably in the various subjects offered, which are so many as sixteen in the first class, and a dozen in the other classes.

The high quality of the teaching imparted by the various masters is thus amply attested, and we are pleased to note that the work of classes 2 (B) and 3 (B) under Chinese assistants compares quite favourably with that of the Senior sections of the same classes under English Masters. We were particularly pleased with the work of 2 (A), which maintained a high standard throughout the class in all subjects.

We abstain from commenting on the manifest weakness of boys at the bottom of all classes, as we believe this to be a natural condition and an almost universal experience.

The papers set were quite as long as those in the Oxford Local Examinations, and in matter bore a strong resemblance to them. With the exception of two questions eliminated, one in Algebraic Factorisation in Class 1, and the other on Railways in Class 2, Geography, all the questions were successfully tackled by one or more boys.

Reading. Generally high marks were awarded, phrasing and enunciation being careful and good. Conversation. Most boys responded well to questions designedly set to test their intelligent knowledge of English idiom.

Grammar.-Accidence, Parsing and Analysis were distinctly good, 3 (A) and (B) particularly so. Composition. In writing stories from memory after dictation, many independent idioms and phrases were successfully employed, and in some cases imagination was exerted with good effect. The Essay in the Senior Chinese and non-Chinese classes was good as regards composition, but poor in failing to adhere to the required point.

History.-Generally excellent, specially high marks were obtained in this subject.

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Geography.--Good, but the Map-drawing from memory was not a success, especially was this the * case in the attempts at Italy and the South Eastern counties of England in Classes 2 and 3.

Shakespeare. On the whole well done by the few boys that offered it. The ortion of the play had been carefully studied and by many intelligently understood.

Mathematics.--The standard attained here is not high. There is too large a proportion of work hopelessly bungled, giving evidence of mental confusion, which it is the chief object of these sciences to remove. There is special need of improvement here, on the part of non-Chinese boys, who confess their weakness by offering as their highest standard the work of Class 2 and their failing wholesale in Algebra and Euclid.

A very common failing was the absence of attempt to draw diagrams at all representing the facts:-

as when a line that is equal to another by "construction" is drawn less than half its proper size--or when the production of a straight line forms an obtuse angle with the original section. Careless work of this kind naturally leaves room for gross errors in subsequent proof,

Bookkeeping.-Good. No boy in 1 (A) obtained full marks, the chief errors being ignorance of how to deal with Trade and Personal Expenses. The elementary paper of 2 (A) was well done. Mensuration.The general remarks on Mathematics apply here. A few boys did very well. Physiology and Natural Science.-Offered by 1 (C) were highly satisfactory showing careful instruction in elementary work.

Shorthand. Mr. BARLOW, the class master of 1 (C) reports that the Senior section of this non- Chinese class showed a high standard of attainment, while the Junior section was unsatisfactory.

Dictation.This subject is specially difficult to Chinese, who easily multiply errors by the omission or insertion cf -s, -ed, &c., &c. A large number of Chinese boys, however, obtained over 80% and a few full marks. The Junior section of the first class were unable to cope with an unseen selec.ion.