Sessional_Paper_1905 — Page 797

No. 1805

37

HONGKONG.

REPORT BY THE EXAMINERS OF QUEEN'S COLLEGE.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor.

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT,

HONGKONG, 15th October, 1905.

SIR,-We have the honour to forward our report on the examination of Queen's College held by us at the request of the Governing Body. The Lower School was examined during the last week of June, and the Upper School during the last ten days of July, after the Oxford Local examinations were finished. The examination was conducted, as it was last year, mainly by viva-voce in the Lower Classes (VIII to V inclusive, and by written papers in Classes IV to I, and, as before, we have endeavoured rather to consider the system and subject matter of the tea- ching throughout the School than to compare the merits of individual boys. The conclusions thus formed are arranged under the headings of the subjects studied.

2. Appendix A gives the papers set to the Upper School. The Classes and Divisions, with the names of the masters and the approximate number of scholars, are given in Appendix B.

DISCIPLINE, ORGANIZATION AND APPARATUS.

3. The discipline is very good; the boys are well mannered, attentive and obedient.

4. It is not easy to form a distinct idea of the progress made by the scholars, because no suitable records are kept by the masters. In many schools the Class- master keeps a book, which shews month by month and term by term whether a due proportion of the appointed course has been accomplished at any given time. He may

also jot down in the same book comments as to the success or otherwise of the course, as experience suggests them. The terms Reports inform parents as to their sons' progress. It would be well if this practice were followed at the College. The more general use at the College of exercise books is greatly to be desired. It would enable masters to see at a glance how their boys are getting on. And it would be specially useful to a new master as a means whereby to ascertain the general rate of improvement. Without such records, examiners can only judge of a Class as they see it, and without reference to the work it has done in the past term or year. They are moreover unable to form an opinion of the thorough- ness with which written lessons are corrected by the masters. At the College slates are used in every Class. We strongly recommend that in future they be confined to the Lower School.

3. The big Hall is used as a school room, where often four Divisions doing different work are taught at once. The strain on the voices of the masters must be great.

Regarded from an educational standpoint the arrangement is not satisfactory, inevitable though it may be owing to the great number of boys. We suggest that if practicable the room be partitioned by moveable screens.

ENGLISH.-COLLOQUIAL, READING, DICTATION AND COMPOSITION.

6. This year Class VIII has only one Division, which is composed of boys who have been at the School about three months. They are already beginning to talk, and shew no false shame in the matter. They composed simple sentences, and then wrote them in a good hand. Their reading is very distinct.

7. Class VII has three Divisions under Chinese masters and pupil teachers; and the whole Class like Class VIII is under the supervision of the Normal master, Mr. TANNER. Very satistactory work is being done. The boys all shewed them- selves ready to talk up to the extreme limit of their vocabularies. We gave VII C unseen dictation from a Second Standard Reader. The meaning was understood, and very few mistakes were made. The handwriting is excellent.