Sessional_Paper_1906 — Page 113

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10. By Circular in 1904 the Secretary of State urged on the Crown Colonies the importance of teaching Hygiene. The Governor of Hongkong at once made Hygiene a compulsory part of the School curriculum, and to stimulate the necessary interest until the novelty of the subject should have worn off, His Excellency provided several prizes, which for value compare rather with scholarships. I am pleased to report that HUNG lu-chi, a genuine Queen's College product, was bracketed third in the Schools' competition in the Advanced Course, while by the success of our team of ten boys in the Elementary Course, the name of Queen's College will head the list inscribed on the Shield. ROBERT EASTLACK of III A and IP U-PIK of IV B were selected by the Examiners for prizes as having obtained the highest marks in their respective classes. In the Spring of the year there were in Queen's College over 700 boys receiving instruction in Hygiene, but this number dwindled through boys leaving school, until there remained for the Annual Examination 606, of whom 386 or 64 per cent. passed. The result is better exhibited in tabular form:-

Class I. 45 boys examined, 37

or. 82% passed

79%

I.A. 94% IIA. 92% III.A. 91

II. 75

59

"1

"}

III. 127

93

73%

99

*

IV. 170 V. 109

יי

"J

100 97

""

58%

>

IV.A. 79%

54%

V.A. 70%

"}

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It is thus evident that all the English Masters, who alone teach this subject, have entered with spirit into the teaching of Hygiene, and I may add that in the College eximination the boys themselves exhibited in their answers an amount of interest that quite surprised me. Since a first year's work can produce such satisfactory results, we are justified in supposing that in another three years after a progressive course of education in this subject in the Third and Second Classes, the boys in the First Class nay really acquire Advanced knowledge in Hygiene.

11. A special class of 27 boys was taught in Trigonometry by myself two afternoons a week. We stopped short of Solution of Triangles, having only been able to reach Relations between Sides and Angles of Triangles. The boys seemed to find the subject interesting, but the dozen that remained for the Annual Examination disappointed me, as their work was inferior to that shown at Mid. Term examinations. CHEUNG TIM of IB headed the Seniors with 75, and Fuse KWONG-YAP of II A the Juniors with 52 marks.

12. Mr. DEALY took a special class of about 50 boys on two afternoons a week in Draw- ing. The results in Freehand were excellent, but Geometrical Drawing chiefly owing to absence of Text-books, was poor, KWAN IU-KI of III A distinguished himself with 118 out of 200 marks, the highest total. We hope next term to proceed to Model Drawing.

13. It will be remembered that six years ago, the Hon. Mr. J. H. STEWART LOCKHART when he distributed the prizes here said that Queen's College ought to have a Gymnasium. In 1901 affairs had reached so advanced a stage that a plan for the building had been made, but it was discovered that the Government could not at present afford the expense, and it was proposed temporarily to utilise the basement of the College for gymnastics. At length votes were included in the 1905 Estimates, $400 for gymnastic appliances and $270 for an instructor. Through the kind services of the Military Authorities an excellent instructor has been provided in Sergeant D. TAYLOR, R. G. A.. and 80 boys have been under instruc- tion since last April: but what are they among so many?

14. Last February, I submitted a scheme for forming a Collegiate class above and beyond the curriculum of Class I in Queen's College. No response worth mentioning has been made indicative of a desire on the part of the Chinese to avail themselves of the opportunity. It is now to be hoped that Evening Extension Classes may meet the want i this direction, that ought not to be purely imaginary.

15. Reviewing the immense number of papers, 7,430, that have passed under my own personal inspection in the recent examination. I have arrived at the conclusion that we examiners are liable to overlook a certain element which produces most extraordinary errors, that might at a superficial glance be attributed to gross ignorance or crass stupidity. It is not surprising that after laboriously thinking and expressing himself in a foreign language during several hours of a protracted examination, the Chinese boy should find himself so weary, as not to have his mental faculties under complete control. It is to this brain-fay that we must assign the occurrence in otherwise highly commendable papers of such freaks as "serpon" for person: "gentleman for Germany and perhaps the astonishing statement 256-1=251.

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