Sessional_Paper_1906 — Page 622

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Appendix B.

DETAILED REPORTS ON GRANT SCHOOLS.

NOTE.-The reports of the schools marked with an asterisk are upon the work of the year ending 30th June.

* No. 1.—St. Joseph's College.

Discipline and Organization.-Good. Standard I has been divided into two Divisions in deference to His Excellency the Governor's advice, given at the last prize-giving, that particular attention should be paid to the beginners. I regret to say that nothing has been done to teach the Chinese boys their own language. Attention was drawn to this point in last year's Report. One boy I questioned, a boy of about fifteen, did not know a single character, not even T. When a Chinese cannot read the simplest letter, notice or name over a shop, he cannot be called properly educated. For this reason I am unable to report that the organization is “thoroughly efficient."

In examination, time is wasted by copying out the questions and ruling unnecessary lines. The boys frequently forget to put their names and school at the top of their papers.

Sanitation.The ventilation of the rooms seems now very satisfactory. Additional doors have been made, so that it is no longer necessary to pass through one room to go to another.

Floor Space.-Sufficient for 522 pupils.

Apparatus. The maps in some of the rooms need renewing, especially those used by Standard II. Much new apparatus has however been bought recently. Slates should not be used above Standard III.

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English-Colloquial.-The great majority of the boys are boarders; and they seem to learn to speak English by a natural process. Nevertheless their fluency should not blind the masters to the fact that they constantly employ foreign idioms in their speech, and these continually appear in their compositions even in the highest Standards. Reading.--Good. Writing. A large proportion (17 boys out of 29) of Standard V obtained less than 40 cent. of marks at examination. It would appear that promotion has been somewhat hurried. Standard VI did better. Their composition was gool on the whole, though the essays were lacking in matter. Half the Standard got half marks or over, and two-thirds over 40 per cent. There are only 3 boys in Standard VII. They did well in grammar, but their compositions are not up to the mark.

Handwriting deserves more attention. It is not good in the higher Standards. In all English subjects it was noticeable that on the one hand the work was done very neatly and tidily; on the other hand the work of even the best boys in the highest Standards was marred by absurd mistakes in grammar and spelling.

Geography. In the lower Standards the local geography and the outlines of Asia were well known. Standard V have too long and wide a syllabus, and failed badly at examin- ation in consequence. Standard VI on the contrary did very well. The whole Standard obtained over 40 per cent. of marks and 75 per cent. of the boys got over half marks. Standard VII did well.

History.-Is very well taught. Very intelligent answers were obtained in Standards VI and VII. The papers taken as a whole shew the boys have a real grip of the subject Standard V again did not so well.

Mathematics. The one boy in Standard VII Senior obtained full marks in papers set in arithmetic, geometry and algebra a remarkable performance. His work shews that the teaching must be excellent. Arithmetic.—Standard I have been doing mental arithmetic daily, with very good results. Standards II to VI were rather disappointing. Common sense does not seem used enough, and very simple problems were found too hard for solution. Standard V were especially weak in the conversion of dollars into sterling and vice versa, in decimals, and in their inability to employ the unitary method in the solution of problems. In Standard VI the work was neat and the methods were in most cases good. But there was a want of accuracy.