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February 8, 1904.)
teaching power. The subjects that have been taught in the classes during the year now closing comprise the following :- English language and grammar; composition and letter-writing; reading and dictation, writing and drawing, with lessons on common objects geography, and the history of the Middle Kingdom; arithmetic and algebra, Chinese, translation and the oly Scriptures. During the first half year Mr. A. H, Mackenzie and Miss Fletcher (who kiudly placed some hours daily at the disposal of the College Council reudered untiring service in the several classes. After the summer vacation we had the addi- tional good fortune to secure the services of Mr. J. Lewis Byrne, M.A., who in Great Britain, Canada and Australia had gained much experience and success in educational work. Such a staff of teachers seems to be out of all proportion to the numbers of scholars attending elisses, but two considerations must be kept in view: first, though the pupils attend. | ing at one time through the year have never exceeded thirty-five, their standards of pro- ficiency have varied greatly from the be inning; and, secondly, we have been working not for this year alone but for the future. Me nwh le, students hov enjoyed the benefit of small olasses and additional individual attention. '.
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CHİNA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
play-room, and until this is obtained we shall be hampered in all that makes for the development of a well proportioned physique. Our task, how ever, would be but poorly done did we neglect that character-building which is essential to the highest good of the individual and the com- munity. We would not be satisfied simply to instruct our scholars: we want to educate them in the fullest sense of the term. For this reason we announced at the first that we were opening a Christian College to be as thorough in every department as circumstances will permit with a daily lesson from the Holy Scriptures
There is bat one other matter; the prizes have been generously provided by be following kind donors: The Right everend the Bishop of Victoria, Mrs. Barnett, Mr J. L. Byrne, Dr Jo Kai, Mess 8. S. W. Tso, Chan Hewan. Hai Shun Chuen, Two Tzse Ki. Yip Shung Hing. Wong Ue Lam, o Cho San, Chan Chi ung, Wei Woh Seen, Wei Ou, Yip Sau Chi, Yau Shai, Fung Ku hau, Chan King Ting, Lo Po Shan and Teo Hong Lim. We are grateful indeed for this kind help, and especially for the most sympathetic nauner in which the prize fund has been raised, How to obtain suitable prizes was a harder task to face than getting the money for their purchase. We decided, how- ever, not to give jewellery, but to follow the English custom of presenting books, aud we have made the best selection possible from the limitou supply to be found in Hongkong. Each reward represents a large amount of steady work on the part of the recipient and is a guarantee of progress. the pride of place having been decided by the weekly and the fial examinations. The number of successful competitors has been lessened through the absence of some who found the attractions of the approaching ew Year too powerful to withstand. We are sur that those scholars wh have remain d for specen day will enjoy their holiday all the more for having done their duty a bly to the last.
Mr. BARNETT said that the Dux prize had been awarded for the final examination of eleven subjects. The winner was San Sai Wan, whose average for the whole number of subjects was 79.5.
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history of the race that has made the Colony, and that rules it (pplause). I do not know whether any of you noticed the other day in the Legisla. tive Council that a vote was taken for a sum of money to provide for visual instruction. It is a proposal that has been made by the home authorities, and the object is to increase the interest in the Empire generally in the Colonies. The method of procedure that is proposed will be of the following nature. We shall obtain from home a very powerful magic lantern and a large number of slides, illustrative of the seat of Government in England, the trade, the in- dus ry, the agriculture, and the social life of the mother country, and also some of the phases of life, industry and commerce of those Colonies that contribute to the fund. I think you will learn with pleasure that Hongkong, as usual. is in the for frost with its ontribution, and I hope that before many months have passed to see this method of instruotion- introduced. Now, I am sure you will agree with me that instruction by means of the magic lantern, accompanied by lectures explain- ing the pictures which are exhibited, could not be properly understood by boys who have not had some instruction in the history of the Empire. But apart from that, I think that here could be no more edifying subject of study Some of our 8 ndents, especially the elder
for boys of the Chinese race, especialy boys ones, may not disregard the social claims that
belonging to the upper classes, than the sometimes call them from their studies. But
history of an Empire whose system of govern- let us he more watchful that only absolutely
ment has been built up mainly by cons itutional necessary calls detain the scholar from taking
methods-an Empire of which it has been truly his regular place in class. A clever boy was
said that the sun never sets upon its territori s an easy first in several subjects fo: three-fourths
an Empire whose people though the most free of the year. During the last term bis atten-
in the world are characterised by their undying dance, for family reasons, has been erratic, with
devotion and loyalty to the throne and person of the disappointing result that he has altogether
their sovereign (applause). And now I would like lost bis premier position in the final examina-
to notice one thing in the report that has given tiou. This is but one c.se out of several
me personally a great deal of satisfaction. It There are two features of our work which call
is that i this school, though the scholars of for special mention. The Chinese student of
the Chinese r.co at any rate are not English meat with peculiar difficulties both in
Christians, instruction is given in the Holy pronunciation and in idiom. In order to meet
- oriptures. You know that we Westerners, these needs we employ only English masters for
although we are not Confuciauists, are not English subjects. and insist that all teaching
so foolish as not to inform ourselves of the-writ- shall be imparted in the English tongue, except
ings of the great Chinese sages. Many valuable occasionally when Chinese is used for explana-
truths are inculcated in th sa writings, and I tion, more particularly in the earlier stages.
venture to think that Chinese, although they This may appear at first sight to be the slower H18 EXCELLENCY, having distributed the have no intention of becoming Christians, will method, but experience proves that the constant prizes, said:-My Lord Bishop, ladies and receive great benefit from the study of the great use of English in imparting instruction is in gentlemen,-One of the recommendations of Truth that forms the subject of Holy Writ. itself a continual lesson in conversation, aud the important commission that reported on In wishing you, boys, a very pleasant holiday without great effort the ears of the pupils education in 1902 was the institution of a high after y ur year's wor, may I impress upon you become familiarised with the most common school for Chinese--that is to say, a school where what Mr. Barnett has urged you to correot. in sounds, and progi ess is secured on more natural instruction in te English language and western his report. I mean your want of regular at lines and w th more gratifying results. Another subjects for the sons of hinese of the upper tendance, More than twenty years ago one of special help is in the weekly written examination classes could be had. It is a source of great my greatest friends was a professor in the which is held every Saturday morning on satisfaction to me, as representing the Govern Colleg at Peking for teaching western know- ona or other of the class subjects. Not ment of this Colony, to see that, by private ledge to the inhabitants of that eity, and in only does this secure the frequent revision of enterprise, this recommendation has found its several conversations with him he deplored the each subject by the student, but it requires fulfilme it (applause). If for no other re sono, great difficulty that he found in ge ting his him Lo be able to put into westin you will understand that it leaves more my pupils regularly to attend his classes. So, you what he has been learning, and is as for the Government, with which to cater for see, the fault is an old one, and it exists in the helpful in its way for composition as the education l interests in other directions.capital of the Chines- Empire, even as it does in class work is for conversation. For beginners (applaus-). I was very pleased to see from this schoolto-day. I hope you boys will show your this is a hard task, but the excellent results the report that in this school the principle compatriots in the northern capital that it is obtained during the past year are the best jus-of instructing in English subjects in the to the interest of every scholar to attend his tification for the practice. At the end of each English tougne has been adopted. That is classes with regularity (applause). half year the students' knowledge of the ground a principle that we are trying to carry out
BISHOP HOABE said he was sure he was covered during the preceding period is further in our "Government schools. We have al-speaking for all present in' thanking H.E, for tested by more searching examinations. These ready done something in that direction, but w
his attendance, especially as, as he had seen are all carefully corrected, marked and returned, cannot do as much as we would like to, because y the papers, H.E. was so busy. It showed that the same kind of mistakes may not be where a large number of schools are concerned, that H.E. was in sympathy with them. repeated in future work. Many of our students, you will nod-rstand that the method is before they entered College, speut long years inexpensive. But still I think there can be only the study of the native tongue and literature, and in some cases they have been succ-ssful iu Chinese literary examinations. Suc. are not prosecuting their Chinese studies, except so far as they are used ig translation. For others, who have not yet acquired a working knowle ge of Chinese cha acters, classes have been form- ed under the instruction of Mi. Ng Tin P, who joined the teaching staff after the summer holidays, bringing with him experience in tuition and the modern method in teaching and utilising the characters when learned. Something has been attempted in physical training and sports, but no great efficiency has yet been attained in this necessary branch of an all-round education. During the first half year, daily exercises were maintained, but for the past few months the work has been suspended, mainly for lack of suitable accommodation. Indeed, one of our urgent needs is a gymnasium and common
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one opinion that it is the right way to teach English and English subjects. After all, it is the way that English people do when they want to learn Chinese or suy, tongas other than our owɑ. An Englishman who learns Chinese from à Chinese teacher who knows not a single word of Euglish, invariably, I think, nakes far greater progress in the acquisition of the spoken language than does a man who thinks it is better and easier to employ a man who knows English. Therefore, I think the converse must hold good; I am sure it does hold good. There is one point that has struck me in the report just read, and it is that of all the many subjects enumerated as being tanght in this school, English history is apparently missing. Now, I think that in every school where English is taught some English history shou d also be taught. It is but right that every student of English in this Colony should learn something of the
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the Fchool's
Mr. BARNETT said, with reference to his Excellency's remark that English history seemed to be missing from curriculum, that he found that most of the boys showed a lamentable lack of knowledge of their own country's history, and that he decided to give them six months' tuition in their own country's history, before giving them a course of English history. An amount of history however, had been imparted with the assistance of a map of the Empire.
Three cheers were given for H.E.; three for he Bishop; and three for the head-master.
Hongkong footballers will be glad to hear that Mr. W. W. Clark, last year's Rugby captain of the H.K.F.C., distinguished himself not a littl in a match beween his old club, Glasgow High School F.P., and Clydesdale. The Glasgow papers say that Clark played in great style and scored a try from a brilliant dribble.
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