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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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The fees and attendence have increased from 81,200 to $1,800, and the average daily attendance has risen from 84 to 5, being an increase in fees of 50 per cent, and in attendance of 15 per cent. This, I think, can be considered evidence of a desire on the part of Chinese parents and guardians for a sound and thorough English education in Kowloon and district. To our syllabus hygiene has been added during the past year. AR you are aware, I reported very favourably on the teaching of history in my last report, and my further experience teaches me that it can be taught, though I am more than sorry to say the experiment must now terminate owing to the reorganization scheme. Under this scheme we have to elimi- minate history from our curriculum owing to the fact that the upper classes are to be abolished. Iu doing away with these classes, I am not fully convinced that a righ course in being adopted, In saying. this I do not wish to be thought cantankerous, but the end and aim of the Dis. tricts Schools cannot altogether be looked upon as feeders of Queen's College, as the greater majority of pupils who attend our schools do so with a desire to qualify for positions in firms at salaries say from $25 to $40 per mensem; and the education given at our schools is ample for that purpose. I have personally inquired into every case in which a boy has left this school from the upper class in order to discover his destination and work. This is the result: 16 boys have left from the upper classes, and four of them have gone to Queen's College. Only one cannot be traced; the remainder are working in various situations.
who did not understand the words of that ad-, In presenting this, my 3rd, annual report on dress, but I had previously seen a translation the work of this school. I hope I may be allowed of it; the words were nicely selected and prettily this privilege of classing this prize distribution spoken. This is the only school among those as an auspicious occasion to the peninsular of at which I bave presented, or have to present Kowloon seeing it partakes of the nature of a prizes this year, in which there has been a fall- double function: It celebrates the opening of ing off in the average attendance for the year
the New Government School for the Education 1905, but after hearing Mrs. Bateman's explana- of Chinese youths in English ideas and it is tion of the reasons for the decrease, I don't the first distribution of prizes to Chinese think it is entirely, to be regretted.. New scholars in Government School in the educational institutions have arisen which peninsula of Kowloon by H. E. the Governor supply the special needs of certain classes of of the Colony. Since my last report the staff girls both in religious and in some subjects of has been increased by the appointment of two secular education in a way that it is not possible additional assistant Chinese master. The work | for the Belilios School to do, and that school has of the whole of my present staff has been reverted to the intention of its original founder-performed in an exceedingly satisfactory the education of Chinese girls. I see no reason why it should not be devoted to that purpose and have a great future before it. Mrs Bateman in her. report quoted a somewhat caustic remark made by Dr. Eitel in the earlier days of the school, in which he referred to it as a matrimonial agency. Well, I should like to see it become such an agency, not for the teachers, but for the girls, in the sense of giving them a training which will make them good wives in the future. Chinese girls now should be given some instruction in Western knowledge, as the Chinese young men of to-day are rapidly acquiring Western ideas and looking for that knowledge. The report of the Inspector of Schools, which was not read this morning, but which I have seen, is a favourable one, especially with regard to the senior English, Anglo-Chinese and vernacular. school. There are various small points which he criticises; one I remember was that in the needlework class of the upper school the girls did not thimbles. Personally, I think if I did needlework I would find a thimble very embarrassing (laughter), but the Inspector says you are to use them, so you are to use them. Mr. Irvine romplains that the girls do not speak sufficiently loud, but I am not sure that I am entirely with him there; as long as they speak quite distinctly it is hardly necessary that they should speak loudly. There is one remark of his with regard to the lower school to which I hope particular a tention will be paid- that is, that more practico should be given in English composition. It is with great satisfaction I have heard that the teaching of hygiene in the school, both in the English, Anglo-Chinese and vernacular branches, has met with sp much success I thank Mrs. Bateman and the Head Master, for the, attention given to a subject in which they know I am so much interested. I have also on this occasion to thank, on behalf of the Government of Hogkong, Mrs. Bateman for her valuable services, extending over nearly fifteen years, rendered to the Colouy as Head Mistress of Belilios School (applause). I wish her and I am sure I am expressing the wish of her friends and pupils, many happy years of retire. ment at home. I hope she will continue to take an interest in Hongkong, and that we shall be able to let her hear from time to time that her, wish-for the future prosperity of the school is being realised (applause). The only thing remaining for me to do is to present to the girl most proficient in English studies-Amelia Hyndman-a special prize (applause).
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Three hearty cheers were accorded His Excellency, after which the singing of the National Anthem terminated the proceedings.
ANGLO-CHinese disTRICT GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS.
H.E. the Governor presided at the annual distribution of prizes of the Anglo-Chinese District Government Schools held at Yaumati on Jan. 19. There were present Mr. R. A. B. Ponsonby, His Excelleney's private secretary, Mr. E. A. Irvine, Inspector of Schools, Rev. Bro. Sylvester, director of St. Joseph's College, Mr. G. H. Piercey, principal of the Diocesan School, Moara. W. H. Williams, Bo Tung and others. The programme was so arranged as to combine business with pleasure, the items being intersected with the business of the day. The principal of each school read his annual report extrasts from which follow :
TAUMATI SCHOOL.
Mr. W. Curwen said: Your Excellency, In- spector of Schools, Ladies and Gentlemen,---
WANTSAI SCHOOL.
Mr. Young Hee's report was as follows:- Your Excellency, Mr. Irvine. Ladies and Gentlemen,-It is with much pleasure that I present my annual report. On January 1st 1905, there were 98 names on the School Roll During the year there were 104 applications for. admission. Of these 90 were enrolled (the remaining 14 failed to pass the required test in Chinese), thus bringing the total number on books up to 188. From various causes 49 left. The number on roll at the end of the year was 139. The school has been open on 238 days, and the average daily attendance was 1408, which is considerably higher than any previous year The fees collected amoant to $2,349, which is an ineresse of $758.50 upon last year's revenue, and I think that the school is now in a most flourishing condition. There have been
• number of changes in the staff due to promo- tions, and at the present time it consists of myself and five assistants. The recommenda- tion made by the Inspector of Schools in his last annul report on the "Notes of Lessons,” has been carried out satisfactorily, and the assistants now keep all notes in suitable books. Hygiene has been consistently taught throughout the year, and the boys have applied themselves with much energy to a most useful branch of study. The Inspector of Schools has paid several visits for the purpose of testing the progress of the school, and speaking generally the results are most satisfactory. Mathematics, the English subjects and hygiene appear to the beat advantage, especially so in the junior classes. Translation is exceedingly good. Possessing as I do a profound knowledge of Chinese literature, I take great interest in the teaching of this subject, and the results are most gratifying. The school has on several occasions been si-ited by teachers from some of the grant-in-aid schools in the Colony, and by the representatives sent out by the educational authorities of the Philippines
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[January 22, 1906.
for the express purpose of studying the methods of teaching English in practice in the District Schools. The normal class has been held at my school (under the supervision of the District Head Masters) on Saturday mornings, when the assistant teachers have been instructed in the modern, methods, of teaching The lessons and oriticisms cannot fail to have had a most beneficial effect,
SAIYINGPUN SCHOOL,
The Head, Mr. A. Morris, said :-)
-Your Excellency, Mr. Irvine, Ladies, and Gentlemen, My term of office as Head Master of the Saiyingpun District School dates from the end of June. At the commencement of the summer vacation I submitted a report on the unsatis- factory bondition in which I found the school. The staff includes three Anglo-Chinese assist- ants, one vernacular master and myself. The number in attendance throughout the-year has been very poor, the highest monthly average being 49 and the lowest 35, while the average for the year. was only 4t. The fees collected were small, amounting to $745. On the general results of the work there has been steady and constant progress, and I have every reason to believe that the school is now in a satisfactory state of efficiency. I have, with the consent of the Inspector of Schools tried several innovations, which have been unqualified successes; those included launch trip, walking excursions and swimming and drawing exercises. The excursions, numbering about 30, were to the most important factories and chief places of interest in the Colony. They were well attended both by teachers and pupils, and I feel confidant the boys derived much benefit therefrom both mentally and physically as well as morally. During the excursions specimens were collected, and these have gone to swell the contents of a museum of objects which have been further augmented by presentation of most useful and valuable cases of specimens from different English manufacturing firms. Drawing has been taught for the first time, and the syllabus includes freeband, geometery and brush work. During the summer months bathing parties were arranged, and the boys taught swimming. I think the initiation of an inter-schools' contest in swimming on some- what similar lines to the football and hygiene competitions, but with more restrictions 50 as to place the weaker schools on a more equal footing, would give a great impetus to a most useful, healthy and popular exercise. Owing to the small number in the school we were unable to com ete in the hygiene shield contest. then distributed the His EXCELLENCY prizes, and said:-Ladies and Gentlemen,- Thé erection of the building where we are assembled to-day for the first time is due to the generosity of Mr. Ho Tuug, who I am glad to see present. Mr. Ho Tung consented to pre- sent to the Government of Hongkong that school which is lower down Robinson Road, and which was built at his expense, so that it should be maintained for British children instead of, as he had originally intended, for children of all nationalities. He made it a condition to his consent that an equally good school should be grovided for the Chinese boys of Yaumati, and this building has been erected in part fulfilment of that condition. I don't think the Yaumati boys, have lost by the substitution of this building for the other It is certainly as good a schoolhouse and has the additional advantage of a big playground, and is also more centrally and conver iently situated for residents of You- mati. It is like the other school on the Robin- son Road, the 100 foot road eventually go from Tsimchatsoi to old Kowloon Point. We proposed to make a part of the road in front of this house immediately, and. to the north, and later on to cut through the hill you see out of the window in order to join it to the present termination of the road near the. Chinese theatre, so that you may under- stand not only the geographical position of the school, but also its position in the general scheme of Government education. I propose to give you a few facts with regard to that scheme. There are altogether 81 Government” and Go. vernment aided schools in the Colony, and the average attendance, which is, of course, very mach lower than the total numbers on the roll, is about 5,000. Of this number about one-third are trained in the eleven Government
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