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July 24, 1609.]
ITALIAN CONVENT.
ANNUAL PRIZE DISTRIBUTION.
A brilliant and interesting function took place at the Italian Convent on the 20th inst. on the occasion of the annual prize distribution. A large matshed had been erected within the compound and this was embellished with flags, festoons of greenery, baskets of flowers and other floral decorations, presenting a very pic turesque appearance. A numerous assembly of ladies and gentlemen filled the matshed, among those present being His Excellency the Gov- ernor, General Sir Joachim Machado, His Excellency Ko Ern Chen, Commodore Lyon, His Lordship Bishop Pozzoni, Captain Cinatti, Mr. and Mrs. Volpicelli, Mrs. and Miss Lyon, Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Leiria, Mr. T. K. Dealy, Brothers Christian and Cyprian, Dr. Fitzwilliams, Father Robert. Mr. E.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
been very satisfactory. When presenting the prizes in October, 1907, H. E. the Governor spoke of the great interest which he felt in the industrial section of the school in which "the which may be useful to them hereafter and by orphan girls are taught a means of livelihood which they may be able to help a little forward and contribute towards the maintenance of the school in which they are being cared for."
It is my very pleasant duty to observe, value of self-help and self-reliance inculcat ut the request of the Superioress, that the ed upon the children by His Excellency has stimulated the girls to greater efforts in their desire to help the Convent with the product of their labour. By their needlework the girls foreign and Chinese without exception have done much towards the upkeep of the and its branches throughout the Colony and very large establishment with its 450 inmates
its neighbourhood, altogether making up the Shellim, Captain Wo, officers of the Porta-large number of 800 dependants. Lady guese cruisers, Mr. Funatsu, and Captain enir to
Lugard has very kindly offered a souv. Mitchell Taylor, A.D.C.
Convent, which would per- which the manently remain in it, and on name of the most upright and self-reliant pupil would be engraved each year. Two names have been submitted to His Excellency: for 1907- 1908 Miss Maria Rozario; for 1908-1909 Miss Adela Llorente. To the donors to the prize fund our sincere obligations are tendered. Acknowledgment of contributions must be made to H. E. Sir Frederick Lugard, K.C.M.G., C.B., C.M.G., the Hon. Mr. E. A. Hewett, the Hon. D.S.O., Commodore Lyon, Sir Paul Chater,
Mr. Wei-Yuk, C.M.G., Chev. Z. Volpicelli, Mrs. Ho Tung, Messrs. J. R. M. Smith, H. N. Mody, R. Shewan, W. Lysanght, J. M. E. Machado, F. A. Gomes, E. S. Kadoorie, H. Dixon, A. S. Gomes, Jr., Francis Tse Yat, Ho Fook, Ho Leep Chee, S. D. Setna, Ho Wing, and Simon Kom Tong, P. K. Kwok, Sin Tak Fan, Chos
The programme was worthy of the occasion. It showed the attainments of the pupils, includ. ing as it did a polka concertata (16 hands), an address and song of welcome, recitations, etc., as
well as the portrayal of the Four Seasons of
Life.
Tse Yan.
the
their humble
we see
77
which Your Excellency's name will be for ever associated in the future, Hongkong University. It will surely be an institution that is destined to disseminate its leavening influence through- sons and daughters owe so much to the educa out the length and breadth of an Empire whose tional system of the Colonial Government under whose aegis the Italian Convent School largely depends for its existence. (Applause.)
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR then ad-
Your dressed the gathering. He said-Monseignor, Monseignor Pozzoni has thanked us in very Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, cordial and courteous terms for our presence. here this evening. I am sure that I shall voice your sentiments as well as my own when I say that it is we who are indebted for 2.71 opportunity for being present at this very pleasant function and of testifying our apprecia- tion of the very admirable work which is being done in this institution. I am glad that Your Excellencies, distinguished representatives of Portugal and China, two countries which are on very friendly terms with my own country, are here this evening to witness the work, the admirable work, that is being done at this institution under the supervision of the Italian ladies who have devoted their lives to the benefit of humanity. You will see, in fact we were told just now by the manager of the convent school, that the majority of the pupils at this institution are of Portuguesa and Chinese race, and I'am proud that this institution has pros under the fostering care of the colonial govern- pered and has grown to its present dimensions
ment. When I last had the opportunity and the privilege of presiding at a similar function I laid special stress, as the manager in his admirable speech just now reminded us, on the value, indeed, the necessity, of training character Indeed I have so frequently recurred to this as well as training the intellect of the pupils.
subject in the various prize-givings in this Colony that I am almost afraid my words may seem like wearisome reiteration. On that occa sion I promised on behalf of my wife a souvenir upon which should be recorded the name of the girl who in each year had distinguished her- self most in unselfishness, in integrity, and in self-reliance. I am sorry that my wife is not here to-day to present it herself, for it would have been a very great pleasure for her to do so. The two names that are engraved on that shield are the names of the two young ladies who just came to receive small mementoes, Miss Maria Rozorio and Miss Adela Llorente. I congratu- late them most heartily on the distinction which they have gained. (Applause.) The souvenir itself is merely a plain sheet of silver adorned with any decoration or any mere- tricious device, for it is intended to record the name of the girl who although she may not have shown any brilliancy in her studies or in the arts of music and painting, has neverthe-
The Manager's Report was read by the Rev. P. de Maria in an interval of the programme. At the outset it contained a sympathetic reference to the death on the 14th December, 1908, of Sister M. Allanson, who for thirty-eight years, without 80 much
as 8 single month's intermission, taught with considerable success in the school. During all that time, Sister Allanson filled the position of Headmistress in succession to Sister Bowring, the daughter of a former governor of Hongkong, and was in turn succeeded upon her death by Sister Teresa, a certificated teacher from the Academy of Milan. On the last occasion the report was presented
HIS LORDSHIP BISHOP D. PozzoNI said:- the average school attendance was 206.67.
Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,-It This has been increased during the year justended is not my purpose to enlarge on the very to 242.58, being an increase of 17.37 per cent. complete report which has just been presented That the Convent is fufilling essentially the by the Manager on the working of this school charitable feature of the institution is shown by during the past year. I have a much more the fact that of the pupils attending the School pleasant duty to perform. That duty is a dual no less than fifty are from the Orphanage at-
one. It is to give expression to the feelings tached to the establishment, while thirty per
of joy and gratitude of the Mother Superior cent. of the day-scholars are admitted free of and of her staff of sisters for the encouraging charge. There is no indiscriminate charity in interest which is evinced in such admissions, as in every case the Sup- efforts by an assemblage as large as it is erioress is satisfied, after investigation, of the distinguished. During the forty-nine years. parents' absolute inability to provide for their
of its existence in this hospitable Colony never children's schooling. In addition to the
has the Convent, on any similar previous a gathering of ordinary subjects prescribed by the Code, such occasion, been honored by extra subjects as music, drawing and painting such high distinction as met bere are also taught in the school, while the French
this afternoon. While returning thanks, and German languages as well as typewriting on behalf of the sisters, I should be failing in have been added in compliance with the demand my duty were I to omit mention of which has arisen for such additional subjects. for presiding at this function and investing it my sense of very sincere obligations to you, Sir, One hundred and ten pupils attended the music classes; twenty-five drawing and painting with the dignity inseparable from your high Without entering into details on the report of office. To Your Excellency, General Machado the Inspector of Schools, whose criticisms have and to Your Excellency Special Commissioner been directed mainly towards what he has Ko, I am also very grateful for your presence, termed the "English work" of the School, it is
and also to the large number of ladies and permissible to observe that the greater majority gentlemen who have been so kind as to grace us of the children attending the Convent School, with your presence. I am to extend, on behalf are children of Portuguese and of Chinese of the Superioress, an invitation to all those parentage whose opportunity of hearing and who have not yet done so to inspect a conversing in the English language is at
small collection of needlework, drawing and school
the The acquisition of idiomatic Eng. painting exhibted this afternoon in one of the lish by such children is, therefore, a matter class rooms. The object of this little exhibition of great difficulty. If they have not come up to the standard expected by the Inspector ferred to in the Manager's report and which it is a reasonable hope that the due allow. merited His Excellency Sir Frederick Lugard's ance be made to the national character of special commendation when he last did ns the home environs which, in other respects, the honour of distributing the prizes at this leave nothing to be desired. A rule of the school. Before I have the honour of asking school is that, at work as in play, the English Your Excellency to hand the prizes to the language, and that alone, be the medium of children who have worked for and deserved instruction. That the measure of success at them I beg you will permit me to cal out the tained by the school in the past is encouraging, names of the two successful pupils who have is testified to by the fact that some of the pupils been awarded the souvenirs so kindly offered by are engaged in teaching at private and public Your Excellency. Miss Maria Rozario and schools in such important centres like Hong-Miss Adela Llorente will come forward and kong, Manila and Hankow. In the past, children of the Convent have not entered the annual public schools sports; a
new de parture is contemplated in this respect by the Superioress, and it is hoped that our scholars will compete ir friendly rivalry at the Happy Valley next March. The health of the children during the year under review has
is to illustrate the work which has been re-
receive at you hands the Governor's prizes. I feel sure the teachers, the pupils and all present will feel honoured if Your Excellency will con- descend to address as a few words, especially at a time when the Colony is - if the phrase be permissible in the stage of metamorphosis as regards its educational movement on the very ere of the foundation of a seat of learning with
un-
less, proved herself to be the most reliable and the best girl in the school for the year. You, sir, were good enough to allude to the establish ment of a university in terms of commendation, and think you said it is a project which have myself very deeply at heart, for I believe that by the establishment of such a seat of learning of that sort in this Colony we could continue to develop that training of character on which I set so much value. This is especially so in the case of
Chinese, for if they had to go to Europe or America to complete their studies they would find themselves in unfamiliar sur- roundings, and exposed to many temptations and deprived of that counsel and guidance which are essential to youth. You who have trained in Hongkong your students will be able to continue to look after their welfare and their parents or guardians will be able to see them from time to
time and exert their influence
over them.
This is why I consider a university here will be of special value to South China. Before I sit down I would like to offer one word of congratulation on the very considerable increase in numbers which the manager of the school has told us has taken place during the past year, but at the same time I must add my expression of sympathy in the great loss you have sustained in the death of one of your devoted band, one of the ladies who has for thirty-eight years devoted her entire time and abilities to making this institution what it is. There were many points in that
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