education-in-hong-kong-pre-1841-to-1941-materials — Page 6

1. At the first meeting held on April (5th the following resolutions were adopted :�X
(1)
That the meetings of the Commission bo held in private.

(2)
That before any factories were inspected, managers should be summoned to give evidence as to actual conditions of child labour in their factories

(3)
That a child should he understood to be a person below the age of (sixteen (16) years, according to the Chinese method of calculation. Reckoned according to the English system, this age.is equivalent to fourteen and a half (1-H) years. [ Throughout this report references to ages are, unless othei wise specified, to be taken as calculated on the Chinese system.]

(4)
That as the scope of our enquiry covered industrial and factory labour only, we were not expected to make any enquiry with regard either to agricultural or to domestic lal)Our


PART 1.
Child Labour in Factories.
2. At three subsequent meetings, evidence was taken from representatives of
the following factories :�X The M. Y. San, Biscuit Factory,
Causeway Bay.
The Nan Yang Tobacco Company,
Causeway Bay.
The Orient Tobacco Factory,
Yaumati.
The Kwong Sang Hong Perfumery Factory,
Praya East, Wanchai.
The Kam Hing Knitting Factory,
Tsim Sha Tsui.
The Chinese Foreign Knitting Factory,
Yaumati,
The Tung Ah Knitting Factory,
609 Shanghai Street Yaumati.
The Lei B�Gan Hing Knitting Factory,
ZS Sai Kuna Street, Tsim 8ha Tsm.
The Ching Wo Wa Yreong Knitting Factory,
482 Canton Road, Yaumati.
Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
The Kowloon Dock,
Mr. Chan Pak Pang, Sub-contractor for Ship-building.
The San Shing Lung Ginger Factory,
Mom] Kok Tsui.
3. Findings.�XAs a result of these interviews it was possible to form certain general conclusions with regard to the conditions of child labour in factories. :�X
(1) The extent of the employment of children.�XThe number of children employed varied according to the nature of the industry. For instance, in sotne factories, they are largely used because in sucfi work as pack-ing their small and nimble fingers give them a decided advantage over adults. Not only is their out-put greater than that of adults, but when working on time rates, as they do in some factories, they receive smaller wages.
Apart from the question of economic advantage, children are also in some cases employed in factories as an act of grace. Some mothers who work in factories are said to be unable to find homes for their children during their hours of work, and are compelled to take them to the factories. In such cases odd-job work is given to tiie children, who work near to their mothers, and enter and leave the factories at the same hours.
Kmployment of this nature is therefore, more a result of social conditions than of factory necessities.
(2)
The necessity for child labour.�XIt issignificant that some of the witnesses, including some large employers of children, professed indifference to the presence of childreu in their factories, and stated that their removal would not cause them more than a temporary inconvenience. Many of them said that they continued to employ young children more in deference to the wishes of parents, than from any decided motive of economic advantage.

(3)
Hours of labour.�XThese appear to be universally excessive, and in few cases amounted to less than seventy (70) a week. One witness stated quite definitely that girls were working thirteen and three quarter (13|) hours per day for thirteen (13) days consecutively, after which they had a day's rest. In other words they were working 96 | hours and 82^ hours in alternate weeks.

With regard to overtime the position is obscure. That overtime is frequently worked in factories is undoubted, but some witnesses seemed desirous of conveying the impression that the attendance of children during these hours was optional. In theory this may be correct, but in practice the business necessities of the factories and the pressure of needy parents must he such as to leave the childreu little or no choice. Children are also regularly employed on evening and night shifts. The hours of children employed on night shifts are similar to those worked by them during the daytime, and arrangements are also in force by which they may be changed from one shift to another.

(4)
Wages.�XThe most important point in connection with the wages of children is that they are paid almost entirely by piece rates. The few exceptions to this rule that were found were the Docks, certain Glass Factories and the Orient Tobacco Manufactory where the children are paid by time rates. In the last named factory the few children employed were paid at a rate of twelve (12) cents for a working day of nine (9) hours. The piece rates paid vary in different factories, though by working longer hours a child appears to be able in oome caseo to earn ao much ao thirty (80) ceats a day. One giri .'*. found ^7no oppsapsd to make ao aiucbba Qlo a month.


Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
In view of the Chinese family system, whereby children generally hand over their earnings to their parents or guardians, the actual rates paid are not in themselves of great importance. It is when they, are considered in comparison with the wages paid to adults, and as a means of depressing the general standard of remuneration, that the rates become important. As the terms of reference do not include a con-sideration of adult wages, we do not propose to enter into detail on this question, except, to note that the low wages paid to children must depress the rates of wages paid to adults for similar work.
In some factories deductions are made from wages on account of bad conduct. Information on this question was not easy to obtain, and the general impression gained was that factory discipline was left largely in the hands of foremen and subordinates.
In the M. Y. San Biscuit Factory, where personal cleanliness in workers is most desirable, special regulations have been introduced to deal with bairdressing and manicuring.
Offences against these regulations are punishable according to a fixed schedule of fines. In view of the special circumstances of this factory the practice seems to be necessary and unobjectionable, but it should be subject to oversight by Inspectors.
(5) Apprenticeship.�XIn the course of the interviews few indications of any general system of apprenticeship were noticed. When children reach the age of sixteen (16) or thereabouts and the deftness which justified their original employment has begun to disappear, their places must be taken by those younger in years. Satisfactory evidence as to the fate of those displaced was difficult to obtain, and* the general conclusion drawn was that conditions in this respect varied in different factories. In some cases the older children may be discharged and in others they may be given different work in the same factory. Girls are not in the same position as boys, in view both of the possibility of marriage, and of the definite demand in some factories for female workers between the ages of sixteen (16) and twenty (20). Many girls are doubtless able to change from one factory to another with little or no inconvenience; but the same opportunities are not open to all, and no evidence was forthcoming of any general organisation for assisting the flow of labour from one industry to another. The difficulties in this connection are aggravated by the keen competition for places in factories. Many of them have waiting lists and it is not reasonable to suppose that workers of sixteen (16) or seventeen (17), whose health may have suffered from long hours of work in confined spaces, would be preferred for work which can only be satisfactorily done by able-bodied adults.
In the docks and ship-building yards boys are extensively employed, especially on the work of boiler chipping. One of the witnesses stated that boys were absolutely necessary tor this work as men were uncbie to enter the man-holes of the boilers. It was admitted that the wopk was hard and that many of the boys were not physically fitted for it, but at the same time those who were able to stand it were sometime able to qualify fpr more skilled employment.
(6) Factory Amenities.�XNo provision seems to have been made in factories for rest rooms, eating rooms, and wash houses, and the arrangements for medical attention in case of accidents are of the scantiest. In few cases were work people allowed to eat their midday meal in any part of the iactory building, and much inconvenience appears to be caused them in this respect. An exception to this state of things is Mr. Li Ping's factory at Shamshuipo, where a school is provided for small children during the working hours of their mothers,
Ilius. 5.2 (Continued)
4* The evidence obtained at the interviews mentioned in section 2 left no doubt ea to the necessity for legislation. It was felt that further interviews would only result in the accumulation of information of the same type, and that the next step should be to visit the factories, and test the accuracy of the knowledge already gained.
The following factories or works in the Causeway Hay district were visited by the Commission as a whole :�X
The Nan Yang Tobacco Factory. The M. Y. San Glass Factory. The Kwong Sang Hong Glass Factory. The Hing Wah Paste Manufactory. The Kwong Kei Engineering Works. The Meh Wah Knitting and Dyeing Factory.
The following factories or works were also visited by individual members of
the Commission. The M. Y. San Hiscuit Factory, Wanchai. The Kwong Sang Hong Perfumery Factory, Wanchai. The Kowloon Docks. The Taikoo Docks. The Lei Man Hing Knitting Factory. The Tung Ah Knitting Factory, Yaumati. The Oi Kwan Cloth Factory, Shamshuipo.
5. As a result of these visits the following additional findings were made :�X
(1)
That the information supplied to the Commission was not in all cases accurate, and that there had been a tendency of witnesses to under-estimate the number of children employed. In view of the casual nature of much of the child lnbour of the Colony it cannot be easy to obtain an accurate estimate of its extent.

(2)
That in glass factories the labour conditions were unsatisfactory. The work was done mostly by boys, whose daily tasks including three or four short intervals for meals, last from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and who are paid at the rate of $1.00 per head per month in addition to their food. The sanitary conditions of these factories are unhealthy, the temperature is raised by the heat of tbe furnaces to an injuriously high level, the air is vitiated by gases and filled with floating particles of glass, and the physique of the workers is con-sequently poor. In explanation of these conditions it is stated that the boys are apprentices, who we only paid a nominal wage as they have the privilege of learning a trade, and that they are provided with foee board and lodging. It is difficult to believe that the boys in tkese factories are in reality apprentices, for they greatly outnumbered the men, who appeared rather to fill the role of foremen wor&ors. From the general appearance of the boys it seemed unlikely that they would all live long enough or be healthy enough to take men's work. The' provision of lodging in and around the factory precincts cannot be considered as other than a doubtful advantage. whea all allowances ape made, we are of opinion that the labour conditions in thepe


ffcetorieo are thoroughly bad.
(3) That in engineering works the bo). employed fall into two classes.�X
Those boys employed in the shops are genuine apprentices, whf serve for definite periods, and who have every chance of becoiniut skilled workmen. All are directly employed by the Companies, are og good physique and work reasonable hours. Labour of this kind is noo very objectionable.
In the rougher and unskilled classes of work, the conditions are esftlsaly different, for the labour is not employed directly by the O&mpaBtes, but is provided by a system of sub-contracting. At the
lllus. 5.2 (Continued)
interview mentioned in Action 3 (5) it was stated that boys were absolutely necessary for much of this unskilled labour. In the work of boilerchipping, for example, we were given to understand that boiler man-holes were so small that they could only be entered by boys.
After seeing the work in progress we are not convinced of the validity of this argument. We have reason to believe that in British ship-buildiug yards adults are employed on this work, and we can see no reason other than cheapness why boys should be employed in Hongkong. It is only fair to say that the physique of the boys seen by some of us was good, but on the other hand such work could not be done by weaklings, and in the words of one of the employers�X" It either
makes them, or breaks them." It is probable that the law of the survival of the fittest operates with unusual severity in this work, but owing to the almost inexhaustible supply of labour the necessary standard of physical fitnes> can be maintained. Tlie strain on the undeveloped boy under sixteen (l(i) (English 14J) is too great, and it should not be continued. Chinese boys at sixteen (16) years of age are generally small.
(4) That the system of sub-contracting was prevaleut in all classes o unskilled labour.
The system appears to be a potent influence in depressing the standard of living, for the sub-con tract or is usually concerned with both work and labour, and is compelled to make up by reductions in wages the cuts in prices due to successive transferences of the contract. Every addition to thechaiu of sub-contractors tends to react unfavourably on the earnings of labour. While the system continues, the Colony's labour cannot be expected to be in a satisfactory condition, but as it affects adults even more widely than children, we would exceed the terms of our reference if we made any recommendations in regard to it.
(5) That many children now employed in factories have been brought into the Colony from the country specially for work of this kind.
In the course of the inspections this question was repeatedly asked, and in many cases it was found that the children had been; brought from the country by some lelative, who was theu working in the factory, and that they had been in the Colony for periods varying from a few months to a few years. This indicates the existence of considerable financial inducements to workers in Hongkong to find posts for their relatives from the interior of China, and is of importance, in regard to the popular argument that any measure of social reform in Hongkong would only result in an influx of needy pappfe from the country eager to take advantage of the new conditions; If social reform meant money for nothing, some such result wonid probably take place ; but it the right kind of economic inducement is held out to the people in the interior, a more desirable type oi lsbtfuror could be secured.
6* As a result of the interviews with factory managers, and ffhe visits to faa&oriee previously described, we are of opinion that legislation should b^ introduc-ed to ghro effect to the following recommendations:�X
(1)
That all eniplcneM of chiidicti be compelled to tegtster them. This iccomuicndalion is meant to apply not only to factories and workshop* but when practicable to einplo)cis of casual labour.

(i)
That no child under the ago of cloven (II) (Chinese) jrnin bcemplo)rd in any factory, or in any Conn of casual labour, and that in any case arising under this legislation, the onus of proving the age of the child be upon the employer.


Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
Qne of the Commissioners, the Kev. Mr. Wells, wishes the age to be thirteen (13) and not eleven (11) as above, and wishes the age of labonr to be iucreased by one year every succeeding year, or as soon a9 possible, until child labour is entirely abolished.
This recommendation does not apply to children engaged in
genuine domestic work, but it does apply to children employed in
carrying paraphernalia in Chinese processions.
(3)
That the hours- of work for children do not exceed fifty-four (54) per week, that children be prohibited from working at any time more than five (5) hours consecutively, and that they be ensured one day's rest in every seven (7) days.

(4)
That children be not employed between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. No question of overtime or night shifts should be allowed to override this ruling, and the rulings laid down in sub-section (3).


We think that half time work should be encouraged and that children should be educated during the other half time if possible. Even if children have not been working during the day they should not be employed between the hours o�G 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. The intermit-tent sleep, wnich is the usual lot of workers on night shifts, is especially harmful to the physique of children.
One of the Commissioners, Mr. Chow Shou SOD, is of the opinion that children over fourteen (14) should be permitted to work between the hours of 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. provided that they have done no work during the day.
(5)
That for the reasons given in Section 5 (2) children be not employed in glass factories.

(6)
That for the reasons given in Section 5 (3) children be not employed in engineering works on the work of boiler chipping.


One of the Commissioners, Mr. Chow Shou Son, thinks that boys over fourteen (14) should be permitted to work at boiler chipping if their physical condition satisfies the Inspectors.
(7)
That children be not employed in dangerous trades.

(8)
That employers be compelled to provide accommodation, which can be used by workers during meal hours, and as a rest house for children taken to factories by their mothers; and further that they be compelled to provide suitable dressings andfirst aid appliances, which can be used in cases of accident, and to equip their factories with approved sanitary conveniences.

(9)
That Inspectors be appointed for all classes of child labour, as the regulations proposed are obviously dependent on a system of inspection. Our intention is to avoid introducing a series of factory regulations which will merely lead on the one hand to "squeeze," aud on the other to Police Court prosecutions; and it is, therefore, essential that Inspectors should be persons of standing. Unless knowledge, tact and sympathy are employed in the work of inspection, the system of regulation may degenerate into a number of irritating prosecutions that wUl do little good, and that will tend to the estrangement of the various Bections of the community. We are convinced that the larger and more reputable factory -owners will do their best to make effective any suggestions which the Government may make ; and the efforts of the Inspectors should be directed to co-operating with chem in making the regulations known in the lesser factories. Only by educative co-


operation can the best results be obtained from these proposals.
Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
We think that the tanks of the Inspectors should include Chinese representatives as well as British, women as well as men, and voluntary workers as well as Government servants. We do not propose to draw up the details of this organisation, as we are not sufficiently well in-formed of the work of the various Government Departments, and suggest therefore, that this is a matter with which the Government is more fitted to deal.
7.
We feel that an explanation is needed of the serious responsibility that we have-taken upon ourselves in recommending for children, a scale of hours of labour considerably in excess of that of male adult workers in Europe. Our proposals are indeed a compromise between the present " laissez-faire" attitude, and the more drastic method of removing children immediately from the factories. Of these two extremes the former is unthinkable, and we are not prepared to recommend the latter without also recommending some extensive scheme of social reform. As the data necessary for such a scheme could only be obtained after a searching enquiry into industrial conditions as a whole and into the financial resources of the Colon)7, a more moderate proposal of regulation appears to be preferable as a temporary measure. It will be pointed out that although the proposals reduce the working hours of children by periods varying from 25% to 40 ^ on the old levels, yet as children are paid by piece rates they will suffer a corresponding reduction in wages. It will also be stated that the children them-selves like the work, and that to reduce their hours of labour will cause unnecessary hardship in families dependent on their earnings. All these arguments can be paralleled from the history of the Factory Acts controversy in England in the forties of last century, and the reply is that the question is essentially moral and not only economic. A child is not a correct judge of its own welfare.

8.
The feasibility of compulsory education has been examined, but owing to the difference of opinion on the question it has not been found possible to come to any unanimous conclusion. A memorandum on compulsory education was submitted by the Rev. H. R. Wells and at a meeting held on May 23rd the Director of Education stated the difficulties of carrying out these suggestions�X such as those of providing accommodation, of registering children, and of arranging for the staffing and inspection of the schools. 1 hese difficulties are real, but at the same time the opinion may be hazarded that they are inherent in every scheme of compulsory education, and that as they have been overcome in other countries, they could, if the community had the will to do so, be overcome in Hongkong. Mr. Wells' memorandum and the statement of the Director of Education are printed in Appendix 2.


We do not agree with the frequently expressed opinion that an extension of educational facilities in Hongkong would be followed by a rush of people from the interior to take advantage of them. It is a common experience of countries that have adopted compulsory education that opposition may be expected from those for whose benefit the scheme is intended. There is no recson to suppose that the experience of Hongkong would be different, and on this ground Gbe tendency would rather be towards an exodus of present inhabitants thau to an* influx of newcomers, and it would have the effect of stopping the immigrotsoQ tff child labourers which is very large.
One'of the Commissioners Mr. Chow Shou'Son however, does not share this view, as evidenced by the attached extracts from a Memorandum by him which forms Appendix 4.
In view of the fact that many children must earn their living by manual labour, it is suggested that steps be taken to provide an educatiou for them suited to their special needs.
Such an education would comprise training in manual work in addition to at least a " primary education." The dignity of manual labour should be emphasized and the bearing of intellect on manual work explained.
Illus. 5.2 (Continued.)
,., }$ *% $$W9 P.f IWA w^-hogs tfot eAuXl$hoJ2* will repfcpe $at of children in fy^tfea* so ^hat. the Government should be e^kea either to undertake. the necessary i&duptrial training or to encourage private enterprise in this direction. Meanwhile schools for " he�Gf timers," such as those which have been successfully started in
IncUia, might be tried.
In Shanghai a Chinese lady has had good results with such methods. In hes "Industrial*Home" the children do four (4) hours manual work and four (4) hourr atu4j, while the remainder of the day io devoted to recreation.
Such or similar methods might be attempted in Hongkong.
PART II.
Children Employed in Casual Labour.
9. The employment of children outside factories in casual and unskilled work, and especially in burden bearing, is the most difficult problem which w& have had to face. Reliable information is extremely difficult to procure, the work is done by the poorest members of the community, who have often, no fixed place of abode, and the place of work i<* constantly being changed. The eyes of European inhabitants are naturally drawn to those who carry bricks and other materials to the Peak and. Hill Districts, but the same kind ol labour is carried on all over, the Colony. Children are freely employed in this work ; and investigation has shown that even those as young as seven (7) or eight (8) years are not exempted.* The physical condition of many of the women who have been long engaged in this work is even worse than that of the childreu, and judging from this we are driven to the conclusion that no form of work exercises such a degrading effect upon the workers as labour of this kind. We are unable to suggest any regula-tions which will suffice to alter this state of things, and in our opinion the red) solution of the question lies in Mechanical Transport. As far aa the Peak is concerned the approaching completion of the motor roaQ should bring this m&thod of traii5}>ort within the range of possibility. A recent answer to a question in the' Legislative Council indicates that considerable economy in the speed and oast of the transport of 'all articles to the Peak could be effected by the introduction of motor transport, and that the present system of manual transport 'in slowy
Cumbrous and wasteful.
10. As the development indicated in the last section will take time, we propose as a temporary measure, that all building and engineering contrasto enfearod in&ote* the Colony should contain clauses prohibiting the employment of cfcaldrR^ wdcr the asp b�G< thirteen (18) years, and regulating the weights carried by ohibh Tqestjem We dc not pretend,that this proposal covers the whole ground, OP tfcsS itvX7ill pravide the remedy needed; bpt we think that it will do good in oois g CDatffcctors to realise their reaponsi bill ties to labour, in fostering co-opaso^C^ tDtneos* them aad Inopsctors, and in gathering information about a section >o5ifei)a community of whom little'is known. As a scale oi weigbto suteoMe- fa?- cfcMdspn over the age of thirteen (13) and below that of sixteen (16), it is suggested that tttosaty (30) cat&ea is a suitable miakamo, and thefc no load ahou^l euces&ibrfey (fifty <2afcGC3o. For pGTpccso of comparison it may hs �Gd&d ifeat cas orasdl fcricbdo roughly equivalent to 8$ catties, so that the number of bricko thoiV&isbrMfcny carry should vary from eight to sixteen (8 to 16). Between these limits tha
Toad would be adjusted to the a.v and physical fitness of the child. It is most desirable that this standard should not be. interpreted too literally. The tigiwec are not in any sense final, and are only meant to afford a rough indication of the carrying capacity of children of different ages What must at all costs be avoided is the harrying of labourers by petty officials. These suggestions can only result in good <if Inspectors and conto&ctors work in close co-operation. I. this connoe^ tion we are greatly indebted 16 Gftr. Li Ping, the result of whose inveatEgattotts- is-to be found in Appendix 3 (A).
Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
11. ka brief our recommendation* are as follows :�X
(1)
That all employers of children be compelled to register them, and that for this purpose a child be considered as a person below the age of sixteen (T6) years (Chinese), and that when possible this should be applied to employers of casual labour.

(2)
That no child under the age of eleven (11) be employed in any factory, nor should any child under thirteen (13) be employed in any form of casual labour, and that the onus of proving the age of a child be on the employer. One of the Commissioners Rev. Mr. Wells is not in entire agreement, (vide Section 6 (2) )

(b*) That the hours of work for children do not exceed fifty-four (54) per week ; that children do not at any time work more than five (5) hours consecutively ; that they be ensured one day's rest in every seven (7) days ; and that where and when possible some form of half time labour be encouraged.

(4)
That children be not employed during the hours between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. One of the Commissioner Mr. Chow Shou Son is not in entire agreement, (vide Section G (I) ).

(5)
That children be not employed in "glass factories.

(6)
That children be not employed in the work of boiler chipping. One of the Commissioners Mr. Chow Shou Son is not in entire agreement, (vide Section 6 (G) ).

(7)
That children be not employed in dangerous trades.

(8)
The employers be compelled to provide rest rooms and suitable sanitary conveniences for workers and to make due provision for medical aid in case of accidents.

(9)
That Inspectors be appointed for all classes of child labour.

(10)
That in building and engineering contract* articles be inserted regulating the weights to be carried by children.


We do not intend that the above series of recommendations be regarded as hard and fast rules which admit of no deviation. They represent no more than a beginning, of which the ultimate object must be the entire removal of children rfom factories. The speed with which this object is accomplished will depend upon the spirit in which factory legislation, if approved, is administered.
12.
In conclusion we wish to express our best thanks to all who have helped us in our investigations.

13.
The following four (4) Appendices are provided:�X


�E(1) Minutes of evidence taken on April 18th and 20th and on &foy 4t&, Statement of workinar conditions in the Kowloon Dock.
Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
(2)
Memorandum on compulsory education by Rev. H. R. Wells, and statement by the Director of Education, at the meeting on May 23rd.

(4)
Extract from a, Memorandum by Mr. ('how Shou Son.


(3) (A.) Memorandum by Mr. Li Ping on the casual employment of
children.
(B.) Memorandum by Rev. H. R. Wells on the same subject.

We have the honour to he,
Sir,
Your obedient servants,
S. H. 0. ROSS,
CHOW SHOU SON, LI PIN(i,
0. W. M( KENNY,
A. M. PITTS,
H. R. WELLS.
THE HONOURABLE, THK COLONIAL SKORKTAIM, HONUKONG.
Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
Appendix 1.
Evidence taken on 13th and 20th . \prif, 192J.
Tsu Hoo CHUKN, ASST. SKOKKTAIIY OF M.Y. SAN'S UISCITIT FACTORY.
We employ about (>00 hands altogether. We have ,\Q hoys and 20 girls. Most of these aie from 14 to 1(5; we do not take children under 14. During week-days men start at 7 a.m.--hoys work from 9-12.30 and 1.80-5. Girls are day workers and get from 10 cents to 15 cents a day. Boys are paid from $2 to $10 a month, and also get hoard and lodging. The girls are engaged in pasting labels and picking out bad biscuits, while the bo) s clean up the work rooms. The pay of a woman is from 15 cents to 30 cents a day. We have no apprentices. Children do not work on Sundays Children do not work overtime. We have a private school for the boys, in which the hours are front 7 to \) in the evening, except on Saturday ami Sunday. Children of the employees are also allowed to attend this school. It would not affect us much if children were not allowed to work. We keep a register of workers. We have 3 female ami 2 male o\erseers to look after the women and girls. Smoking and spitting in the factory is punishable by a tine of 1 cent for each otfencc. After three fines a person is liable to be dismissed. We have a manicuring department, and if any girl does not go there and is found with dirty nails she is liable to a fine of 1 cent. All men workers have quarters at the factory.
FUNIS WA I SINC MANAGER, KWONG SAN<; Horn; PKRFUMKKY FACTOR*.
We employ about .H00 people, all of whom are women. We only employ girls over 17�Xwe employ no children in the scent factory. In our glass factory we employ :--
2 boys of 13 years )
" " , * " 100 men an* employed.
10 ,, ,, la . 1 t J X . . 1. . )
These boys are apprentices�Xthe) learn for three years�Xthey get $1 a month as well as board and lodging�Xthey are glass blowers. Men are paid from $8 to $18 with food and lodging. Boys work 10 hours a day, and also on Sundays. Women in the scent factory work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MR. SKII.INC, MANACKK, ORIENT TOHACCO FACTORY- Mom; KOK TSUI.
We employ irom 500 to GOO hands, of whom 24 are children. There are 18 girls and (\ boys. The ages are as follows:�X
I of 12 years II from 12 to 14 years 14 . 14 to 1() .
The children are day workers, they earn about 12 cents a day. They work 9 hours a day for (i days a week. The children are the children of adults in our factory. I prefer children as we can train them. There is no overtime and no Sunday work. They work* from 7-12 and 1-5. Most of our old hands came to us as girls and were trained by us. We have wages lists and could send re-turns. The pay of an adult is from 50 ceDts to $1 a day.
Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
CHAN PUI SHING, MANAGPB,* NAN YANG TOBACCO FACTORY.
We have two factories, (1) 199 Warn Tsoi &oad, (2) Caroline Road, So,Kun Po. We employ about 244 female children, but no male children. The ages are as follows:�X
4 girls of 11 years
12 . . 12 .
37 . . 13 .
79 ., . 14 .
112 . . 15 .
They work from 8 to 9 hours a day. From 7-12 and 1-4 or 5 o'clock. From 20 to 30 cents a dav is the average pay of both a child and an adult. The children are employed in packing. Every loth day and 30th is a holiday. Apart from applying for holidays they work for 7 days a week. Children work the same hour*, as adu'ts. Overtime can be worked fiom 7-9 p.m. From 4-8 cents i> the overtime pay. There is plenty of labour. Wage sheets are kept and signed by the girls, deductions are recorded, and the wage sheets are oprn to inspection. There i> a waiting lUt of over a hundie.1. We will not take children under 10 years cf age.
CHENG HING YIN�XMAVAGKU OF KAM HING KNITTING FACTORY. We employ 110 girl* and 48 boys, and 900 adults. The ages are as follows:�X
21 girls from 11 to 12 39 . . 12 to 14 50 ,%, . 14 to 16
The children work from 6.45 a.m to 11.30 a.m. and 12 *ioon to 6.15 p.m. and on night work from 6.45 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. 'I hey lave every other Sunday off Children and adults work the -an p hours. Girks do liiiht work. Girls can make about 40 cents a day if ov< r 16, and under 16 about 20 cents. There is no night w rk on Wednesday or Sunday, or from 4th to 7th moon. Wages are paid twice monthly. Children are paid direct. Women have their midday meals in the factory.
Evidence taken at Meeting on 4th May, 1921.
CHAN KWOK WA YEUNG OR THE CHINESE FOREIGN KNITTING FACTORY AT 484, CANTON ROAD, YAUMATI. CHEUNG TAJ MING : SECRETARY.
We employ about two hundred hands with, about half a dozen children. They come with their mothers and do odd jobs. They are paid by the job and work six days a week. They work for eleven and a half hours a d.iy. There is no night work or work on Sunday. Our work would not be hindered if we did not employ children.
CHAN PAK PANG, KOWLOON DOCK, SUB-CONTRACTOR FOR SHIPBUILDING.
I employ from 100 to 30<. men, depending on the amount of work. I employ from 50 to 60 women coolies--! employ boys for chip in.', sometimes I employ from 40 to 50 boys, the youngest of whom are about eleven years, and the rest eleven years and upwards. They work from 7-12 and 1-5, and the wages are from 30 to 40 cents a dav. l^ouble overtime is paid for night work and Sunday work. The night shift lasts for 12 hours and wages are paid at double rates. Bo\. are also employed at painting, carpentering, boiler-making, and as copper-smith**. 1 here are 33 under 16 and 147 over 16 workiDg as copper-smiths. have no apprentices.
Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
SPBM A KH.TT(TKfc ^ACTcK^, 6 ��H&WG08&2 BURBOT, SfoTO Ki>0T2 Yfl&f, Ko CSIUIG TOKO: MANAGER.
We employ 220 persons : About 35 males, 190 women, and 12 girls, all over 12 years, make up that total. We employ no boys. They work from 6.30-12 and 1-6. We do night work four or five times a week. We sometimes work on Sundays. Thg women and children are paid by the piece. Women get about 40 cents a day. It would not affect our work if we had no children ; they come with their mothers and beg for work. We pay half overtime for night work to persons *]paid by the day. I think 80 p.c. would like to work on Sunday. About 50 p.c.
would like to do night work. No one is forced to do night work.
Li MAN HIN<; KWOK, SAIKUNG STKKIOT, YAUMATI, KNITTING FACI'ORY FOR HOSIKUV. SUJ YAM WING : ASSISTANT MANAORR.
We employ about 300 persons�X51 men, 280 women, and 27 children of whom none are under 13 years of age. They work from 6-12 and 1-7. There is no Sunday work and no niirht work. The girls mike eardboa'd boxes, do knitting and other light work. All hands work the same hours. We pay by the piece and by the day. The pay is from 15 cents per day upwards. The children g.t from 15 cents to 30 cents a d.iy. The children are brought by the mothers. It would not affect us if there were no children working.
SAN SUING LUNG GINGER FACTORY, 255 RROLAMATION STRKKT, MONGKOK. Li SHAI WING: MANAGER.
We employ 32 men and 60 women. We have no girls under 18 or 19 years of age. The hours are from 6-12 and 1-6. There is very seldom any ni<iht work except at Christmas and such times, when they work from 7-11 p.m. The pay of a woman is about $5.40 a month without food, and a man from $6 to $10 a month besides his food.
Illus. 5-2 (Continued)
STATElflENT OF WORKING CONDITIONS IN THE KOWLOON DOCK.
Regulations of working hours and, wages of employees of Mr. Chan Pah Pang, sub-contractor for shipbuilding in the Kowloon Dock.

Translation.
Girl workers�Xnone.
Boy workers�Xabout 30 or 40.
Ages of boy workers�Xabout 3 to 5 boys are over 13 years of age.
No girls and boys working together.
1.
Working hours for boys�Xeach day from 7 a.m. to 12 noon, and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.�X9 hours in all.

2.
The wages for boys are about 30 cents a day, which are paid to them directly.

3.
The boys work under the professional men-workers, looking after the instruments and the burning of the rivets.

4.
The boys are paid according to the number of days they work.

5.
The wages for bov workers are about 30 cents a day, and for men workers $2.60 to $2.70 a day.

6.
Men and boy workers all work for the same number of hours.

7.
Boys working at night and on Sundays are paid double pay.

8.
Boys working on Saturdays are paid a full day's wage.

9.
Boys working over the limit of 9 hours are paid an extra wage in pro-portion to the extra hours they work.


Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
Appendix 2.
Tlie, Ed-i^ation of Chinese Children in Hongkong.
In this Colony there is an Education Department well fitted to deal with the education of all classes of children. Schools are provided for many classes, and though from time to time complaints may have arisen about individual schools, the general work of the schools under Government direction is satisfactory.
From the reports of the Director of Education it is evident that during the past decade there has been very considerable advance in many directions, and a larger number of children have come under the scheme of education arranged for by the Department.
All schools in Victoria and Kowloon are registered, and thus it- becomes in-creasingly possible for the Director of Education to control this branch of the Colony's industry.
The Committee of enquirv into the economic resources of the Colony does not seem to have taken up the theory that child life is potentially one of the principal economic resources. An educated people will progress, an uneducated people will deteriorate.
It is \cry evident that there is not yet adequate provision for the education of all children, because children swarm in our streets, e\en at times when they ought to be in school, and the question of the education of these children is one that is constantly in the minds of some people
An examination into the state of affairs in lugard to the children, reveals the
fact that child labour is being exploited far beyond what should be allowed in n
modern city. In factory and workshop, business house and office, on steamers aud
launches, in domestic service and such casual labour as burden bearing, there are
multitudes of children employed, and besides these many may be seen playing in
the streets, often gambling, or goin. about in bands, birdnestiug, or insect hunting,
or for other purposes, and incidentally many of them are probably developing
into the future criminal classes, and the inmates of our prisons. Already they .have a keen eye for the police and the detective.
It is therefore, evident that the Education Department, should be further ex-tended, and larger powers should be given to the Director of Education to compel the attendance of children in schools provided under Government supervision. At the discretion of the Director of Education, perhaps in conjunction with the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, certain children in special cases might be exempted from full attendance at school, but, in such cases, guarantees should be secured that, such children are not allowed to work so many hours a day that they would be too tired to benefit from classes of instruction, which they should be compelled to attend.
If all children were immediately withdrawn from their present employment, it might be a hardship to the employers, the childreu and their parents, but these cases could be met by the permission of the Director of Education.
A question that will naturally arise is that of the cost of such education to the Colony, and that no doubt is an important one, but the financial problem is not impossible of solution. In all probability the result to the Colony in its developed resources would far outweigh the small amount spent on this most important project.
The Education Department at present spends large sums on English and Anglo-Chinese education, but these would not enter, at least for the preseut, into the calculation, as the education required now is elementary Chinese education. It appears from the report for 1918 that the amount spent per head on this tyne of education was less than ten dollars, and if the number of childreu of school age
Illus, 5.2 (Continued)
who are not yet in school should fee ategtJ*?ACK), the cost of educating them on the same basis would be not more ihaniJSSfyWO per annum, including presumably the cost of supervision.
In order to<be aWe to oarny out this-wank successfully, it mi$ht be necessary to find trustworthy bodies willing to undertake the work under the control of the department. A further need wou^ri be normal classes for the purpose of training the teachers on proper lines in suitable centres.
Taking the number of scholars as 30,000, and the average number of scholars taught by one teacher as thirty, it would mean that one thousand teachers must be found, This would involve a great task in the way of training, before the teachers were up to what may be regarded as Government standards, but with patience and perseverance the task could be accomplished* The work need not wait on this account, as teachers could be trained as they are at present, while doing their work, perl taps in evening classes.
Compulsory education is not yet un fait accompli in Canton or elsewhere in China, but it is in the minds of many, and Hongkong cannot afford to be behind-hand in such a matter. It has been pointed out that this Colony has been a pioneer in education, and it should retain that position, being a leader rather than a follower. As mentioned above, there is a strong body of people in Canton and in the province generally whose aim is to introduce compulsory education. They see that a country cannot advance much without education, and so are awake to the need for this.
The present is a very good time for starting such a system in this Colony many Chinese are ready for such a movement, and the Census has just been taken and from the results of that, it will be possible to get a fairly accurate estimate of the number of children of school age in the Colony. It would be easy to fix awes for the purpose of education as all Chinese ages are changed at? the Chinese New Year. Chinese S-16 would approximate to English (M4 years of age.
It would be possible to inform all people coming to the Colony hereafter that they must make provision for the education of their children. There might be difficulties in the matter, but they would not be unsurmountable.
By means of such a system, children who were bad could be tried out in different schools, and dealt with so that they might not be a menace to the peace of the Colony.
It is not likely that many children would be brought to the Colony in order to secure the benefit of such primary education as is mentioned here, and the condition that might be imposed on new arrivals, to provide for the education of their Children, would be an effective barrier.
7 hese remarks are offered as a preliminary statement for discussion in con-nection with the problems ofthe child life of Hongkong.
(Sgd.) H. R. WELLS.
Hongkong, 10th May, 1921.
Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
Meeting ,hdd on the SteJ TJ%, 1921.
THE HOW. MBL.US. A.JJIVIEO, Bi&aaTQR OF*SD&CATION,
ATTENDED AND GAVK EVIDENCE.
Mr. Ipiving: I am not quite clear as to what particular .point I am asked to make a statement on. The most striking point of this document is the suggestion that we should have compulsory education here Well, Sir, if it were suggested to make education here compulsory to-morrow or next year the following main points -iTQuld have to be considered. In the first place we should have to know how roa^y children were not in attendance at our schools, which information we shall get as soon as the census report is published. It has been suggested by Mr. Wells, I do not know whether his guess is correct or not, that the number of school-less children is 30,000, and if we take this high figure it will mean that we shall have to have something like 1,000 more schools, allowing 30 children to a school.
The first point to be considered is the money. I have been working at some figures as to what the cost of the Government's assistance should be to schools�X I say ' assistance', lor I recognise that a certain amount should under existing cir-cumstances be raised from fees, but if education is going to be made- compulsory, I do not see how fees can be charged. However, taking my figure oi. the basis of children subscribing something, I would put the cost of teaching these 30,000 children at $10.00 each a year, and that to begin with is $300,000 a year. The next point to be considered is the question of housing these schools. It would need 1,000 flats. That would trench somewhat severely on the housing accom-modation of the Colony, and this seems to me in the present shortage a very serious point. However, that is not a point in which I as Director of Education, am very much interested. Now, to come to more technical points, is the question of staff. At present 1 find the chief obstacle to vernacular education i* the shortage of teachers. I have long impressed this view on the Government, and that is why two normal schools were opened, one for girls, which I hope by the eud of next year will be turning out something like 40 teachers annually. Th&t however, would be quite insufficient to deal with a sudden demand for a thousand teachers, and we should have to depend upon teachers without any experience or training whatever, many of whom would no doubt be worse than the worst in the existing schools, and this is saying a great deal. I do say that unless you can supply teachers reasonably trained, the pupils iu your new schools will profit very litfole. A further point is the question of inspection, and this is a very serious point indeed. I have at present two excellent inspectors, one happens to be a Chinese, a graduate of Cambridge, but English or Chinese, men with the necessary qualifica-tions are not easy to get. They must have a good education, a knowledge of the theory of teaching, and before they are of any particular use, a very thorough knowledge of Hongkong Schools ; I mean they must know what can be expected of such schools, which they can only learn by visiting hundreds of them, and they must, personally know the actual teachers in the various schools. Before I heard anything about this Commission I wrote to Government that we were in a precarious ot&te, because.I had only two Inspectors to cope with the great increase both here and in the Hew Territories, and in the event of a breakdown of either of them we should be in great difficulties, and I hijve asked the Government to provide nest year for one additional man or possibly two. But my real difficulty is to get such men, atsd if it was a question of doubling or trebling the work iu Hongkong (and compulsory education would mean more than doubling and trebling), I have simply not got.the m$n md I do,not know where I voixld get them. These are the proDGipal dicqulties I should have to foce when introducing compulsory educotitpnin Hongkong. In the first place there is the money to be provided, in the mmmS place Inere is a lack of schools, teachers cad inspectors.
Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
Investigation with regard to Child Labour,
In my recent investigations with regard to Child Labour, I observed that the work taken up by Children in the Colony, on the whole, is quite moderate, except that it appears to me, the work in glass factories is not at all good for children. In manufacturing glass, children are engaged in doing the work of " blowing," which is very unsuitable for thenij especially as they are working almost the whole. day long. They work in front of a hot fire; and so have not enough fresh air. Such work is very unhygienic for children and naturally affects their health. Therefore, the employment of children in this kind of work should be strictly prohibited.
As stated in my previous report, the number of children engaged in canning* building materials is approximately 1,000 of whom the majority, a^ I have observed, carry over-loads. This over-load work can easily be ^topped, but it is not advisable to stop children entirely from doing the work of carrying. When any contractor enters into a contract with the Public Works Department and the War Department, or with the Civil Engineers, Architects and Surveyors in private practice on certain building con'struction, it should be mentioned in such contract that the Contractor should not employ any children under 11 years* of age (Chinese). Similarly, it should be mentioned in permits issued by the Building Authority and the Secretary for Chinese Affairs; but, children whose ages are over 11 (Chinese) should be allowed to carry loads in accordance with the following s-cale:
Children 11 years of age can carry loads of not more than 22 catties.
14-Lr) ,, . . . ,, . 9 40 .
In speaking of the introduction of compulsory Education iu the Colony, I do appreciate the ideas of Rev. Mr. Wells. Personally I would say it is an excellent scheme, but I am afraid it cannot be so easily adopted, because first of all it requires a tremendous sum of money to run the scheme, and secondly it is rather difficult to find sufficient school accommodation. 1 would therefore propose to open free night schools. At present I can think of 7 day schools which are quite suitable for this purpose.
(1)
The Saiyingpun School, (2) (Jueen's College, (3) Belilios School

(4)
Ellis Kadoorie School, (5) Wanchai School, (6) Yaumati School, and (7) Belilios Reformatory.


Both Chinese and English to he taught for 3 hours nightly from (> p.m. to \) p.m. except Sunday night. Children between 8 and 11 years of age are admitted to Chinese classes and those between 12 and 15 are admitted to English classes. These schools can accommodate about 2,41)0 children. For every 40, 1 teacher is required or 60 teachers altogether, of whom 30 are engaged to teach English and 30 to teach Chinese.
The expenditure for these night schools is roughly estimated as follows:�X
30 teachers (teaching Chinese), salary per year at $300�X $ 9,000.
30 . . English), . . . 400�X 12,000.
14 servants ... . ,, . 150�X 2,100.
Books, etc. for 2,400 students ... . 2�X 4,800.
Electric light expenses per year for 7 schools . 150�X 1,050.
Sundry expenses . . 7 . . 120�X 840.
Roughly say $30,000. $29,790.

The Government ts requested to contribute this amount.
Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
These Schools are to be looked after by the Committee of this Commission under the control of the Director of Education. Meantime, I suggest that these be started first, whereas Compulsory Education is to be carefully considered later.
It is said that there are about 30,000 children who need education, and if this number is correct and Compulsory Education is introduced, a sum of about two million dollars is needed.
To pay rent for 1 flat per year $360.00 To pay salary for 1 teacher per year 360.00 To pay salary for 1 servant per year 120.00 To pay books, etc. for 30 students at $1 30.00 To pay for Boarding for 30 students at $36 1,080.00
$1,950.00 1,000 schools
Per year $1,950,000.00
When Compulsory Education i* actually introduced we must also pay for the boarding of the children, bec.uise they cannot spare time to work and earn their living. Even if this item, the amount to be paid for their boarding is not included, a sum of at least $870,000 a year would be required.
(Sgd.) LI PING.
27th May, 1921.
Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
Appendix 3 (B).
A member of the Commission Rev. Mr. Wells made a visit of inspection to one of the halts where people carrying loads to the Peak were resting.
He reports as follows : �X
"Having heard that ehildron were carrying loads to the Peak, I made a visit to one of their Imlts. A number o�G women and children were sitting down, and my attention was first called to a boy who seemed to be very weak, it* not ill. He was eating a cake, but seemed to have little appetite for it, the time was about
9.30 a.m. His mother was sitting beside him, evidently somewhat anxious about hfom, 1 asked his age, and she said about nine or ten (Chinese reckoning). On being asked which burden the boy was carrying, she pointed to many loads and said " that one,'* adding " there are many more, ask them.'' I looked about and saw a very small boy, he was eight year> of age, (English reckoning, say about (>.^ years), he was with his mother, and she said that he must work, or he would not have fond to eat. The mother was a widow and came to Hongkong to get work, and finding that the boy could also get work, had set him to earn what he coukl. He had two loads of twenty two catties (29 lbs. each), these loads he took one by one, carrying each a short distance, and then returning for the other. Further enquiry elicited information to the effect that he had his breakfast at 5 a.m., and began to carry at a place near the central market, on the sea front, at six a.m., and had got so far, his work would be finished at about five p.m. �E He could earn eight cents for a day's work, carrying fifty eight pounds (forty four catties) weight of coal to the Penk. It was stated that he could only work about ten days a month, and that women could only work aboufe^ twenty days. The child earned eight cents a day, or eighty cents a month, but he had to get some lunch, and it wus said that this might cost three cents a day, so that his clear earn-ings would only be about fifty cents a morkth. This sum seems hardly sufficient to pay for medicine for him, if, as sterns probable, he should have occasional sicknesses. It seems to be a wicked way to use the time and energy of such a child.
Other boys .and girls of ten, eleven and twelve years of age were in the neigh-bourhood at work, it was said that a twelve year old girl could earn twelve cents a day. A general conversation with men and women was held, and it transpired that they get eighteen cents for a load of one hundred catties {133 lbs.), and that a man could carry two load's, and a women about 150 catties, the man would earn thirty-six (36) cents a day, aud a women in good health about twenty-seven (27) cents.
The problem of the formulation of a plan for the protection of these children is a difficult one to solve. It seems as it the small load system might be stopped at the starting point, contractors and employers should not. be allowed to make up child burdens. The lowest load might be fixed at fifty catties, and they might be informed that only strong children of full age should be allowed to carry the materials or goods. If necessary the system might be attacked gradually, and the weight and age limit be reached by slower steps.
If young children can earn so little, they would be much better employed in schools where they could learn a little about books, and what they .teach, and if it were possible to give them some industrial .training as part of their school train-ing so much the better. It might be possible to teach a little about the cultivation of flowers and plants, the manufacture of small toys, or even elementary work that would be useful for their future life as artisans, and even perhaps enable thera to earn a few cents a day after a short time."
Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
Appendix 4.
General.
I should like, in conclusion, to make a few general observations in elaboration of those contained in the draft report. At the outset, let me say that 1 atri as anxious as auyone else in this Colony to see the hard lot of some of the poor children in this Colony improved, and I am sure that all the Chinese here will do everything possible towards that end. But we must take facts as they exist, and
not allow our sentiments to affect our considered judgement. Owing to its proximity to the Kwongtung Province, there is a constant iiow of Chinese of all classes into this Colony, most of whom come here in order to lind work to keep themselves from starvation. The present conditions of the two Ivwongs further aggravates the situation. The children who are earning wages are essential to the "scheme of things" in the daily life of the poor, aud without them it would mean so much less income to feed the family, (me would like to cut down as much as possible the working hours of these children, but, unfortunately there is a limit beyond which one cannot go without doing more harm than good. As a rule these children do piece-work : they are paid according to the amount of hours of work they put iu. If, for instance, you halve their working hours of, say, 70 hours a week, you would reduce their income by **()% ; and wiierc there is more than one child earning such wages it may mean the loss of the wherewithal to pay rent.
There has been a great deal of talk about ,4 sweated labour" in Hongkong. Except a few isolated cases which one may come across here and there, the work which the children in the Colony are doing cannot be so described. The work is hard no doubt, but where it constitutes the alternative to starvation, it should be allowed, if greater harm is not to be wrought. The struggle for existence in China is intense, and the children who work m the interior are mostly worse oh! than those earning wages in Hongkong. That is why the Commission do not recommend the total prohibition of child labour, but rather suggest its regulation.
This brings me to the questiou of compulsory education in the Colony. The idea is very attractive, but a little consideration will show that it cannot be worked. Situated, geographically, as Hongkong is, with its door ever open to the teeming millions trom China, the problem ot accommodation alone will be found to be most difficult of solution. Then there would be the question of expanse which would be enormous, and the difficulty of training the large number of teachers that would be required. Eveci it all these difficulties could be surmounted, then there would be the question of feeding and clothing the thousands of children who would have to give up their work, upon which they at present depend for their miiuten-ance in order to attend school. 1 should like, however, to see every child receive some education, if possible ; but such should be achieved not by legislation but by voluntary attendance at Continuation Classes iu the evening or on Sundays.
(Signed) CHOW SHOU SON.
Illus. 5.2 (Continued)
mination to wrest out of their hands the control of the colony, whose material prosperity was mainly built up by Chinese labour and capital.
7. Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs to the Colonial Office, 16 September 1922, in CO 129/478, pp. 764 ff.
A crisis was developing in the relationships between the Chinese and British in Hong Kong. While on leave, Stubbs, formerly an official at the Colonial Office, attempted to analyze and explain the situation to the Colonial Office, with perhaps the merest sugges-tion of panic in his depressive diagnosis. A few years later, during the next major crisis which affected Sino-British relations, the 1925-26 Strike and Boycott, an official minuted in London, 'I am afraid that Sir E. Stubbs is becoming rather over-excited in his sugges-tions and it is not to be wondered at/
Oxford 16.9.22 My dear Grindle,
Yours of 15.9. The situation is much worse than I anticipated. I thought that the system which I adumbrated in my despatch would be accepted by the Chinese though I knew they wouldn't like it.25 It now appears that they are going to oppose it. This means that whatever we do will be futile and, which is far more serious, it means that the Chinese are for the first time setting themselves against the Government. That is the beginning of the end. I told you the other day that I believed we should hold Hong Kong for another fifty years. I put it now at twenty at the most. ... They (the Chinese in Hong Kong) will tend more and more to associate themselves with China rather than with England (the tendency exists already) and it is by no means impossible that we shall find ourselves up against a passive resistance to all Government measures and a boycott, more or less open, of British trade. ... We can rely on nobody except the half-castes and even they will throw in their lot with the Chinese if they think they will be the winning side.
8. Claude Severn, the Officer Administering Government (OAG), to the Secre-tary of State for the Colonies, 15 November 1922, in CO 129/476, p. 371.
25. Stubbs is here referring to a proposal to control the custom of 'domestic servitude' (especially the mui-tsai). See also the Chronicle for 1878 in Chapter 4 for reference to an earlier controversy about efforts to illegalize the widespread practice of 'adopting' young girls and using therri as domestic servants. At this particular juncture, Stubbs is clearly very doubtful about retaining the support of the Hong Kong Chinese, especially the wealthy class.
Severn's despatch offers an explanation of Hong Kong's dilatory and very modest factory legislation against child labour. In the context of the Seamen's Strike of 1922 and the controversy over 'mui-tsai', the Government was reluctant to interfere further with the interests of influential Chinese.
... It has not been considered possible to fix a greater age than that of 10 years as the minimum age for the admission of children into factories, 12 years as the minimum for the carrying of coal and heavy loads, and 15 years in the case of dangerous trades...
... but I consider that this small interference with the industrial life of the Chinese is all that can be safely accomplished at present.
9. Sir William Brunyate, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, to the Colonial Secretary, 30 June, 1923, in CO 129/480, pp. 292-93.
Readers may wish to query the Vice-Chancellor's assumptions.
.. . From various points of view, which I need not discuss in detail, I should be glad if a larger proportion of our staff had been at Oxford or Cambridge...
. . .We shall probably be wanting a Professor of Education in the middle of next year, and there it may be felt that some of the Provincial Universities are in closer touch with practical teaching. I speak with hesitation, but it is probably well that we should leave to training colleges of another type the methods incident to what I may call mass production.
10. The Introductory' section of the Education Department's Annual Report, 1924.
E.A. Irving was permitted to retire from government service on the ground of ill-health on the expiration of his vacation leave on 23 July 1924, having served as Inspector of Schools and then Director of Education for over 20 years and having failed in repeated requests for promotion. This Report was not, therefore, his responsibility, but that of his successor.
Though the Report is clearer about policy, the basic priorities do not seem to have changed much, with pride of place being given to British children and the problem of providing schooling for the Chinese declared to be 'different' and determined by their numbers.
The number and circumstances of British children in this distant Colony make it at once feasible and desirable to provide them all with an education in Government schools as nearly as possible equal and similar to what they could find at home, until such age as they are called upon
397
either to go home, or to seek employment locally. It is natural that parents should take an early opportunity of sending, or better still, of taking, their children to be educated in their own country; and consequently inevitable that most of our British children should be leaving at an early age. At the end of last year there were 415 British children at school here, of whom only 101, or 24.3% were over 12 years old. It is true that an increasing number of British children are finding local employment direct from school, but it is a matter of regret that of those who remain in the Colony, only a small proportion stay at school after their services have once become of marketable value. This is bad for the pupils and discouraging for the staff.
Other communities for which separate provision for education is needed are the Portuguese and the Indian. The children of the former usually attend one or other of the Roman Catholic schools which are privately managed but assisted with Government Grants. The Indian children usually attend the Indian School at Sookunpo which was erected by the late Sir Ellis Kadoorie, and handed over by him to be managed by the Government.
The problem of Chinese children is different. Their numbers are so large that it is impossible for the Government to take charge of the education of all. The principle adopted is to endeavour to set a good standard of work in Government Schools while giving assistance by grants or subsidies to all private schools which reach the required modest standard of efficiency.
Our task then, as regards Government Schools, is to obtain an adequate and qualified staff and a suitable curriculum; as regards private schools, to give such assistance as we may without unduly limiting their freedom
.. . In a colony like this, where the demand for education exceeds the supply, there is a temptation for teachers and managers to try to take an excessive number of pupils. For classes, the maximum number allowed is 30 in Government Schools, 40 in Grant Schools and 50 in other schools, and it is hoped that with increased facilities there will be no further excuse for exceeding those numbers ...
11. Extracts from Executive Council Minutes, 1926, in CO 131/69.
The following extracts demonstrate that the Hong Kong Government felt sufficiently threatened by the 1925-26 Strike and Boycott to impose censorship on the English lan-guage press in Hong Kong and to make use of a particular Chinese language newspaper to present its side. Thus a political crisis had led the Government to intervene in one major channel of informal education, the press, in order to control and produce propaganda.
Thursday, 25th May
2969/1911: Council, Sir H.E. Pollock dissenting, advised that the censor-ship of the European press should discontinue, and that Mr. Halifax should send for the editors and express the hope that they would avail themselves of his advice if doubtful either as to the authenticity of news or the desirability of comment when important political considerations were involved...
Thursday, 8th July
21 in 1301/1925: .. . As regards the Kung Sheung Yat Po and the propa-ganda done by that paper and by the publication of hand bills, His Excel-lency stated that he considered the cost well worth while; it was generally agreed that a vernacular paper subsidized by Government was necessary under present conditions and that the arrangements for the Kung Sheung Yat Po should continue ...
12. A disagreement between the Hong Kong Government and the British Gov-ernment.
The three brief extracts below may help to show how decisions were sometimes made. They also emphasize the tensions between the ethnic groups in Hong Kong. Moreover, the reference to Malayan experience shows that the Colonial Office was capable, at times, of taking the broader view, informed by relevant comparisons.
(a)
Governor Stubbs to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, telegram, 11 Sep-tember 1925, in CO 129/489, p. 179.

In view of the fact that the school attendance has dropped by 50% and the strictest economy is essential, I propose the abolish the post of senior Inspector of vernacular schools and I recommend that Cavalier26 should be pensioned forthwith.

(b)
Colonial Office minute, J. Paskin, 16 September 1925, in CO 129/489, p. 179.


This seems to me to be a very serious proposal and not one lightly to be approved. Mr. Cavalier is the only European inspector of Chinese schools in the Colony, the other three inspectors being Chinese.
Experience in Malaya has proved the wisdom of maintaining a strict watch over the teaching in such schools, and I should have thought that in
26. A.R. Cavalier, a respected linguist, had joined the staff of Queen's College in 1914. He volunteered for war service in Europe and later became Inspector of Vernacular Schools.
399
these days of anti-British propaganda, the wise policy would be to in-
crease rather than to abolish the European inspectorate in Hong Kong ...
[Referring to earlier comments by Cavalier about the vernacular schools] If the state of the Vernacular schools even approaches to his account of it (and even if Mr. Cavalier's statements are discounted to a very considerable extent, it seems difficult to believe that there is not some truth in them) then the need for suitable European inspectors seems all the greater...
(c) Draft reply from Secretary of State for the Colonies to Stubbs, 17 September 1925, CO 129/489, p. 183.
.. . I am not convinced that it would be wise to abolish the only European inspector of vernacular schools .. . I should have thought European inspectorate essential to prevent spread of anti-British teaching. I am not disposed to approve your proposal until your successor has had opportunity of forming opinion.
13. Hong Kong Hansard, 1925 Session, p. 94, Legislative Council speech of Chow Shou-son on the Government Estimates, 22 October 1925.
The similarity of the wording here with Robert Kotewall's paper on the Strike and Boycott (see Evidence 14 below) is marked, indicating how closely Robert Kotewall and Chow Shou-son collaborated together. It is interesting that both Chow Shou-son and Robert Kotewall promote neo-Confucianism as a safeguard against the threat of Leftist ideas in education.
.. . I understand that while I was in England the Hon. Mr. R.H. Kote-wall took up with the Government the question of improving our system of vernacular education; and it is a great satisfaction to me to see that provision has been made in these estimates for the establishment of a Vernacular Middle School at Saiyingpun. It is the opinion of many Chi-nese who have made some study of the subject, that there should be a graduated system of schools reaching up from the vernacular school to the Chinese middle school, and on to an enlarged and improved depart-ment of Chinese study in the University. In such a system great stress should, we think, be laid on the ethics of Confucianism which are in China, the greatest force for good. Any money which the Government may spend in this direction would in our opinion be money well spent, and also constitute social insurance of the best kind.
14. The memorandum by R.H. Kotewall on the 1925 Strike and Boycott, dated 24 October 1925, and published along with a Report by Sir Reginald Stubbs in a Colonial Office paper, February 1026, in CO 129/489, pp. 423 ff.
PARTI
THE STRIKE: ITS CAUSES AND EFFECTS
Causes
2. The strike was undoubtedly caused by a Bolshevist intrigue in Can-ton, conducted with the avowed object of destroying the economic life of Hong Kong ...
Commencement
5. The trouble commenced in the various Government and grant-aided schools in the Colony. The industrial strike began with the abandonment of the s.s. 'Sun Tai' by her Chinese crew on 19th June, and on the same day the crews of the 'Kushan' and 'Fatshan' came out in Hong Kong...
PART II
GOVERNMENTAL AND OTHER MEASURES
Counter-Propaganda
59. But the best medium of propaganda has been the newspaper. At the beginning of July, as the only Chinese newspaper then publishing was unable or unwilling to print our news, we created our own newspaper. This was the 'Kung Sheung Yat Po' (the Industrial and Commercial Daily News), which was started largely through the instrumentality of Mr. H.K. Hung, a local solicitor, who got one of the oldest and ablest Chinese editors to write the leading articles. This editor, Mr. Pun Wai-chau, unfor-tunately, has since died .. . Though at first the 'Kung Sheung' was only a small single sheet, less than half the size of the large double sheet of the /Wah Kiu Yat Po', it has done good from the very day of its issue. The publication of a paper independent and fearless of Bolshevism, which daily attacked those doctrines, inspired a little courage in the 'Wah Kiu'. The other newspapers which had suspended publication also recom-menced with a daily issue of one sheet. Today, because of the example of the 'Kung Sheung' all the Chinese newspapers are anti-Red, but we are carefully watching at least two of them to see that they are not converted by Russian money. This shows that the rapid spread of feeling which can so easily be induced in a mob, can also be caused in the daily journals which affect and reflect mob psychology.
61. -We must all agree that there is great need for continued propaganda. Our enemy has been, and will be, increasing his attacks upon us, and his attempts to buy over some of our Chinese newspapers. We must keep on educating the public, and see that our case continues to be presented to them in the manner we want, whether we have actual civil disturbance at the time or not. With this object Mr. Chow Shou-son and I, with other Chinese merchants, have recently turned the TCung Sheung Yat Po' into a permanent newspaper, and are running at a considerable loss, even with the Government grant of $500 per month, as a large number of copies have been sent abroad gratis.
PART III
REFLECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Politics in Schools
86.
One of the most serious and significant features of the recent distur-bance is the part played by schoolboys and students... It is very necessary to learn from these events how to prevent the corruption of schoolboys in future, and particularly their attempts to interfere in politics. It was the students who started the strike in Hong Kong, and it was the students who created the shooting incident at Shameen as in Shanghai. The Hong Kong schoolboys were moved to their turbulent behaviour by some stu-dents from Shanghai. These students were said to have put up at the offices of the notorious 'Chung Kwok San Man Po', and they had a clear 10 days to do all the mischief they could. So successful were their methods that practically all the schoolboys were more or less contaminated. When the trouble began, the University was fortunately in vacation, but it must be said to their credit that those students who were in residence in the hostels behaved well. The same praise could be accorded to St. Paul's and St. Stephen's Girls' Schools which were the last of the schools to close, all their girls showing pluck in attending regularly in spite of personal threats at a time when many boys skulked off. When St. Paul's Girls' School was closed, some of the senior girls offered their services, through me, to the Postmaster-General, and although their offer was thankfully declined on account of their delicate physique they were useful to our Propaganda Bureau, in which they were employed for about a month in work requir-ing copying in large Chinese character.

87.
Now let us try to trace the cause or causes of the present state of affairs. From the first year of the Chinese Republic schoolboys and students in China have been arrogating to themselves the right to assist in the government of the country, and they have been encouraged by persons who had their own ends to serve. In so far as our own schools are concerned, there can be no doubt that to a very large extent the ground had been prepared for them for this trouble, as during the last two years or so very undesirable literature has been introduced into the schools,


particularly the vernacular boy-schools, and some of the Chinese teachers had not been altogether innocent in this respect.
88.
Recommendations: Obviously the first remedy is an increased watch-fulness in the schools. Special care should be exercised in the supervision of the vernacular schools in particular, for these can the more easily become breeding grounds for sedition. The teachers should be carefully chosen and supervised for this reason.

89.
It should be impossible for propaganda to get so long a start before it comes to the knowledge of those in charge. In future, as soon as a political or industrial trouble is brewing in the Colony, the school authorities should do everything possible to prevent their boys participating in the agitation. If necessary, the schools might be closed at once.

90.
To my mind we should get rid of the root of the evil. The Chinese education in Hong Kong does not seem to be all that it should be. The teaching of Confucian ethics is more and more neglected, while too much attention is being paid to the materialistic side of life. It is the opinion of many Chinese who have made a study of the subject, that there should be a graduated system of schools reaching up from the vernacular school to the Chinese middle school, and on to an enlarged and improved department or school of Chinese studies in the University. In such a system great stress should be laid on the ethics of Confucianism which is, in China, probably the best antidote to the pernicious doctrines of Bolshevism, and is certainly the most powerful conservative force, and the greatest influence for good. At present the only Chinese middle school is the Confucian Middle School established two years ago by Mr. Fung Ping Shan, Mr. Li Yik-mui, and others; and its object, like that of all the most famous English Public Schools, is not so much to impart miscellaneous information, as to train the characters of the scholars and thus fit them for social life and leadership. About eight months ago I suggested to the Director of Education and the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, and, in May last, to His Excellency the Governor, that either the Belilios Public School (when and if vacated for larger premises) or the present Saiyingpun School should be set aside for the purpose of a Central Chinese school by the government; and I am glad to see that provision has been made in the Estimates for 1926 for the establishment of such a school at Saiyingpun. This action of the Government has given great satisfaction to those who have taken an interest in local education, for they believe that money spent on the development of the conservative ideas of the Chinese race in the minds of the young will be money well spent, and also constitutes social insurance of the best kind.27


27. This is the section of the memorandum that bears the closest resemblance to Chow Shou-son's Legislative Council speech (Evidence 13 above).
Finally, I suggest that careful instruction in Confucianism and its application to the problems of modern civic conditions should be given in all the schools where there are Chinese students...
Prospects for Fascist Organization
It is interesting to note that proposals were made to me from no fewer than three separate parties to form an organization here on the Italian model. The men who advocated this belong mostly to the class of the old Chinese literati, and it is an interesting proof of the growth of a civic interest and self-reliance formerly lacking among the Chinese of this class. Beyond consulting Mr. Chow Shou-son and reporting the proposals to the Secretary for Chinese Affairs and the Assistant Colonial Secretary, I took no action. In fact, I did not give encouragement to the proposal because such a movement would not have commended itself to the Home Govern-ment, and also because I knew, from the history of this organization in Italy, that if once it is allowed to get out of hand it becomes a danger to the community. In any case it would be difficult to find men of the necessary type to become leaders of the movement here.
15. From an Act of the National Government of China, April 1929, cited in T.C. Cheng, The Education of Overseas Chinese...', p. 294.
As mentioned above, teaching of the Three Principles of the People was actually
banned in Singapore. The wariness with which the K.M.T. was treated in Hong Kong may
be gauged from the Chronicle, above. In the eyes of the Hong Kong Government, the
reference to 'the cause of world peace and brotherhood' made by this Act was more than
counterbalanced by the 'end that national independence may be attained'.
Based upon the Three Principles of the People {San Min Chu D, educa-tion in the Republic of China shall aim to enrich the life of the people, to foster the existence of society, to extend the means of livelihood, and to maintain the continuity of the race, to the end that national independence may be attained, exercise of political rights may be made universal, condi-tions of livelihood may be developed, and, in doing so, the cause of world peace and brotherhood may be advanced.
16. Concerning The Report on Education in Hong Kong, 1935', by Mr E. Burney, M.C.,H.M.I.
The following extracts offer evidence about the provenance of the Burney visit to and report on Hong Kong, Burney's own ideas and the rationale behind that report, and at least some local and British opinions about the report.
(a) Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister, Secretary of State for the Colonies, to Sir William Peel, Governor of Hong Kong, Confidential, 11 July 1934, in CO 129/549/19.
.. . In his despatch Confidential (2) of the 15th November, 1927, Mr. Ormsby-Gore [then Secretary of State for the Colonies] referred to the fact that the post of Director of Education was held by a Cadet officer and not by a professional educationist as one of the deterrent influences to which the difficulty of recruiting suitable men for the Education Service in Hongkong could be attributed. He stated that this fact lowered the pres-tige of the whole educational service as that of the Medical Service would be lowered if it were subordinated to a Cadet Officer under the title of Director of Medical and Sanitary Services; and he expressed the opinion that on the occurrence of a vacancy the post should be filled by an educa-tionist and if possible from the existing staff of the Department...
.. . It seems to me particularly important at this time of change and development in China that the sincerity of the British Government in its desire for educational progress should be demonstrated, as far as may be practicable, by the provision of an educational system in Hong Kong which will bear comparison with any within reach of Chinese elsewhere. This must necessarily mean that the Director of Education in the Colony shall be equipped with professional experience and technique to advise how best to apply in Hong Kong the continual improvements which have been and are being made in School organization, methods of teaching, etc. It cannot be expected that a Cadet officer can equal a professional educa-tionist in Up-to-date knowledge of this specialist character.
My conclusion is that it is desirable to explore fully the question of the educational system in Hong Kong with a view to determining the organi-zation best calculated to secure on the one hand the advantage of main-taining a forward policy in the schools, and of avoiding on the other hand the risks that arise from an incomplete understanding on the part of the Director of Education of the political or social reactions likely to be pro-duced amongst the Chinese community.
I am advised that for this purpose it would be desirable, with the cooperation of the Board of Education,28 to invite some well-qualified person who is experienced in educational organization in this country and overseas to visit Hong Kong and to make a report on the whole question.. ,29
28.
Cunhffe-Lister is here referring to the British civil service department responsible for education, i.e., the predecessor of today's Department of Education and Science.

29.
A few months later, Cunhffe-Lister wrote again to the Governor in the following terms:


I have etc. to inform you that I have recently been considering the desirability of securing the services of some suitably qualified educational authority to visit Hong Kong with a view to reporting on the question of the present educational
(b) From the text of the Report on Education in Hong Kong, 1935 published on behalf of the Government of Hong Kong by the Crown Agents for the Colonies ...
What kind of education are the schools giving? Taking the younger children first, there were recently in Government and 'Grant-in-Aid' schools combined, 1,367 children under eleven years of age. At the same time, returns which were unavoidably incomplete showed that more than 23,000 such children were in private vernacular schools. In other words, it is in these schools that the vast majority of the children receive their primary education. Further, about two-thirds of the 23,000 were in non-subsidized schools, which presumably had not yet managed to attain the very modest level of efficiency that qualifies for a subsidy. In such schools there is no guarantee that education means anything better than spending long hours in learning to recognize and write a number of the Chinese characters, and in memorizing, without any attention whatever to their meaning, texts from the Chinese classics.30 These activities prepared the pupils in the age-old Chinese system of education which prevailed till the revolution of 1912, for the composition of the '8-legged essay7. This essay and calligraphy were the sole subjects of the famous examinations which admitted successful candidates to the Civil Service. Old-fashioned Chinese teachers, uprooted from Canton by revolutionary reforms, found refuge . . . after 1913 in Hong Kong, and there resumed the only means of earning a living which they understood. Some of their schools still continue. Though in many of the private vernacular schools the children are now taught to read with more or less sensible books, and learn something of the elements of arithmetic and perhaps a little geography, there is still far too much stress laid on sheer memorizing and too little attempt made to arouse in the children's minds an intelligent interest in their work. This is particularly
system and organization in the Colony and making such recommendations as he may consider desirable to ensure that educational policy may be directed in the best interests of the community.
After consultation with the Board of Education, I have selected for this duty Mr. E. Burney, M.C., one of H.M.'s Inspectors of Schools in this country...
Two days earlier, Arthur Mayhew in the Colonial Office minuted: 'At the last meeting
of the Advisory Committee on Education Miss Burstall drew attention to the Hong Kong
Education Report and, more particularly, to the fact that there was no woman on the local
Board of Education. She was told in accordance with permission that you had given me that
an officer of the Board of Education was going out to take a survey.' Cunliffe-Lister's despatch of 6 December and Mayhew's minute of 4 December 1934 may be found in CO 129/549/19.
30. A time-honoured complaint! See, for example, the views of the Rev. Samuel Brown (Chapter 1, Evidence 4), Dr Frederick Stewart (Chapter 1, Evidence 9), Sir Richard MacDon-nell (Chapter 1, Evidence 11), and the Rev. Wilhelm Lobscheid (Chapter 3, Evidence 6(a)).
noticeable in the teaching of hygiene: the children commit to memory rules of health which are most flagrantly violated by the environment of their studies.31 Moreover, school life for these children consists of study only, unrelieved by those activities which nowadays are held to constitute an indispensable part of primary education. Indeed, in few, if any, of the schools would such activities be possible �X there is no room for them. Further, the age range of a class is often far too wide; the writer found a girl of twelve and a young man of twenty in one class. Finally, the premises of these schools are usually inadequate and sometimes abominable...
Education in Hong Kong has been dominated by the converging influence of two factors. First, there is the very old tradition in China that success in life and social dignity belong to those whose tool is the pen. Admission to this privileged class has always been by examination. Sec-ond, there has been and is a large demand, from merchant firms, shipping offices, warehouses, and banks, for clerks .. . The clerks must know Eng-lish. Hence the schools have been obliged not merely to teach English, but to make it a real second language for their pupils, aiming at a standard considerably higher than that attained at home32 in any foreign language. This demand comes from parents and pupils quite as much as from employers, and is nowadays by no means confined to boys. Girls, even if they are not going to work, in teaching or in offices, where English is required, regard a knowledge of our language as a social asset and a matrimonial qualification.33 It is one of the marks of their modernity, like unbound feet, proficiency in swimming, and the use of lip-stick. Also it opens theic eager ears to Western culture as voiced by Hollywood .. .
In two schools visited Chinese boys were being taught, not without some detail, about the religious wars in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. Asked whether he thought that this information was of the slightest importance to the boys, the teacher in one school said, 'No, but there will probably be a question on it.'
(c) Letter by a writer with an undecipherable signature34 from the Colonial Office to Edmund Burney, 7 May 1935, in CO 129/553/12.
31.
Note, however, Professor Lancelot Forster's observations about the teaching of hygiene at Ping Shan in Evidence 22 below.

32.
The allusion to Britain as Tiome' by Burney is quite understandable, since he was literaUy a short-term visitor to Hong Kong. The same attitude prevailed in the thinking of most Europeans in Hong Kong and influenced ideas about local education, possibly with less justification.

33.
The obvious comparison is with Stewart's comments on the effects of English teaching upon girls �X see, for example, Chapter 4, Evidence 1(c) and Chapter 3, Evidence 14.

34.
The author of this letter is probably G.E.J. Gent, a senior official at the Colonial Office.


I wonder whether you saw when you were in Hongkong the enclosed History? As it is probable that I be shall out of England when the Hong Kong Government's views on your report are considered by the Commit-tee I am drawing your attention to the book because it seems to me to indicate forcibly some of the defects that you noted in the present school cert, course in Hong Kong. Something will obviously have to be done to insist on your plan for simplification receiving attention, whatever the Hong Kong Education Department may say.
In conversation with Handyside I gathered that he could see no faults in the book or in the certificate course for which it is intended. When I referred to the difficulty of the language and of much of the subject matter he said that no attempt had been made to simplify either because school certificate candidates usually stayed in schools till the age of 19 or 20. When I asked him to what course of study the book was supposed to be introductory I could get no clear answer. But apparently the book covers only a portion of one of the alternative history courses for the school certificate! When I pointed out that only 8 out of 145 pages were devoted to the history of the world since 1870, while 24 pages were devoted to the history of Greece and Rome he said that special local conditions justified more attention being paid to ancient civilizations than to current events. I could not get from him a clear idea of these local conditions to which he referred. Apparently no provision is made in the course for Civics or for any . . . [study] of the administrative machinery in Hong Kong. It is not considered desirable to interest Hong Kong students too much in political and administrative questions! I could get no clear ideas of the place occupied by Empire history in the course as a whole .. .
(d) Lancelot Forster, Professor of Education, University of Hong Kong, to Arthur Mayhew, Colonial Office, 4 October, 1935.
I have now had an opportunity of going quickly over Burney7 s Report and also of hearing one or two comments. It is fair and just and the criticisms in it are very temperate in tone and not quite so severe as I had expected, but they prove all the more effective because of that. The head-master of Queen's agrees with almost every thing that is said, but com-plains that the position would not be as it is, had any notice been taken of the recommendations that have been from time to time made in the various points that have been raised. The onus he places on the admini-stration ... The earlier age of a leaving certificate is possible if, and only if, the primary school is reformed or perhaps created. The vernacular school period from 6-11 years, is at present wasted. It is not a serious part of the educational scheme of the colony. If this were reformed as the report suggests the quality of the pupils entering the Anglo Chinese school would be very much higher. Further if such subjects, in the early stages, as arithmetic, geography, and simple science were given through the me-dium of Chinese the pupils would be more advanced in knowledge and
the teaching of English would not be such a burden as it is at present.
17. 'A Note on Secondary Education in Hong Kong7, by the Non-African Educa-tion Report Sub-committee of the Advisory Committee on Education in the Colonies, 10 August 1937, in the Creech-Jones Papers, Mss. Brit. Emp. s. 332, Rhodes House, Oxford.
Again quite serious differences are disclosed between the ideas prevailing in Britain (especially the Colonial Office) at the time and the assumptions of the Hong Kong admini-stration. The extract from the ACEC's 'Note on Secondary Education in Hong Kong' quoted below is tantamount to a reprimand for Sayer and may help to explain not only why he was soon replaced as Director of Education but also why he was not invited to become member of the 1943-44 Colonial Office Committee on Higher Education in Hong Kong and Malaya even though he was working in the wartime British civil service at the time.
.. . we saw no reason to question the recommendations contained in the Burney Report, and we thought it impossible for effect to be given to these recommendations if the education policy of the Government of Hong Kong continued in accordance with the views expressed by Mr. Sayer [Director of Education] at our meeting...
... Mr. Sayer has recorded no definite opinion on the suggestion made at our meeting that the English staff in the Education Department should be asked to acquire some knowledge of the language of the pupils they are teaching. But we got the impression that he did not view the suggestion sympathetically. We hope and believe that the suggestion will receive very serious consideration. There can be no doubt that a teacher who does not know the mother tongue of the pupils under instruction is unable adequately to appreciate their difficulties or to understand their mental background.
... Mr. Sayer does not seem to appreciate the significance of the recent development of educational thought on this subject [Physical Training] and of the changes that have resulted from such thought, not only in England but in all educationally advanced countries. The recent arrange-ments, to which he adheres, suggest that physical training is regarded as an extra, to be placed in the hands of instructors with no concept of its educational significance, rather than as an integral part of the school course, to be taken by regular members of the staff, educationally quali-fied to appreciate its relation to other subjects in the curriculum.
18. School life in the inter-war period.
(a) The Diocesan Boys' School Timetable, 1929 (Illus.5.3).
The 1929 timetable of the Diocesan Boys' School offers more detail than its predecessor of 1871 (see Chapter 3, Evidence 8(a)). For that reason, it may give a clearer impression of the formal curriculum of one of the leading Grant Schools of the time. Its accuracy is ensured by the fact that it was included in a book produced in 1930 by the Headmaster of D.B.S.35
(b) St. Paul's Magazine, French Convent School, 1940; pp. 16-30 & 120-25 (Illus. 5.4).
This set of extracts from the school magazine of the French Convent School (now known as the St. Paul's Convent School, Causeway Bay) may help to evoke impressions of the school year and what it was like to be a boarder in a well-known Grant School in the period immediately before the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong.
19. Fong Mee-yin, The First Hundred Years of Hong Kong Education, pp. 139-44.
A second extract from Fong Mee-yin's work, thanks largely to his apparent fondness for lists, provides interesting information, especially about the names of the private ver-nacular schools founded between the two World Wars. The following passage represents a rough translation of the Chinese Original.
Attitudes of social organizations and individuals towards education and how thy ran their schools
The period 1914 to 1941 was a time of great advancement for educa-tion. In these twenty-eight years, various social organizations and indi-viduals worked hard for the development of education. Consequently, numerous schools were set up.
In 1916, the Chinese Government's Education Ministry began to di-vide the school year into two semesters, i.e., the period from 1st August until 31st January of the following year as the first school semester, and 1st
35. Rev. W.T. Featherstone, The Diocesan Boys School and Orphanage, Hongkong (Hong Kong: Ye Olde Printerie, Ltd., 1930), pp. 124-25. Comparisons might be made with Fong Mee-yin's description of the curriculum of Anglo-Chinese schools at the turn of the century (Chapter 4, Evidence 12) and the timetable included in the Prospectus of the French Convent School (Chapter 4, Evidence 24, or more generally with the various descriptions of the curriculum of early Government schools and that of the traditional Chinese schools con-tained in Chapters 1,2 and 3.
THE e>0@cIg�G\K] R@Yc. ScC=3RcL
From
9.00 a.m. to
9.40 a.m.
Chinese
Set Book Composition Composition
Geography Arithmetic
Dictation Drawing Arithmetic
Chinese Physics
Dictation Geography Science
Arithmetic Dictation Arithmetic
Arithmetic
Chinese Composition Grammar
Composition Geography Arithmetic Dictation Arithmetic Arithmetic
From From From From From From From
9.40 a.m. to 10.20 a.m. 10.20 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. 11.20 a.m. to 12.00 noon 12.00 noon to 12.40 p.m. 12.40 p.m. to 1.05 p.m. 2.10 p.m. to 2.50 p.m. 2.50 p.m. to 3.30 p.m.
Composition Composition Chemistry Book-Keeping Book-Keeping History Algebra
Chemistry Dictation Composition Drawing Grammar Grammar Arithmetic Transcription Chinese Geography Reading Composition Scripture Geography Dictation Conversation Algebra Chinese Dictation Dictation Dictation Arithmetic Reading Object Lesson Scripture Geometry Drawing Chinese History Reading Object Lesson Reading General Arithmetic Chinese Reading Map Scripture Grammar Geography Geography Reading Arithmetic Arithmetic \ �E Chinese ' Drawing French Scripture Reading
Literature Scripture Drawing Geometry Geography Dictation Physics
Physics Chinese General Algebra History Physics Arithmetic Reading Geography Scripture Grammar Reading Scripture Dictation Copy Writing Grammar and Spelling Geometry Chinese Dictation Dictation Dictation Object Lesson Reading Conversation History Reading Drawing Chinese Object Lesson Object Lesson Drawing Reading Book Keeping Algebra Chinese Reading Ship Reader History Geography Drawing Dictation History Chemistry Arithmetic !�E Chinese 1 Scripture French Scripture History
Literature History Dictation Composition Drawing Grammar Reading Object Lesson Transcription Scripture Chinese Geography History Composition Drawing Object Lesson Dictation Grammar Drawing Arithmetic Chinese Dictation Dictation Reading Arithmetic Conversation Object Lesson Arithmetic Chemistry Physics General Chinese History Arithmetic Reading Reading Geography Book Keeping Physics Chinese Scripture Scripture Geography Grammar Conversation

Illus. 5.3 Timetable of the Diocesan Boys' School.
From
3.30
p.m. to

4.10
p.m.


Trigonometry i Drawing Scripture Physics History
Physics Geography Drawing Algebra French
s ��
I
s 3
Prayers
8.50 a.m.
Class 1 2 3 4 MONDAY 5 6
7a 7b 8
Class 1
TUESDAY
WDAY.
2 3 4 5 6 7a 7b 8
1 2 3 4 5 6 7a 7b 8

TIME TABLE, 1929�X(Continued.)
From From From From From From From From From Prayers 9.00 a.m. to 9.40 a.m. to 10.20 a.m. to 11.20 a.m. to 12.00 noon to 12,40 p.m. to 2.10 p.m. to 2.50 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. to
8.50
a.m.


9.40
a.m. 10.20 a.m. 11.00 a.m. 12.00 noon 12.40 p.m. 1.05 p.m. 2.50 p.m. 3.30 p.m. 4.10 p.m.

Class 1 Singing Chinese Literature Physics Trigonometry Geography History Chemistry Chemistry
2 Singing Grammar Chinese Trigonometry Physics Physics Geometry Scripture Dictation 3 Singing Reading Arithmetic Chinese Geometry Composition Algebra History Scripture
4 Singing Geography Reading Arithmetic Algebra Chinese Scripture French Composition THURSDAY 5 Science Singing Composition Dictation Chinese Science Arithmetic Scripture History 6 Arithmetic Singing Reading Dictation Ship Reader History
7a Reading Singing History Drawing Conversation Arithmetic r Chinese
7b Arithmetic Singing Dictation Reading History Repetition H Arithmetic Singing Scripture Reading Copy Writing Geography
and Spelling
Class 1 Chinese Grammar Scripture Chemistry Composition Physics General Algebra Geometry 2 Composition Grammar Chinese Trigonometry Algebra Geography Set Book Chemistry Chemistry 3 Grammar History Geography Chinese Chemistry Chemistry Geometry Drawing Scripture
4 Geography Arithmetic Dictation History Algebra Chinese Chemistry French Reading
FRDDAY 5 Geography General Composition Reading Chinese Reading French Scripture Arithmetic 6 Arithmetic Grammar Drawing Dictation Reading Grammar 7a Dictation Grammar Reading Scripture Arithmetic Conversation
V Chinese
7b Arithmetic Scripture Geography Reading Dictation Conversation 8 Arithmetic Transcription Drawing Object Lesson Reading Scripture
Illus. 53 (Continued)


fAt iff **&*
�GP \ r I 11
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en �G p 2 x w in 3





OUR UP-AND-DOINGS
Opening This year there was a record of the School. number of applicants who sat
for their entrance examination a few days before the re-opening of school in September 1939. In the upper classes, those students who were conditioned in some important subject had likewise to sit for an examination with the new-comers.
Despite the great excitement then prevailing in the Colony due to the rumours of war, and preparation and precautions against air raids and suchlike hor-rors, St. Paul's Institution carried on its quiet, unassuming but busy life, thus counteracting the panicky attitude of a large majority of the local residents. With the taking over of La Salle College by the Government for the accommodation of Ger-man internees, the tension became such that we all felt that there was nothing to do but to do the right thing which was to trust in Divine Providence. It was with a thankful heart that on the appointed day, when the school bell rang out its cheerful sum-mons to class and lessons, we resumed our peaceful and happy occupation of learning to obey so as to acquire knowledge of "what is man, why did God make man, and what is the destiny of man". i y
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
Among the "new" were familiar faces with spark-ling smiles and the confident look and gait of the Hong Kong University graduates. Misses Josephine Choa and Catherine Fong have come back to their Alma Mater to devote themselves, in co-operation with the Sisters, in the field of education. To all our teachers we extend a hearty welcome and welco-me back. We are glad to have with us again Miss Winnie Yu whose winning personality has endeared her to all her pupils, also Miss Lily Lo, our patient and painstaking senior Mathematics teacher, Misses
M. and H. Abbas, the latter one of our most loyal past students, another being Miss Ena Julebin. Welcome too to our dear assistant teachers in the lower classes, Misses Myra Noronha, Mary Lau and the three charming debutantes (Misses Leah Halsall, Therese Noronha and Florence Cheung), who are, we understand, on the waiting list to join the Teachers' Training College, and last but not least, Miss Lee, our energetic and incomparable Physical Training teacher and devoted coach in soft-ball and net-ball. Unfortunately we are strictly forbidden to sing the praises of our well-loved Sisters, not forgetting those who have retired from the teaching staff. Their kindnesses to us will "travel down the years till in heaven their deeds appear".
Rev. Mother's We had barely time to settle
Birthday. down when we had to think of
getting up something to feast

Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
Rev. Mother for her 71st birthday. Our "fete de famille" opened with the traditional complimentary addresses followed by a little play entitled uThe Magic Word". Two other items on the program were a Filipino Folk dance and a balloon dance by the hostel girls. Rev. Mother appreciated our poor efforts to show her that we shall always try to bear in mind that "a word of civility costs nothing", and has magic power of transforming the modern rough-and-ready tom-boys that we are, into the gracious convent-bred girls that she wishes us to be.
Mass Of the The date fixed for the Mass of
Holy Ghost. the Holy Ghost coincided with
another birthday, that of our
dear headmistress. Those of us who were in the

know remembered to pray for her in a special man-ner. The singing of the hymns during Mass was of a much greater volume than in previous years. The tunes had become more familiar and we were no longer afraid to let our voices resound in our beauti-ful and spacious chapel. Once again our great friend, Fr. Byrne, said Mass. His sermon has as usual driven straight home, therefore I do not hesi-tate to try to give a somewhat lengthy account of it. I only wish I were able to reproduce it in detail. He began by saying that he was going to read to us a few passages from a letter. But he first explained that about some time before Easter, the Yice-Chan-cellor of the Hong Kong University had an interview
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
with Gen. Chang Kai Shek who told him that he could employ a thousand engineers at $100 a month, which news was announced to the University students. A certain number of engineers and medical students (and from Ricci Hall nearly half of those who gra-duated were engineers) volunteered and were accep-ted. When one makes an offer of that kind, one looks forward to a certain kind of glory; one expects there will be work worthy of the action to be done. There may be disappointments and great disappoint-ments in life. The writer of the letter was one of the engineers. He was for two years Prefect of the Sodality of the Children of Mary; he was a convert.
"My last letter described to you only the apparent conditions. In this letter I shall try to give the reality. I told you previously that we were booked temporarily to look after old and broken paths and dismantled motor cars. I tried my best to see what I could do but in vain so that I had to satisfy myself to sitting and idling. We were given some books with which to pass our time. We inquired of the official what was their reason for employing us here, since there was no work. He told us that they were waiting for the documents. Thus we waited patient-ly. Week after week passed and still there was no sign of the documents. Our present situation is something like this. We are tied to tank full of water watching a house nearby on fire. We have
g(D) to try our best not to bring any bad stain on the
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
University name,.... Let me switch on to another subject. The food is frightfully dear. We required the minimum amount of |36 a month; we had to stand by watching others getting theirs. Each of us was then allowed $30. We found it impossible to continue our meals outside as our money was getting-short. At the beginning of this month we started to take our meals inside paying $12 a month.., We were supposed to undergo military training, but as we were not told when to start, so every morning I slip off to church. It takes me f hour to reach there. Mass is at 6.30 a.m., so I have to be off at 5.45".
Father Byrne then said: "Here is a young lad as highly qualified as his companions who did not make the sacrifice. These young men made the sacrifice; they offered themselves for their country realizing their sacrifice. Now the result of that sacrifice is most disappointing. They arrive there to find they have no definite instructions. We all feel that when we have done something difficult we ought to reap at once the fruits of our sacrifice. Things do not come about so. What is the reaction of the disappointment on the one who has made the sacrifice? It depends a lot on his character. Has he made the sacrifice in order to be congratulated, in order to be praised? This is not a sacrifice, He is looking ahead. When he makes the sacrifice he really means that he offers himself for something difficult; he is not going to draw back even if the difficulty increases beyond his anticipation. He will go ahead.,. There is no com-
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
plaint. Where does this young man draw strength? You saw in the last paragraph... Since there is no work, he steals out quietly and runs for �G hour in order to get to Mass. There is stuff behind that. He believes in the Mass. There is the question of realizing that he wants to get to Mass. He realizes that there is a value in the Mass beyond all human value, and that is where he gets the strength. It is interesting to know that one of his companions, when he came to Ricci Hall, asked to be instructed, saying: "I am convinced that the religion of this student must be the true one". It was the example, the good example of a thorough practice of his religion, that brought about this strong conviction. It is not like the religion you take down on Sunday. Religion should go through your life; it is something that brings out all that is best and most generous in your character".
"Your are beginning the year. What are you going to pour into your heads? A lot of Arithmetic, Geography and History to prepare for the examina-tion, but most of that will disappear very rapidly, in a year or two. The things that you learn in school have the effect of forming your mind. It is the fur-nishing of your memory, but the most important thing of all, and the one thing that you are forming day by day, it is the way you face your difficulties. You must build up a noble character, a generous cha-racter, the ideal character. The one thing that you are going to take away from your school is your
Illus. 5-4 (Continued)
character, and that is one thing that neither your teachers nor examinations can make it for you but you yourself. You will never learn if you exclude God".
Back again to lessons, some of us kept a constant watch-out for Fr. Byrne, for we knew that he would go round visiting the upper classes as was his wont. Some of the girls in Class 3A were so determined to keep him there as long as possible in the hope that they would escape some written task, that on his asking for an example of a "gerund" he received a most "ungerundial" sentence. But that did not matter in the least, for all that the girls wished was to show Father that they were pleased to see him among them.
Convent Bazaar. Bazaars are to-day a very
common feature in the Colony. Raffles of every imaginable kind were perhaps the most popular means of obtaining money in aid of any charitable fund. We had done our bit for Hong Kong's poor by spending all that we could spare at the annual St. Vincent de Paul's Bazaar. The fine portable typewriter raffled by Wan Yan College was won by a pupil of our school. One would think that with all these raffles and bazaars every purse had been emptied of the last cent it contained, but somehow our convent bazaar did turn out another success. The Fishing Pond and Candle Lighting were great attractions which brought in a goodly number of 10^ pieces-good and bad. The prizes,
Illus, 5.4 (Continued)
especially the souvenirs offered in exchange for the $1,- and $2.- tickets, consisted mostly of useful arti-cles, the patient and finished work of the Sisters. I dare say that the outsiders, like us students, were on the whole very satisfied with what they brought away with them.
Christmas Party. This year the Christmas party
took place in the afternoon so as not to interfere with the "breaking up". A glance at the programme will show that the Inter-class Amateur Dramatic Competition was the chief at-traction. The poor orphans were left to cool their heels for a good half hour or more before they were admitted by Santa Claus' assistants into the hall to receive their gift packets, and then hurried out to examine, compare, and perhaps to interchange presents.
Next the Report of Saint Paul's Recreation Club was read, and not very patiently listened to as everyone was eager for the plays to begin. The "Three Words", which was scheduled to last twenty minutes, left the standing audience somewhat with the feeling of having had enough, but the seated audience, and the judges especially, evidently thought differently. The other plays were then duly perfor-med and immediately after the judges' decision was announced, followed by the distribution of prizes to the proud winners. Finally, with greatings of "Happy
@4j. Christmas" to one and all, the party broke up. Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
Programme for X'mas Party-Thursday, Dec. 21, 1939. 2 p.m.
1.
Piano Solo Miss Paula Chan

2.
Distribution of Gifts by Santa Claus.

3.
Report of S, P. R. C, . . Miss Paula Hollands

4.
Inter-class Amateur Dramatic Competition (from Class 5 to Class 1).

5.
Distribution of Prizes, . Rev. Mother St. Xavier

6.
God Save the King.


Class Title of Play
5 "Three Words" (20 minutes) 4 Oberon and Titania ( | hour) 3 Toy Shop (20 minutes) 2 Bessie Bunter's X'mas Box ( | hour) 1 Christmas Treasury (^ hour)
Award of Prizes
1st Prize for the Best Play (Class 5) 2nd Prize for the Second Best Play (Class 3) 1st Prize for the Highest Collection (Class 5) 1st Prize for the Best Fancy Dress (Billie Kovach,
Class 3) 85
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
Easter Term* The second term was too short
for any activities, We would have had our annual public prize-day, only this year owing to the general depression on account of the war, it was thought best to let it go by quietly.
Annual Inspection. The Chinese New Year holidays
were a most welcome break. We were impatient for them to start, specially when it was announced to us that the Inspector was due and that school would not break up until he had been through the classes. There we were kicking our heels and sticking to our seats in the height of expec-tation of his all-important visit. It was late in the day when he came round to the upper classes, but "all's well that ends well", for our kind Inspector very considerately granted us a full day holiday the next day and that meant breaking up one day sooner. But before he left he promised to return in a fort-night's time, which promise or rather threat he has failed to carry out. We conclude that he must have been thoroughly satisfied with what he had seen of us and of our work.
Friendly Visit* Another visit of inspection we
received this term was that of Rev. Fr. P. Leroy S. X, who with his smiling eyes could not possibly frighten us big girls, much less the tiny tots in Class 9, one of whom, a little Chinese
c<B girl) impressed him immensely with the fine rendering
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
of her impromptu reading. He just looked around on us with a smile, and made enquiries about average age, and looked into some of our text-books. He showed particular interest in our Science books and especially the Practical Work Note-books. We later learned that he is a geologist and naturalist and has given a most interesting lecture in Biology at the Hong Kong University. When we heard that he came from Tientsin and has also something to do with the Fu Yen University, we hoped that he knew, if he did
not see, that in nearly every classroom there is hanging on the wall a 1940 Art Calendar of the Fu Yen University. The Jesuit Fathers are everybody's friends, and so we look upon Fr. Leroy as a new friend of the school.
Entertainments* Short as was this term, we
were busy outside class with practices for the Annual Sports Net-ball League Matches, and rehearsing for the presentation of "Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs". The first performance, for our school only, was held on the last day of the term; the public performances were fixed for Easter Week, that is, after the short Easter holidays. On the eve of breaking up day, we were entertained with another play, presented, through the kindness of Rev. Fr. Gallagher, by the boys of Wah Yan College. We enjoyed the fine acting of "The Messenger", especially those who did the femi-
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
nine roles. We thought the servant maid exceedingly good because "she" was so natural.
Charity The third term began with
Performances, great activities. There were
the three public performances
of "Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs". The

following letter of appreciation leave nothing else to be said about it:
My dear Friends, "On behalf of the Catholic Truth Society, I want to thank you very sincerely for the help which you have given us by the performance of "Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs"�Xand I want to thank you all, not merely the players but those who helped in every way. "You have already heard, I am sure, what the au-diences thought of the performance. There was nothing but praise for it on all sides, for the produc-tion and musical direction, for the staging, for the principals, for the dwarfs, for the chorus and for the singers whom we did not see. Everyone enjoyed it heartily and felt very grateful to you for the pleasant entertainment that you gave them. "We all realize that your success was not only gained without long and careful preparation, and we know that while some were rehearsing their parts and others were practising their songs and dances, there were others too who were making the costumes
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
and planning all the details that went to make it a success; so I feel that we have many to thank, and I want you to know that we realize how much you deserve it. I know too that the success of the play was due to the co-operation of all the school as well as to those who had an actual part in it, for I have heard of the generous way in which you have bought tickets and have sold them to your friends. There-fore I want to express our thanks to your whole school, to Sisters as well as to Pupils, for the great help that you have combined to give to our work of spreading good literature in China, and for the pleasure that you have given to so many by this delightful performance. May God bless you all in
reward!"
Athletics. Hardly was that over when one
fine Wednesday morning, ins-tead of filing up to class, we marched out of the school gates, orderly, class by class, headed by the prefects and accompanied by the Sisters, to make our way to the Queen's College Ground for our Sports' heats. Then on the following Monday we had Our Annual Sports' Day. This year we did it in style, thanks to the splendid organization of our Drill Mistress, Miss Lee. No invitations had been sent for it was strictly a school affair, though as on all such occasions parents and friends were welcome guests. 3 9
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
War Charities. The presentation of "The Queen
of Sheba" in aid of the War Relief Fund, showed that we are still interested in helping war wounded. A special item on the pro-gramme for the occasion was Monique Arnoux's recitation of a touching French poem entitled "Appel de la France".
The French War Charity Bazaar organized by the ladies of the French community of Hong Kong was held in our school hall. Even if the local newspaper did not tell us that " the articles on display were presented to the bazaar by members of the local French community and local French firms", we could see that for ourselves because everything about the bazaar bore the unmistakable stamp of French handling.
Other ActivitieSo The other big events of this
term which are still to come are our Annual Retreat, First Communion and Confirmation in our Convent Chapel, reception into the Church of three more of our Pupils, Paula Chan (Class 1), Pennie Cheung (Class 2) and Lillian Yang (Class 3), and lastly the appearance of the second number of our school magazine.
35(D)
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
T~ . - .A
ISO
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
o o
C


BOARDING SCHOOL
One Happy Family and What each Member thinks of being a Boarder
As far as I can remember, my happiest days are the days when I am in school as a boarder. I have been a boarder already for nine long years and I am not "fed up" ; if I had to stay for ten years more I would stay willingly. Most girls think that a boarder is just like a jail-bird ; they are wrong. It is true we do not have so much freedom as the day-scholars but we do enjoy ourselves nevertheless.
In the boarding school we are taught to be obedient, to love one another, to be thrifty, and above all to observe the rules.
Here in the convent I have learned to like everyone, no matter of what race, and whether rich or poor. A boarder should look upon the rest of her companions as her sisters, and share her joys with them. I have also learned to stand on my two feet, though I still forget myself very often and fall into trouble, but there is always Sister to pick me up and set me on my feet again.
We boarders have rules and we have got to keep to them. There is a special and proper time for everything. Every Sunday we go out for strolls or 131
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
tram rides ; on longer holidays we usually go to the New Territories to a house called Cheery ' Ole, and what fun we have!
The convent is my "home" for I feel perfectly at home here.
Billie Kovach
Class 3 B.
To be a boarder is very nice, especially on holidays when we have plenty of time to play, and we always enjoy ourselves. We are all friends here, and when we do quarrell we make up very soon. We have good food and are all in good health.
Nona Sharrock Class 4 �G.
My life in the boarding school is full of fun. When I am naughty I do not get my pocket money or I get some other punishment, but I realize that I get punished for my own good.
Mildred Coates
Class 4 B.
I like boarding school life in a way. I liked being a boarder when my cousin was here for she used to advise me when I was in trouble, and I am always getting into trouble for one thing or another. What I do not like about being a boarder is that we do not have much free time; we sometimes have to do our lessons even though it is our recreation time. And
1S5S we are expected to take part in all the school activi-
Illus, 5.4 (Continued)
ties, whether we like it or not. However, in spite of everything I like our school.
Therese da Roza Class 4 B.
I like very much being a boarder. There are many girls and I like all of them. I am a boarder because I did not have enough time to study and do my home-
workhome at ev home; but hereery other Saturda wey. certainly have. I go
Silmy Albers Class 5 A.

The reason why I do not like being a boarder is because here in the convent I have not the freedom to do as I like and as I am used to at home.
Maria Carvalho Class 5 A.
I am a boarder and I quite like it. When it is raining it is very dull and gloomy, especially on Sun-days. Sometimes the Sisters are strict, but I think that is what they have to be.
Eleanor Pirie Class 6 A.
I like this school quite a lot. We boarders have nice times. I learn much more here than I did in my last school. And another reason why I like this school is because there is the most beautiful chapel I have ever seen; it is really pretty.
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
I like making my bed in the morning. Sometimes I race with Eleanor my friend. I always have fun with all the boarders, but I like Eleanor best.
Vivienne Rowe
Class 6 A.
I like staying in this boarding school because there are many girls. I like this school very much, and I am so happy here because everybody and every-thing is so nice.
Yvonne Basto
Class 6 A,
I find boarding school life very dull. I envy the day-scholars, especially on Sundays and holidays, because they can go to shows or go out to play and enjoy themselves, while we boarders spend most of our spare time sitting in the study hall with nothing in particular to do.
Rosalind Wong
Class 6 B.
I like it here very much all except class because the work is very hard. Pat Burroughs
Class 6 A.
It is lots of fun staying here because there are many girls to play with. I am very glad when I come first in class because then I get a lot of sweets and biscuits.
Mary Yuen
�En g^l Class 8.
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
I like being a boarder because I have lots of fun here. Sometimes for punishment I am not allowed to go home on Sunday, but whenever I am punished I know I deserve it.
Tania Zelihovsky Class 8.
My boarding life is very pleasant because there are many girls and I have lots of fun playing with them.
The Sisters sometimes scold me, but I know that it is only for my good.
Natalia Vigiliads Class 8.
I like this school very much, I have a sister here in Class 7 A. My mummy comes to see us twice a week.
Dorothy Rowe Class 8.
I like staying here because there are many girls and I have lots of fun. I came here because where I live there is no English school. Every day I study very hard because I want to pass class. I get punish-ed when I do not know my lessons.
Margaret Heggic
Class 9.
O <> o
Illus. 5.4 (Continued)
February until 31st July as the second semester. This new school calendar was adopted by most schools in Hong Kong.
In 1928, the Ministry of Education in China introduced a new regula-tion about the registration of private schools, requiring all private schools to register with the executive office of the Ministry. According to the same regulation, all school principals and chairmen of boards of governors had to be Chinese. From this time onwards, many schools established in Hong Kong also registered themselves in China.36
In 1939, because of the Sino-Japanese War, many educationalists from the coastal region of China moved to Hong Kong. They began to set up academies or colleges, secondary schools, primary schools, and various kinds of vocational schools. Education in Hong Kong thus bloomed and entered a period of great advancement.
Most overseas Chinese schools set up in Hong Kong were Chinese Middle Schools and most of them had an attached primary section. Since the Hong Kong Education Department then required male and female secondary school students to attend separate schools, each overseas Chi-nese school usually had two establishments, one for boys and the other for girls, whereas, for the primary section, one building was sufficient be-cause boys and girls were allowed to have lessons together at this level.
The following are famous private Chinese schools founded on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon, and in the New Territories during the period 1914 to 1941.
A. Private Chinese Schools on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon
1.
Tung Yung School (1918)

2.
Duen Mui Middle School (1919)

3.
Wei Man School (1919)

4.
Ning Nam Middle School (1922)

5.
Shun Sau Middle School (1922)

6.
Sung Jing Tsung Hui I-hsueh (1922)

7.
Fang Lin Co-educational Middle School (1923)

8.
Fei Yuen Middle School (1923)

9.
Sung Nan Middle School (1923)

10.
Chien Li Middle School (1924)

11.
Min Seng College (1926)

12.
Chung Wah Middle School (1926)

13.
Sui Wah School (1927)

14.
Chiu-chow Public School, Hong Kong Branch (1929)


36. This was not the only result. The requirement that the principals and chairmen of the board of management of each school should be Chinese induced some schools, particularly those run by foreign missionaries, to transfer themselves from China to Hong Kong. True Light Middle School is a good example of this trend.
15. Guo Gwong School (1929)
16. The Kowloon Lok Sien Tang School (1929)
17. Ning Tung Co-educational Middle School (1930)
18. The Oriental Middle School (1930)
19. TaShing School (1930)
20. Siu Chau School (1930)
21. Chung Nam Middle School (1931)
22. Wanchai Pui Ching School (1931)
23. Ji Xing Middle School (1932)
24. Tak Ming Middle School (1934)
25. Wah Nam Middle School (1934)
26. Tung Jih Middle School (1936)
27. Yang Guang School (1936)
28. Chao Guang Middle School (1937)
29. Guang Wah Middle School (1938)
30. Wah Ying Girls7 Middle School (1938)
31. Subsidized Day School of the Hong Kong Chinese Education College Student Union (1938)
32. The Chinese Children's College (1938)
33. Han Wah Middle School (1938)
34. Kit Ying Kindergarten (1939)
35. Chung Wah Primary School (1940)
36. The Peninsula School (1941)
B. Private Chinese Schools in the New Territories
1. Bo-min Subsidized School, Sheung Shui (1919)
2. Yen Hing School, Yuen Long (1920)
3. Yue Wen School, Shatin (1920)
4. Jih Sien School, Sai Kung (1920)
5. Pei Wen School (1923)
6. Ding Jao Ming Tak Public School, Tai Po (1925)
7. Kam Tin Mung Yang Public School, Yuen Long (1926)
8. Sai Kung Sports Association School (1926)
9. Ji On Public School (1930)
10. Jing Guan Subsidized School, Sha Tau Kok (1930)
11. Tat Tak School, Ping Shan (1931)
12. Castle Peak Buddhist Primary School (1935)
13. Yao Kung School, Yuen Long (1935)
14. Ming Tak Subsidized School, Tuen Mun (1935)
15. Cheung Chau Han Chuen Primary School (1938)
16. Wing On School, Yuen Long (1938)
17. Man Wo School, Sha Tau Kok (before 1941)
18. Yuk Ying School, Tai Po (before 1941)
19. Nam Cheung School, Sai Kung (before 1941)
A small number of private schools obtained subsidies or grants from the Government which helped in their development. For example, Min Seng College, a Chinese school founded in 1926, received a special grant of $6,000 from the Government in 1935. Most schools sponsored by social organizations also received financial assistance from the Government. Subsidies given to private schools in the New Territories helped in the promotion of village education.
Many rich merchants who were enthusiastic about education made donations or set up scholarships to help students coming from poor fami-lies. In doing this, they contributed greatly as moving forces for the development of education in this period.
Characteristics and contributions of education in the period of great advancement
From 1914 to 1941, during this period of educational advancement in Hong Kong, the standard of various kinds of schools was considerably improved and their numbers also greatly increased. The Hong Kong Education Department was particularly concerned about the training of teachers. The establishment of Normal Schools and the opening of training courses were responsible for improving the quality of teachers in Hong Kong.
From 1911, with the opening of the University of Hong Kong, a total educational system was gradually being achieved. Students could then complete their education in Hong Kong, starting from kindergarten and proceeding by stages up to university, with no need to go back to China or to travel abroad. Students could also enter vocational schools or technical colleges to receive training, preparing themselves to serve in the industrial or commercial fields.
Ever since the beginning of the colony in 1842, education in Hong Kong had gradually taken root. It developed until it reached a period of great advancement. In 1941, however, due to the invasion of the Japanese army, the development of education came to an abrupt end. (The author believes that if this original system had not been destroyed by the Japa-nese, education in Hong Kong would have been in an even better devel-oped condition now).37
37. As reference to other Evidence in this chapter will suggest, the author here appears to be looking at the inter-war years through rosy lenses. Though it cannot be denied that impor-tant developments took place in this period, all was not sweetness and light. The effects of the Strike and Boycott, the prolonged struggle to introduce technical education and the criticisms of the system advanced by Burney and others, for example, tempt one to search for a less one-sided appraisal of the period 1914-41.
20. 'The Report of the Hong Kong University (1937) Committee' (Illus. 5.5).
A copy of the whole of the 1937 Report on Hong Kong University is included here since it has never been published in Hong Kong. As will be seen, the criticisms of the University were forthright. After the first shock, the University authorities attempted to answer their critics by producing a Development Plan.38
21. Extracts from articles in the Hong Kong University Education Journal.
A range of articles from this Journal has been selected in order to give some impression of the scope of the Journal as well as the type of issues which were considered of interest to academic educationalists in Hong Kong in this period.
(a)
Dr E.M. Minett, 'Health in School', 5 (November 1930), 72-77 ff.

.. . Of the 1007 schools in the colony only 19 (5 British, 1 Indian, and 13 Chinese) can be medically inspected; even then a school medical officer could not solve the problem of being in more than one place at one time �X a few astral bodies, able to use a stethoscope, would be most welcome adjuncts to the service. Inspection on the 'group' system, as in England, is aimed at, (entrant, 8 to 9 year, and leaver) but only the entrant (and in a few schools, the 8 to 9 year) has been accomplished ...

(b)
A.H. Fewick, 'Chinese Studies in the University', 6 (December 1931), 79 ff.

... It is a distressing fact but no-one is more convinced than Young China, that Chinese studies are simply not worth their while, when there are so many urgently important things demanding their attention . . . Chinese students have shown some ingenuity of recent years in coercing other people, but so far no-one has discovered any means of coercing the students into studying Chinese, beyond the bare minimum they recognize to be necessary.

(c)
'Editorial Notes', 8 (November 1933).


... When the lecture [by Fr. G. Byrne, S.J.; see below] was thrown open to the audience for general discussion, many instructive and critical remarks were made by some of the local school teachers present, who were particularly interested in the ever puzzling problem of the 'Pari-Passu' System. Really, when we are faced with the ever increasing number of Chinese students who have failed in their own language in the Matriculation Examinations held by
38. This was the work of the Hong Kong University Development Committee of 1939 chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, Mr Duncan Sloss. See the Chronicle for 1939.
REPORT OF THE
UNIVERSITY (1937) COMMITTEE.
1.
We were appointed by His Excellency the Governor immediately after he had, as Chancellor of the University, announced such an intention first to the Court of the University on 15th December, 1936, and subsequently at the Congregation held on 4th January, 1937.

2.
The Hong Kong University is an institution constitutionally separate from the Government of the Colony, and our appointment by the Government, rather than by the University itself, indicated that the continuance or the amount of the annual subsidy from public funds might in any year become a budgetary issue.

3.
The Council of the University later associated itself with our appointment by a resolution, passed unanimously on the bth February. 1937, promising the Com-mittee all possible assistance in its endeavour from the University as a whole.

4.
Our terms of reference were as follows :�X


(I)
To investigate the present, and probable future, financial position of the Hong Kong University and to advise whether any changes are desirable in its staffing, peisonnel, salary scales or organization;

(ii)
To inquire and advise whether any such, or other, changes are desir-able in the interest of its utility or prestige;


(iii) To tender any other advice or suggestions for the future of the University.
5.
Our first action was to advertise in the local press our terms of reference and to invite expressions of views from the public.

6.
On 25th January we instructed our Secretary to address the Government in the following terms :�X


"Sir,
University (1937) Committee.
At a meeting of the above Committee held on 25th January, 1937, it was decided that, without waiting for its final report, the attention of the Government should be drawn to the serious situation arising from the early departure of His Excellency the Chancellor and the announced intention of the Vice-Chancellor to take leave towards the end of 1937 prior to retirement.
2.
In the opinion of the Committee it is urgently necessary to consider the selection of a suitable successor to Sir William Hornell.

3.
The Committee also feels strongly that the new Vice-Chancellor should be in the Colony before Sir William Hornell's departure, even if some additional expense is thereby entailed.


I am, Sir, Your obedient servant,
(Sd.)Secretary, Univ J. H. B. LEE, ersity (1937) Committee.
THE HONTHE OURABLE, COLONIAL SECRETARY, HONG KONG."

Illus. 5.5 'The Report of the Hong Kong University (1937) Committee'.
7. All the witnesses who were good enough to give us their views, whether members of the University staff or others, understood clearly that those views would be treated in the very strictest confidence. For this reason we do not propose either to give the names of such witnesses or to disclose the system upon which we pursued our inquiries; and our considered conclusions will in general be given without any statement of the grounds on which they are based.
Finance.
8.
In accordance with the first of our terms of reference we have made a very close examination of the present financial position of the University. On the assumption that the subsidy from the public funds of the Colony can be maintained at its present figure of $350,000 per annum, and on the further assumption that the income from fees will remain at its present figure of about $200,000 we may say at once that the existing position is not unsatisfactory.

9.
The only other considerable source of income is, of course, the interest on the endowment funds (in which for convenience we have included certain special benefactions), and these in the immediate future may be expected to yield nearly $440,000 per annum.

10.
With the economies now in force the total running expenses of the University come to only a few thousand dollars over $1,000,000; and it will be seen from this that, for once in its existence, there is no need for the University to panic.

11.
We hasten to add that, taking the long view which we are specifically instructed to do, we consider the financial position unsatisfactory. We cannot but think that financially the University has in the past existed far too much from hand to mouth and we consider it to be our duty to face future possibilities steadily.

12.
As regards the endowment funds more than one half of the income conies from sterling securities which we are satisfied are good. Of the balance approximately one-third comes from Hong Kong investments and two-thirds from Shanghai invest-ments. In each case mortgages form the predominant factor, and we cannot con-sider, in present circumstances, that such a form of investment, especially in the case of Shanghai mortgages, is as safe as we should desire.


13 . The present book value of the total endowment fund investments is just over ten million dollars; and we consider that it would be prudent to anticipate, not an appreciation in the* capital value, but rather a gradual decline in the total yield to the ''gilt-edged'' basis of about 3%%. If this anticipation is justified the $440,000 mentioned above must be reduced Iby at least $66,000 per annum.
14. Furthermore even if no expension is to be contemplated in the University's activities, and we are more than reluctant to believe that such a decision is inevit-able, it is to be remembered that nothing has been allowed in successive budgets for depreciation on buildings, some of them now growing old, and that there is no reserve fund whatever. It is our considered opinion that the University should no longer be content to live from hand to mouth bub should at the earliest possible moment start including a surplus figure of at least $15,000 in every annual budget to go to reserve.
15 . If the above is accepted we are at once faced with the necessity of sug-gesting economies of a "long-term" nature even if we need not recommend the emergency methods that have too often been unavoidable in the past.
16. Two comparatively minor economies present themselves. The House Allow-ances paid to members of the staff who live out at present average about $20,000 per annum. We suggest that the allowances now paid to married men witli families, married men without families and bachelors respectively are too high if
Illus. 5.5 (Continued)
rent alone is considered. As a proof of this we understand that there has been a certain reluctance to occupy the quarters provided at the University. We are told, for example, that certain married quarters are at present occupied by individual bachelors while married officers live out and draw the highest allowance. Such a situation is in our opinion one that should not be allowed.
17
. We also suggest that the Finance Committee should investigate the pos-sibility of erecting a block of flats in the University grounds for the use of the staff. The exact figure must depend on the numbers to be accommodated, but even on the basis of borrowing funds for the building we are satisfied that an approximate saving of $10,000 a year as against the present allowances would be possible. If the Shanghai mortgage portion of the endowment fund can be realised, this would seem to be a profitable method of reinvesting that portion of the endowment fund.

18
. Secondly there is the Sterling Superannuation Fund. Apart from the contribution made by the University, the interest allowed by the Bank on the sums paid by the contributors themselves has now to be supplemented by as much again from the general funds of the University to bring it up to 4%. In 1937 this will amount to about $18,000 and this figure must necessarily increase in future years. We suggest that the Bank deposit, less a small liquid amount, might be invested in the general funds of the University. With interest reckoned on a 3-J% basis we estimate that an annual saving of about $13,000 would be possible by such a process, and the only alternative to this would seem to be a reduction in the rate of interest allowed to contributors.


19. It will however be readily seen from a glance at the University's budget that any such economies can only touch the fringe. Of the round million dollars which comprise the expenditure side almost exactly one half represents the emolu-ments of the staff on sterling rates of pay. It is here that any substantial reduc-tions, such as we have tried to show are imperative, must be sought. And what remains of this Report will naturally be largely concerned with this problem.
Engineering.
20
. It is not difficult to see what were the ideals in the minds of the founders of the University 25 years ago when they insisted that an Engineering Faculty was an integral part of the scheme. China in 1911 was beginning to awake; her educational system was still woefully inadequate; and there was a vast field for development of railways and roads, waterworks, power plants and factories. What could be more fitting than that Great Britain, always in the forefront of engineer-ing matters, should provide in its outpost in China the means by which the engineers required for this awakening could be trained? There would be prestige; there would be something like benevolence; and there might be the indirect advantage of making China's pioneers think in terms of British standards and material when it came to purchase of plant.

21
. How far has that dream of the founders been fulfilled? It is only 20 years since the first Engineering graduates of the University went out into the world, and it is in view of their present ages perhaps too early to judge fully of those indirect effects. But we have examined carefully the statistics of those 227 men who have graduated since 1916.

22
. Bearing in mind the objects of the founders we must, we consider, eliminate the 35 graduates of non-Chinese race. Of the remaining 192 only 82 have obtained engineering posts in China proper and of these we observe that the majority are filling posts which are not at all commensurate with the cost of their education.

23
. The cost of the Faculty for the month of January, 1937, was $13,500. This figure covers salaries only, with no allowance for the capital cost of buildings and of workshop plant, and with no allowance for administrative overheads, though the appropriate proportions have been taken of certain courses (Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry) shared with other Faculties. The total number of Engineer-ing students being trained during the same month was 118.


Illus. 55{Continued)
24. The scope of an Engineering Faculty in British and American Universities goes far beyond anything which, in our opinion, should be attempted in Hong Kong. In these Universities its functions rightly embrace original work, research and an advisory capacity to industry as well as sound teaching in the principles of engineering. In Electrical Engineering, for example, we are advised that a Technical College even of a high order would concentrate upon such points as operation and repair; whereas a University proper would go in more for research and design. In our view it is quite oat of the question for Hong Kong to compete in the latter sphere with the vast aggregation of electrical knowledge of Europe and America; nor can we see any good reason why this should even be attempted. The same is equally true of Mechanical Engineering. It follows that in our view Hong Kong University need not follow the organization of Universities situated in England.