In our issue of the Gth Sept, last we gave some account of a scheme of education for Chinese proposed by Rev. Dr. Young J. Allen, of the Southern Mothodiat 31 which was to include a college English Settlement with branch institutions in the French Concession and at Hongkew. Since then the plan has suc-coeded beyond the utmost anticipations of its projectors. Subscriptions have poured in on all sides, the measure has received every encouragement and support from for whose benefit it is intended, and applications for admission into the schools have been much more numerous than could Fist. we wore called upon to witness the ly have been expected, On Thursday opening of the first branch academy which will hereafter be known as the Trinity High School. The new building has been erected close to Dr. Allen's Church at the south west corner of the French Concession, It consists of two storeys about 62 foot long and 38 foot wide and is said to be capable of accommodating from 250 to 300 pupils. The ground floor is divided by wooden partitions into several class and recitation rooms and a similar arrangement la carried out upstairs. The school is airy and well ventilated throughout, and every are appears to have been taken to secure the comfort and convenience of both pupils and teachers. The course of studies will be English, and preparatory to that to be pursued in the proposed college, which fatter will include the higher branches of a thorough scientific education.
The tt ion is virtually free, though king the benefits of the school pected to give a minimum annual sub-ion of $3. Dr. Allen states that so ar from this condition being objected to, many have voluntarily given a much Inrger amount, Nor is this to be wondered at. The Chinese set a special value on education for their sons and would sacrifice much to ensure their being well taught in English subjects ao as to fit them for intercourse with foreigners in after-life. They are naturally averse to sending their sons abroad. Many have not the means to do so even if they would, and many more who are well able to afford a n i England or America would he risk it for fear of their children being donationalised. Their own government, although they may supply gratuitous instruction, do not offer any very reliable advantages. The system now inaugurated by Dr. Allen, to uso the language of pubblishers and auctioneers, " supplies a want Jong felt." Therefore, as we have already said, applications have poured in from day to day, to.a much greater extent than can well be entertained. The new school opens with about 250 scholars; more might easily have been obtained had there been space to accommodate them, which unfortunately there is not.
The time fixed for the opening ceremonies 10a.m.; but owing to the confusion dental to a first day the proceedings did not commence until nearly an hour later. The first business was to arrange the pupils into classes. This was not quite 0 easy a task as outsiders may imagine. A large proportion of the boys were strangers to one another, whilst almost all of them had previously never even seen their teachers. Dr. Allen took up his position at the desk in the upstairs room in company with his foreign and native assistants, The names of the first class or section were then called; as each boy responded, he took up his position in front of the desk. When all had thus been mustered, a board mounted on a short staff was given to the head pupil or monitor of the class, on which was pasted a paper giving the number of the section and the names of the pupils belonging to it, These were than marched away, and similar formalities were gone through until the whole school had been filed off. The object of this arrangement is obvious. Hereafter, as each scholar enters school of a morning, he will at once be able to take his place in' class, whilst the delay and difficulty of calling the name of each one will be avoided by each head boy answering for his section all present" or other wi:
After this had been completed Mr. Sung Tavy-hung the native director addressed the pupils and teachers in Chinese, and in the course of his speech gave some account of the origin of the scheme and the objects and intentions of its promoters. Dr, Allen appeara to have secured an able staff of teachers, though owing to an overplus of scholars he stands in need of a fow more. The majority of the pupils appear to be the sons of the higher classes Chinese. They were all neatly, and a great many were gaily, dressed, in honour of the occasion. At the close of Mr. Sung 'Tuy Hung's address, Rev. Dr. Allen, i and impressive terms, invoked the Divine blessing upon the pupils, teachers, and all who were engaged in the under: taking; after which the assembly dispersed.' Several Chinese officials and a fow Indies were present. We hear that Dr. Allen has secured about 200 scholars at Hongkew, where a school building so far approaches completion that the opening exercises have been fixed for the Gth prox.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.