We extract from the Report recently presented to the Municipal Council by the Educational Committee, the following passages, which are of practical interest at the present tim With regard to the present wants of the community, the Reverend Mr. Groves ascertained, in April last, that the Foreign non-Roman Catholic children of respectable European parentage above six years of age in the Settlement numbered fifty-six boys and seventy-seven girls, while at the same time Mr. Penfold informed us that he knew of the existence in Hongkew of fourteen boys and sixteen girls, of European descent, who do not attend' any sei their parents not possessing the mea pay for their childcen's schooling. Apart from the necessities of these Settlements, there is little doubt that should the Council be in a position to arrange for the enlargement or remodelling of any of the existing schools, or should any new school -of 8 permanent nature be established "under their auspices, such as would moot the wants of this community, they would be able to reckon upon considerable support from the parents of children resident at those adjacent ports, where at present no adequate means of European education are Your Committee have gone very carefully into the question of the advisability of establishing a large General Public School to be under control of the Municipal Council, but the result of their enquiries Jeads them to believe that such a scheme can only be entered upon after the coi munity has been canvassed for subs tions, and a considerable amount of outside support guaranteed. They find that a large proportion of parents who can afford it, prefer to engage private governesses for children when young, and as they grow up to send them home to be educated, yot, your Committee believe that many woul be found willing to contribute towards the establishment of a first-class educational institution on the spot; added to which is the fact that there is a large and increasing number of children whose parents are not able to send them home, Your Comi shown how far the existing ulGil the requirements of the case, They have, as is seen, personally visited all the leading institutions and have also obtained from the managers the particulars and statistics which are given in the Appendix. It will be noted from the account of the pupils at the French establishments that they are largely availed of (sic) by Protestants as well as Roman Catholics, At the same time there are, unquestionably, a considerable number of Protestant parents who object to having their children under the caro of Roman Catholics, and for the education of whom it is desirable that further school accommodation be if possible provided, 'A good school for boys is the more pressing want, but doubtless a similar institution for girls is also needed.' Your Committee think, however, that it is enough for the present to settle the question of a boys' school leaving the Ratepayers to devise the plan of a girls' school at a future period. 'The nucleus of a good boys' school, as has been pointed out, exists in the Anglo-Chinese School. Your Committee were well satisfied with the course of instruction adopted there; but, as we have shown above, it would requi enlargement were any important increase to be made in the number of scholars, The accommodation could be increased by an addition to the present building, but to do this and to provide additional masters is more than the funds at present at the disposal of the institution can afford. A letter which will be found in the Appendix (No. 10) has been addressed to the Trustees upon the subject of transferring the school to the control of the Council and to obtain
Peustees just to hand (Appendix No. 11) ing Municipal aid; and the reply from the affords ground for the belief that the necessary consent of the Church Missionary Society in London to some change of nature may yet be obtained. Your Ca: mittee now recommend that the Council continue the negotiation thus commenced, and in the desire that an arrangement be formed with the Trustees upon the basis laid down in the correspondence referred to, advise that provision for a grant to this school be made in the forthcoming budget, With regard to the Eurasian School your Committee consider that its conversion upon the principles recommended abov will enable it to meet the wants of all those children whose welfare the public can reasonably be expected to look after, and they would suggest the following changes being made 1.—That the Ratepayers authorise the Council to enter into arrangements with the present Trustees with a view to accepts ing Mfr, Hanbury's generous offer,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.