The annual meeting of subscribers and friends of the above Institution was held at the Municipal Council Board Room, Kiangse Road, on Tuesday afternoon when there were present Mr. J. S, Fearon, the Rev. W. Muirhend, D.D., and Mrs. Muirhead, the Rev. H. 0, Hodges and Mrs. Hodges, Mr. J. G. Bois and Bes. Bois, the Rev. A. Elwin, Mrs. Bondfield, Mr. C. Thorne and others.
Mr. Thorne explained that owing to indisposition, Mr. A. R. Burkill was unable to preside. He therefore moved that Dir. Fearon take the chair.
The Rov. W. Muirhead seconded and the Proposition was agreed to. said that they were called together: thet it. Fearon in opening the meeting day, for the purpose of passing the annual report and statement of accounts of the school. The report had been in their hands for some time and went very fully into the work of the school during the past year.
however there were any points upon which they would like some explanation, Mr. Thorne, who was present, would bs pleased to give the information, He beg-{ed to more the adoption of the report and accounts which were as follows "The Committee of this Institution have once more the pleasure of bringing their Annual Report and Accounts before their friends and supporters. There have been uri palva months inthe Teaching Stade many vicissitudes and 'Miss Moor resigned her position as Superintendent of the Girls' Department, and left the School at the end of May. Miss Gaskin Kindly undertook to fill the place for a short time, but she left Shanghai at the end of July, and since that time the School has been jer the disadvantage of having no actual "Head," though the Matron, Mrs. Tennant, and Miss Mesny, the Assistant-teacher, have done their best to make up for the deficiency, which has naturally thrown a good deal of extra labour upon both of them. and it is only fair to say they have worked loyally and well in their respective departments. The Committee have had reluctantly to abandon for the present the idea of getting Miss WY. Gaskin to return tothe post which she filled ably, and at present are still seeking for a lady to take the responsible position of Superintendent of the Girls' School. 1n the meantime they have been glad to secure the services of Miss Page, who, since the School reopened. in September after the summer holidays, has take the place of Head-teacher in the Schoolroom, and the Educational part of the work has gone on steadily and satisfactorily under her care.
'Owing to the lamented death of Mr. Youngson during the summer, Mrs. Youngson, who has carried on all the work of the Boys' School so faithfully and well for more than seven years, has decided to return to Scotland with her family, and is now on the point of leaving the School. The Committee cannot speak too highly of the quiet and conscien-'Mrs. Youngson has carried out all in the Thomas Hanbury School, and_her loss will be long and deeply regretted. The Committee also now lose the benefit of her daughters' services, who have worked with their mother as assistant teachers.
certificated master and his wife have been engaged at home, through the kind Passistance of Mr. Hanbury, who spared him self no trouble in trying to make choice of the most ble man from the various applications submitted to him, and are already on their way out, or will very shortly leave England for Shanghai, In the meantime tem porary help has been secured, until the permanent resident Master can arrive. The Committee have to record with much regret the loss of Mrs. Burkill and Mrs. Drummond, and of Mr. Seaman from their number, all friends of long standing, who took a deep interest in the School, "the Rev. J. Steveos, D.D. and D. Litt., also resigned, on his return to England. When Mr. Seaman left for America, Mr. Bois kindly took over the duties of treasurer.
The Committee are happy to say that the much desired enlargement of the School buildings is now an accomplished fact. 'The girls are already using their new wing, which gives them a very comfortable dining-room, most commodious pantry, and tone of the empty rooms above not' being Set required for its legitimate purpose of dormitory, males s capital play Foam and "drill ball" for wet days. boys have not yet actually taken mn of their rooms, but will be able to do so very shortly. As soon as the Teachiog Staff is again fully organised, the Committee hope that the large amount of extra room gained will anat them to greatly augment the usefulness of the Institution, by receiving many more boys and girls into its safe shelter. Their cere donors whose gifts have enabled these important thanks are again offered to all the liberal additions to be made to the Building. It should be mentioned that each of the new wings is provided with an outside iron stair. case reaching to the top storey and communicating with each floor, so that in case of fire there might be a perfectly quick and eas) way of escape for the inmates of ead dormitory.
With regard to the funds of the Institution, the Treasurer. has noted that the balance in hand at the close of the year is not quite so as it would have been, since some rather cavy bills which were really due in 1896, have been included la last year's payments, thereby making the 1897 accounts heavier by this amount than they would have bees, hile the previous year was better by their omission. The fees on both sides of the School were rather less than in 1895; the working expenses were also rather less, about $100 and $200. The Subscriptions: donations are $100 better than in 1896, but more annual Subscribers, even of small sums, are much to be desired. The building account has a balance of $2,745 to meet payments of Tls. 1,435 to the contractor, a1 3. 1,000 for the fire-escape staircase and the boiler for the hot-water apparatus, so there will still be a balance of $400 towards the necessary furnishing of the new rooms, as they are taken into use.
There only remains the pleasant duty of thanking all friends who have sent gifts of all sorts, money, clothing, food, or playthings, for the use of the School, at various times throughout the year, or who have provided treats for the children, for all which proofs of kind interest and good feeling, the Committee are most sincerely grateful.
J. M. Hopaes, Hon. Sec.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.