ELLIS KADOORIE SCHOOL.
MR. DE MARTIN'S ADVICE TO STUDENTS.
EARLY ENTRY PLEA.

​

   Mrs. A.T.Hamilton, wife or the new Headmaster of the Ellis Kadoorie School, presented the prizes at the School's annual distribution this morning. She was accompanied by Mr. A.T.Hamilton, and others present included Mr. G.P. de Martin (Director of Education), the Rev. G.T.Waldegrave and Mr. W.Kay, the acting Headmaster.
   After Mr. Kay had presented his report, Mr. G.P. de Martin expressed thanks to Mrs. Hamilton for distributing the prizes in the course of which he said:- I want to say few words to the boys. I will tell you first in English, then Mr. Lau is kindly going to repeat my words in Chinese so that the small boys will understand as well as the big boys. And I want you to tell your parents when you go home for the holidays. When you come here to Class 8, you begin English and go on learning Chinese. You cannot come in to Class 8 if you are too old. You may come at 12, you may come at 11, you may come at 10, if you can pass the Chinese Entrance Examination. You begin to learn English, which is a new language. It is easier to begin a new language if you are younger. Suppose there are two boys aged 10 and one comes to Class 8 but the other waits till he is 12. What happens? The early boy gets a start of two years. He is in Class 6 when the other boy enter Class 8. He leaves school two years before goes into business or enters the University two years before, earns his own living and relieves his parents two years before. He is two years ahead all his life. Try and pass the entrance examination early. If you do so, and fail, it does not matter, because you can try again. But if you fail at 12, you cannot try again in this school. Good schools do not want old boys beginning to learn a new language too late. I expect many of you have little brothers. I am telling you this for their makes.

​

Plea for Boy Scouts.

   A bouquet of flowers was presented to Mrs. Hamilton by the Head Prefect, and Mr. Hamilton, in acknowledging the welcome accorded him and his wife, said that were doubly pleased to be present, as it gave them an excellent introduction to the school.
   The Rev. G.T.Waldegrave made an impassioned appeal for better work by the Ellis Kadoorie troop of Boy Scouts, when he pleaded with the boys to bring it up to the high standard which it boasted in 1923.
   Cheers for the visitors, the Headmaster and the School were given by the boys at the calling of the Head Prefect, and this terminated the proceedings.