[English] DIOCESAN BOYS' SCHOOL Annual Prize Distribution.

DIOCESAN BOYS' SCHOOL

Annual Prize Distribution.

The annual prize distribution of the Diocesan Boys' School took place yesterday afternoon. The Rt. Rev. Bishop Duppuy presided over a large gathering, which included Sir Robert and Lady Ho Tung, the Hon. Mr. P. H. Holyoak, and Mrs. Holyoak, Hon. Mr. H. E. Pollock, Hon. Mr. Irving (Director of Education), Mr. C. G. Alabaster, Rev. H. Copley Moyle, Rev. H. Holman, Rev. N. Teasdale Mackintosh and Mr. A. H. Compton.

Headmaster's Report.

The Headmaster, in submitting his annual report, said: The report which I read now is the report for the school year 1920. That is the third report made since I was appointed Headmaster in May, 1918. That year the late Headmaster retired after 40 years service. In 1919 we had no regular staff of Masters for the whole year except Mr. H. Sykes and myself, instead of a pre-war staff of six Masters and one on furlough. In October 1919 I went on furlough, and the Rev. A. J. S. Stearn took my place at a week's notice. Two masters were obtained locally - Mr. Hayes, who, I regret to say, died in February, and Mr. Rainer who was appointed Director of a school at Macao in March. Mr. Sykes retired in April after 20 years very valuable service. Miss Goggin, our highly esteemed Matron, died in January. From this it will be seen that the past three years have been years of exceptional stress and strain, but despite all this the general results in University examinations and in general school work have never been better.

I feel it my first duty to thank most cordially the Rev. A. J. S. Stearn for the excellent work which he did during my absence in England; how he managed to carry on last Summer after Mr. Sykes left I cannot understand; suffice it to say he did carry on and the School owes a great debt of thanks to him. Secondly I would like to thank the lady teachers, the Chinese staff and all who helped as temporary during the year. This is the first time in the history of the school that a Lady has been asked to distribute the prizes. The reason why we have asked Lady Stubbs to do so is that it is our wish to pay the highest tribute possible to the excellent work which has been done by the lady teachers in the school during and since the War. Without their efficient help we could not have carried on. The school also rose to the occasion and the result has been a steady growth of esprit de corps.

This year the number of prizes has been reduced considerably and in future certificates may be given instead of certain prizes.

Staff.

In past years, apart from the Headmaster and Second Master, this School has not kept masters for any length of time. The salaries of assistant Masters have been increased. If definite prospects were offered to Masters with several years of experience and to married Masters, and if a Contributory Pension Fund were started there would be no difficulty in this matter. We are thankful that in a school like this we fortunately get much teaching done for teacher's sake; but there are limits beyond which it is not wise to press the claim.

Work.

The general report of the Government Inspector was very satisfactory. Several changes have been made in routine. Special attention is being given to Mathematics and Science, our weakest subjects in past years. Mr. Stearn, Mr. Trafford and Mr. Thomas are taking special interest in these subjects. In Chinese - although our percentage of passes in examinations has been equal to that of other schools, yet the results are not good. Mr. Hu, a trained teacher, has been put in charge of the Chinese. In conversation more use could be made of object lessons and nature study. Now text books have been introduced for reading, history and scripture. This year we intend to introduce new books in science, nature study and composition.

Equipment.

The equipment of all schools in Hongkong is below the average in schools in England, Canada and America, and is not generally equal to that of other schools in the Far East; I refer to schools which I have visited and by schools in the Far East I mean schools in Singapore, the Philippines, Canton, Shanghai, Peking and Japan, including Formosa. During the last few years it has been difficult to get equipment, but in 1920 we have added considerably to our science equipment. This year we are placing an order in England for general school equipment. We have started a regular system of displaying pictures, etc., of general interest and work done in the school on school and class notice boards.

Some of the excellent maps and drawing which you see on the boards to-day may quite well be used for school purposes, if we can get them suitably mounted. Scholars can help very much in adding to a school's equipment by making models, etc., for use in teaching geography, drawing, nature study and object lessons.

Discipline.

The Government Inspector adjudged the discipline in the school as 'Good.' This is very satisfactory when we think of the changes we have had in staff during the year.

Examination.

Nine boys have passed the Matriculation examination, and three were awarded senior certificates. In the junior examinations the results were excellent; 18 boys passed, and we gained no less than 16 distinctions. In the Oxford preliminary examination 21 boys passed out of 23 who took the examination, and two Honours were awarded.

Scholarships.

The Ho Kam Tong Scholarship is awarded to A. K. Prew. The Piercy Scholarships are awarded to G. S. Zimmern and A. E. Perry, both of whom gained three Distinctions in the Hongkong University junior examination. The Chan Kai Ming and Arthur Scholarships are awarded to E. S. Fincher and S. H. Kwok, both of whom gained honours in the Oxford preliminary local examination. We have no leaving Scholarships to the University.

Health.

The health of the School has been very good, especially among the boarders. Our best thanks are due to the Medical and Nursing staff of the Government Civil Hospital for much advice and kind interest in the school.

Games.

In Football and Volley Ball we have had great enthusiasm; more boys are playing games. In December we began having Physical Drill for the whole school; formerly boarders only had Physical Drill. In Swimming Sports the entries were almost double the entries in 1919, in which year we decided to have no prizes for these sports.

Boy Scout Movement.

The Boy Scout movement could very well be encouraged in this and in other schools. At present owing to a certain clause in local Scout rules we cannot take part in the movement. We may start a Troop privately, if it is possible, and become affiliated with the general movement.

School Chapel.

In November a room at the entrance to the school was set apart as a School Chapel. This has been furnished by small subscriptions given by boys themselves, with the help of a few friends. A School Banner was bought in England, and Mr. T. G. F. Fleming presented a beautiful Processional Cross. The boys have taken great interest in the Services at St. Peter's Church during the year, and a Services' Guild has been formed.

Old Boys' Association.

An Old Boys' Association is in process of formation. A list of one hundred and eighty names of boys living in Hongkong has been drawn up. We hope the Association will be formed on February 1st. Such an Association has great possibilities.

STAFFING.

The difficulties of staffing schools are world wide. In January, 1919 there was a shortage of 30,000 teachers in England and the ordinary wastage was not filled in that year. In Scotland 6,000 teachers were required in January 1920. In New York State 1,000 Schools were shut down from lack of Staff in 1919. In the British Empire it is not so much the matter of salary as the lack of co-operation which causes the shortage in the Colonies. If a master leaves England now he loses all status in England, his time abroad does not count if he returns to England, say after five or ten years abroad; he has no position with regard to preferment at home and he loses his claim to a pension. If united action were taken in the Colonies and a strong statements on the position of things sent home, some change in this matter would be effected. In an interview I had with the Director of Special Enquiries and Reports at the Education Department in London this course of action was advised. Secondly local talent could with advantage be encouraged much more than it has been in the past. The Hongkong Government now has an arrangement under which the Government sends annually to Hongkong University a number of Chinese from Queen's College who desire to be trained as schoolmasters. If, as in England, boys from all schools and if other than Chinese students would take advantage of this arrangement, it would be a great help to the grant-in-aid schools. The training which elementary school teachers receive at the Technical Institute is very useful. If, as has been proposed, this branch of the Institute were closed there would gradually become a still greater shortage of trained elementary school teachers than there is at present. Teachers trained at the Institute are very useful for elementary work in a school like this and in elementary schools. With regard to untrained English Teachers - they are most useful and do excellent work in elementary subjects. From a financial point of view no Government or school can afford a full staff of trained English teachers and there is not a sufficient supply of trained teachers. There are over 13,000 untrained supplementary teachers in elementary schools in England and a large number in secondary schools.

CONFERENCE OF TEACHERS.

An annual conference of head, teachers, with a duly appointed sub-committee, would be very useful in Hongkong. At present I regret to say there is a great lack of co-operation in education. Such a conference or meeting of heads of schools was summoned by the Acting Director in September and October 1919. It has not met since that time. A conference could link together the work of Government schools, Grant-in-Aid schools and private schools. It would be a great help to individual heads of schools of such matters as the following were discussed in conference. - Local condition of education, general curriculum, the University syllabus, the connection between schools and University, change of school hours in the summer, the drawing up of a regular system of granting testimonials with boys, a boy's photograph and signature attached. With regard to this last matter, such a system could prevent boys wandering from one school to another. In a school where the standard of English is high as often find boys, for example, who has been in Class 4 for three months going to another school and securing a place in Class 3, or even in Class 2. This practice is quite common and should and could be stopped by united action.

No educational system can work efficiently without regular co-operation amongst the various schools, and a conference summoned by the Education Department would be much more effective than one summoned by heads of schools.

In inviting Lady Stubbs to present the prizes, Bishop Duppuy said the School had a very lively report, which was full of encouragement.

Lady Stubbs then distributed the prizes and local Matriculation, Senior and Junior certificates won by the pupils. At the conclusion she was presented with a photograph of the School and two pieces of drawing done by the boys.

Lady Stubbs said she had asked the Headmaster's permission to say three things besides thanking the boys for their gifts, which were a surprise to her and which would be highly valued. Firstly, she wished to congratulate the lady teachers on the efficient manner in which they had carried out their duties during the war; secondly, she congratulated the School on the large number of certificates won by the boys in the local Oxford examination; and thirdly, she hoped the School would be able to form a Boy Scouts Troop later, when all its difficulties had been removed. (Applause).

On behalf of the staff and boys of the School, Bishop Duppuy moved a vote of thanks to Lady Stubbs for her presence. The School, said the Bishop, owed a great deal to its present Headmaster, the Rev. Mr. Featherstone. He was sure everybody present must feel that the School made a very important contribution to the life of the community. (Hear, hear). If that was the case all would agree with him that there was a close connection between efficiency in education and accommodation. He hoped that it would not be long before they could invite Lady Stubbs to present the prizes in a new school building. (Applause).

Seconding the Bishop's proposal for a vote of thanks to Lady Stubbs, Mr. Compton (Hon. Treasurer) said the School could go ahead a good deal if it received more support, which it needed so much owing to the great schemes it had in hand. Though education was important, proper attention should also be given to the physical side, and he hoped that before many years had elapsed the School would be housed on the other side of the harbour, on the site offered by the Government, where the boys could be better developed physically as well as mentally. (Applause).

The national anthem and cheers for Lady Stubbs, the visitors and the Headmaster and staff, brought the proceedings to an end.

Source:

1. Page 3, "Hongkong Telegraph", Friday, 28th January, 10th Year of the Republic of China

   • 20th Day, 12th Lunar Month, Geng-shen Year

   • Friday, 28th January, 1921 Common Era