SPCCAA 11
Education Department started a diploma course on education
for the first time, and I was one of the six students who were
accepted to the programme. I thought it was a great opportunity
to study education, but unfortunately a few months later it ended
because of the war. Afterwards I went to Chongqing, China with
my relatives and stayed there for three years during the war.
After the war, I took a ship along the Yangtze River to Nanjing.
The ship was packed with people and the conditions were
really bad. Dr Woo asked me to come back to teach at SPCC
and I gladly accepted. Many of my relatives in Nanjing were
principals. They were surprised at my decision to go back to
Hong Kong because there were a lot of teaching opportunities
in Nanjing as it was the capital city and all the schools reopened
after the war. I was very determined to teach at SPCC because it
is my alma mater and I respected Dr Woo. I took a ship back to
Hong Kong and made it to the start of school in 1946.
PL:
At war, how could Dr Woo contact you?
MW:
She mailed me. During war you can still send and receive
mail. She had my address in Chongqing and she sent me a letter.
PL:
Why did you retire?
MW:
There have been rumours about why I retired. I had a
lot of opportunities to be principal at other schools. That was
not why I retired. I studied in SPCC and I taught in SPCC, I
consider myself one of the most loyal persons to SPCC. The
truth is I went travelling. When I was 60 to 80 years old I
travelled a lot. In one of the trips before 1997, I went to China
with other teachers. China was not a popular destination for
people back then so I was a pioneer.
PL:
When did you come to Canada?
MW:
I have many friends who emigrated to Australia and
Canada. They had been persuading me to emigrate with them.
I wanted to stay in Hong Kong and never thought about
emigrating. I am not very fond of cold weather. Once I was
travelling to San Francisco and my cousins in Vancouver asked
me to visit them. I came here in 1992, I stayed during the
winter and went back to Hong Kong in the summer. Gradually
I wound down my investments in Hong Kong and received my
citizenship here in 2002. I continued to travel in Canada and
the US. I really like travelling.
PL:
Did you visit Hong Kong? Did you visit the school? What
do you think about the school?
MW:
Yes, I visited Hong Kong in 2004. However, I did not
visit the school. I went to the Speech Day but I did not want
to disturb the teachers at school during school year. I have
been following the news of the school and I noticed that there
have been a lot of changes. I am a very open-minded person.
I am over 90 years old but I have been adapting to changes
every day. Let me give you an example: I was not used to
drinking cold water or eating canned food. During my last
visit to the hospital, they made me drink cold water and apple
juice. It was a training to me for half a month. I am used to it
now. I am glad there has been a lot of improvement at school.
There have been different achievements and different generations
have worked hard in the school’s history: Dr Woo, my Principal,
went to North America and South America to ask for donation
to build a campus for a girl school, St. Paul’s Girls’ College; Dr
Kotewall succeeded Dr Woo as Principal. I believe these two
persons had the greatest impact on the school. They built the
foundations of our school. Both of them remained single, and the
school was their life. They did great things for the school.
PL:
How do you think SPCC students in the 80s were different
from students in other schools?
MW:
Our school was conservative and very low profile. We did
not get any publicity, and did not allow students to talk to the press
or let the press take photos, no matter how good our grades were.
PL:
Do you have any special memories in the school?
MW:
The school is quite different now. It has expanded and
changed a lot. I was a form teacher in 1961 and 1962. The
students in my classes were like my children. Many of their
grandchildren are current students.
PL:
Any words from you for the alumni?
MW:
I am grateful that many alumni who graduated in the
80s and 90s are working hard for the school newsletter. I really
appreciate the colour of the cover which shows the advancement
of the school and we are now reaching out to the world.
(Front row from left) Dr Philip Leong and Miss Wong Yiu Ho.
(Back row from left) Mr Anthony Lau (Chairman of SPCCAA BC Chapter)
and Dr Henry Wong.
Miss Wong Yiu Ho and Dr Philip Leong.
