Message from the President & Vice-Chancellor

	Gone are the days when we were classmates at junior high school.  We 
studied, played and not infrequently engaged in childlike brawls.  Together we 
made many of our youthful dreams.  Forty odd years have lapsed and old 
friends meet again today.  The mixed feelings of joy and nostalgia filled my 
heart.  

	The old friends of mine mentioned above are Prof. Isabel Wong, 
professor of Music and Director of International Student Exchange Program of 
Illinois State University, Prof. Liu Jiong-lang, Academic Vice-President of 
Illinois State University, and Prof Alfred Wong, Director of the newly 
established Advanced Center for Science and Technology of UCLA.

	Friendship of four decades is hard to come by, but what is more precious 
is that in these forty odd years, these old friends of mine have strived and 
accomplished remarkable achievements in their own career.  I share their joy of 
accomplishment, but it also makes me wonder: why was the school we once 
attended together so special, which made it capable of producing so many 
talented people?     

	As a matter of fact, it was just a shabby junior high school with very 
limited resources.  It is the difference of heaven and hell if the school is 
compared with the ones in Hong Kong.  Being short of material provisions, the 
school could only admit very few students - about ten in a class.  The society 
was affected by war during that time and people lived in apprehensions.  We 
were therefore regarded as fortunate to be able to continue with our study under 
those circumstances.  The adverse conditions might have brought about our 
seriousness and resolutions in learning, and we treasured all the more our 
friendship with our classmates and teachers.  

The teachers at our school were totally committed to their profession, 
and they were truly our mentors - not only teachers but also friends to us.  In 
addition to imparting knowledge to us, they also set an example for us to live 
with integrity and sincerity, with concern for the country and forgiveness to the 
people around them.  To be able to groom and nurture their students was the 
ultimate goal of their lives, and they regarded the achievements of their 
students as the greatest achievements of their own.  In a small class of ten or so 
pupils, the teacher-pupil relationship and friendship among the students were 
strong and long-lasting.  I guess that is one of the reasons why our alma mater 
could produce so many successful and outstanding people.

	Looking back at Hong Kong, even though the society is affluent and the 
schools enjoy abundant material provisions, the ambience for learning seems to 
be far weaker than that of the past.  The teacher-student relationship in many of 
the schools has become nothing but one of imparting and receiving knowledge, 
the school is regarded as only a place through which academic qualifications 
can be obtained; and since classmates regard each other as just another passer-
by on campus, profound friendship is something out of the question.

I think it is a great shame that our schools have turn out this way.  
Amidst the various suggestions for reform on our present education system, we 
should perhaps consider not only the ways to improve our courses and 
curricula, but also to arouse the teachersí enthusiasm for and dedication to 
education, and awaken the interests and seriousness of the students in learning; 
for the school should not only be a place for knowledge to be transmitted and 
received, but also where students should experience the true essence and 
genuine value of education in the broadest sense.    

(Translated from the Chinese text)

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