Queen's College, Hong Kong

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Queen's College
Chinese: 皇仁書院
The current campus, built in 1950
"Labor Omnia Vincit" (Latin)

"勤有功" (Chinese)

"Labour conquers all" (English)
Location
120 Causeway Road,

Causeway Bay,
Hong Kong
Information
Principal Mr. Li Lok-yin
Students Approx. 1200 students
Type Public
Established 1862
Medium of instruction English
Campus Size Approximately 2.5 acres (16,766 m²)
School Magazine The Yellow Dragon - First Published in June 1899. The first Anglo-Chinese school magazine in the world
Homepage qc.edu.hk

Queen's College (皇仁書院), initially named the The Government Central School (中央書院) in 1862, renamed as Victoria College (維多利亞書院) in 1889, is a sixth form college for boys with a secondary school attached. It was the first public secondary school founded in Hong Kong by the British colonial government. Queen's College obtained its present name in 1894 and it is now located at Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.

Contents

[edit] Brief history

Queen's College in 1903
Queen's College in 1903

The Central School was established in 1862 at Gough Street, Central. Dr. Frederick Stewart was appointed the first Headmaster of the Central School, as well as Inspector of Schools in the Colony.

The Headmaster of the Central School was responsible for supervising all schools in Hong Kong until March 1879 when the Government established a separate office for the Inspector of Schools, predecessor of the Department of Education, which was later incorporated into the Education Bureau.

During the school's early years, the student population consisted of a variety of nationalities. Whereas Chinese students enrolled in English, students from other nationalities were expected to study Chinese classics.

Secular schooling sparked much controversies among the Hong Kong Governor and religious leaders. In many occasions, the Governor personally scrutinized and intervened the school operations. The Government later established a grant program to put religious schools at the same funding level as the Central School. On April 26, 1884, Sir George Bowen, Governor from 1883 to 1887, administered the stone-laying ceremony for the new school building at Aberdeen Street. As a student, Sun Yat-sen also attended the ceremony. On the recommendation of the Governor, the Central School was to be known as Victoria College when it moved to the new site.

The school moved to Aberdeen Street in 1889. At that time, the school was one of the largest and most expensive buildings in Hong Kong. In 1894, the school was renamed Queen's College. The Government originally planned to expand the College to an imperial university in the late 19th century, but it was abandoned due to the outbreak and Russo-Japanese War in 1904, when the British colonial government worried about the benefits it enjoyed in the Far-East may be jeopardised by the expanding Japanese power. Therefore, it was crucial to establish a university with the purpose to train graduates in war-related subjects, such as engineering and medicine, and this led to the establishment of the University of Hong Kong in 1910, while Queen's College remained as a secondary school in Hong Kong.

The Japanese invasion forced school closure in 1941. During the Japanese occupation, the school site was used as the Army Headquarters. The two notable cannons at the current school entrance were found in the rubble at Aberdeen Street.

After World War II, the school re-opened in a temporary site on Kennedy Road in 1947, sharing a campus with Clementi Secondary School. It moved to the present site on Causeway Road, opposite Victoria Park, on September 22, 1950.

A tourist tour on the history of Sun Yat-sen usually includes the location of the first site of the school at Gough Street, Central.

[edit] School song

School Song

Lyrics by: William Kay (1920)

Verse 1

Hail Alma Mater! Long Life to Queen's College,
Kindly instructor and guide of our youth,
Lighting the land with the bright beams of knowledge,
Teaching thy children to reverence truth!
Bound in close brotherhood all thy collegians,
Cherishing memories tender and strong,
Scattered asunder in various regions,
Q.C.'s and O.Q.C.'s join in the song.

Chorus

Q.C.! Q.C.! Q.C.! Q.C.! Q.C.!
In that cry what a magic is found.
Let us roll out the glorious sound;
Q.C.! Q.C.!

Verse 2

From the proud city and from the lone valley,
From the rich districts of Kwang-tung we come.
Hakka and Cantonese round thee we rally,
Far from our kindred in thee we find home.
Sternly we strive in our sports and our studies,
For the race goes to the wise and the strong.
Moulding our manhood, our mind and our bodies,
Q.C.'s and O.Q.C.'s join in the song.
(repeat Chorus)

Verse 3

Time speeds along. Soon our schooldays are ended,
Comes the sad hour when from thee we must part!
Thee who so kindly and skillfully blended,
Lore of the Orient with Western art.
We will not falter nor fearfully wonder,
Nurtured by thee we feel valiant and strong.
Sons of Cathay, raise your voices in thunder,
Q.C.'s and O.Q.C.'s join in the song.
(repeat Chorus)

Note: The melody of the school song of Queen's College is very similar to that of Heep Yunn School. (click to listen QC choir performance) This rendition of the school song is arranged by Dr. Lau Kai-chi, Anthony (Music Panel Head at Queen's College 1996 - ) These two schools most probably adapted the melody from the school song of England's Harrow School, namely "Forty Years On", composed by John Farmer, lyrics by E. E. Bowen. {Sample piece of music)

[edit] School Motto

The Motto of the school is "Labor omnia vincit". The school motto was later translated as "勤有功" in Chinese, which literally means "hard work brings merit". Many of the QC students and old boys live on these spirits and have contributed to the Hong Kong and the Chinese society. Dr. Sun Yat-sen and Mr. Fok Ying Tung, Henry are two of the examples.

The school also put strong emphasis on its five core values: Diligence, Integrity, Brotherhood, Responsibility and Striving for excellence.

[edit] Enrollment and medium of instruction

There are 33 classes with approximately 1200 students on roll. Secondary One students are allocated by the Secondary School Place Allocation System. The Medium of Instruction is English (except Chinese Language, Chinese History, Putonghua, and cultural subjects).

[edit] Activities and achievements

All students are divided into eight School Houses, namely: Stewart, Wright, Dealy, Tanner, Crook, de Rome, Kay, and Williamson (which was at first called School House when the house system was introduced by then Headmaster Williamson). The School Houses compete in Athletic Meets, Swimming Gala and other interhouse competitions. School teams regularly participate and excel in inter-school competitions.

There are also 54 clubs grouped under Sports, Recreational, Religious, Social Services, and Academic (Science & Arts) areas. Many clubs organize joint events with sister schools. School clubs also co-ordinate many charitable activities.

Students excel in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE). In fact, there are more QC students receiving 10As than students from any other secondary school in Hong Kong. Out of over 572 secondary schools, fewer than 30 ever produced 10A students.

Between 1990 and 2006, 50 QC boys have achieved 10As in HKCEE. Queen's College alone has been generating over 26% of HKCEE's 10A students.

In 2003, QC students achieved 455 A grades in HKCEE, whereas La Salle College scored a record high of 501 A grades. QC produced more A grades per student than any other school in most of the history of HKCEE.

Starting from 1987, students can take 10 subjects in HKCEE. Queen's College is the undisputed record holder for the total number of 10A students over the years, even though there are times that QC could not achieve its having-the-most-number-of-10A-achievers goal.

QC old boys are traditionally well-represented in many of the world's best universities,just like what the graduates of the other schools do. The universities including those in the People's Republic of China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Japan; while most other Form 7 graduates enroll in local univerisites such as University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

[edit] Publications

First published in June 1899, the Queen's College school magazine, The Yellow Dragon (《黃龍報》), is now the world's oldest existing Anglo-Chinese school magazine. The Yellow Dragon is a priceless historical witness of the educational development of Hong Kong, as well as the social changes in Asia Pacific. The 100th volume of The Yellow Dragon has been published in 2005. In the Chinese section of the centenary volume, a brief conclusion of the past 100 volumes (百期回望專輯) was written by seven students in 2005 to commemorate the special centenary occasion.

Another regular publication of the school is the school newspaper, "The Courier"(《文苑》), which has been published since 1968. At the moment, 3 issues are produced per year with coverage on school's major functions and students' contributions.

Gwenneth Stokes, the first woman to become Associate to the Chief Justice of South Australia, and her husband John, the Principal of Queen's College from 1965 to 1970, spent two years researching at Queen's College, as well as in archives and libraries in Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom to compile the 494-page school history. The limited-edition book entitled Queen's College Its History 1862-1987 was published by Queen's College Old Boys' Association in commemoration of the school's 125th anniversary in 1987.

[edit] List of notable alumni

[edit] Politicians, government officials, and legislators

Dr. Sun Yat-sen
Dr. Sun Yat-sen

[edit] Businessmen

  • Sir Robert Ho Tung (何東), successful businessman and philanthropist.
  • Sir Ho Kai (何啟), the founder of the Hong Kong College of Medicine, predecessor of the University of Hong Kong.
  • Lee Hysan (利希慎), the founder of Hysan Development Company Limited, prominent businessman who transformed Jardine's Hill into Lee Gardens.
  • Kan Tung-po (簡東浦), prominent banker who established the Bank of East Asia.
  • Jehangir Hormusjee Ruttonjee (律敦治), founded first brewery in Hong Kong, the founder of the Ruttonjee Hospital.
  • Tse Chuen-tai (謝纘泰), the founder of the South China Morning Post.
  • Ho Fook (何福), successful businessman and philanthropist.
  • Lau Chu-pak (劉鑄伯), the founder of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce.
  • Stanley Ho (何鴻燊), nicknamed "King of Gambling", the wealthiest person in Macau. He is the Chairman of Shun Tak Holdings Limited.

[edit] Academics

  • Wang Wenshan (王文山), sociologist, anarchist, student leader at the Peking University during the May-fourth Movement 1919. He contacted the Chinese communists and once met Vladimir Lenin in Moscow.
  • Wang Chungyi (王寵益), Professor of Pathology at University of Hong Kong. He was admired for his devotion to the development of pathological reseacrh in Hong Kong. He died of tuberculosis, a disease that he had spent enormous effort to fight against.
  • Wong Kai-chi (黃繼持), writer, translator, literary critic of Chinese literature, former Head of Department, Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Chinese University of Hong Kong.
  • Cheung Ng-sheung (張五常), well-known economist in Hong Kong, formerly Professor of Economics at the University of Hong Kong.
  • Cheung Yau-kai (張佑啟), Honorary Professor of Engineering and Special Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor of The University of Hong Kong; formerly Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor.
  • Edward K.Y. Chen (陳坤耀), Vice-Chancellor of Lingnan University, Hong Kong.
  • Kwan Tze-wan (關子尹), Professor, former Head of Department, Department of Philosophy, Chinese University of Hong Kong.
  • Fok Tai-fai (霍泰輝), Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong.
  • Wong Kwok-pun, Lawrence (黃國彬), Professor at the Department of Translation of Lingnan University in Hong Kong. His famous Chinese poem 'On Listening to Chan's Zither Performance' (translated from the Chinese title '聽陳蕾士的琴箏'), written in the 1980s, has been one of the prescribed texts of the Chinese Language syllabus of the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination from 1993 to 2006.
  • Sung Jao-yiu, Joseph (沈祖堯), one of the most significant figures in Hong Kong's fighting with the SARS in 2003. He is the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong.
  • Yuen Kwok-yung (袁國勇), another significant figure in the SARS crisis in Hong Kong. He is Henry Fok Professor in Infectious Diseases, and is currently working at the University of Hong Kong as the Chair and Head of the Department of Microbiology at the Faculty of Medicine.
  • Chiang Mung (蔣濛), Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, Princeton University.
  • Shen Xuhui, Simon (沈旭暉), international politics critic, Table-host of ROUNDTABLE, Research Assistant Professor, Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
  • Lee Hau Leung (李效良) Thoma Professor of Operations, Information, and Technology Stanford Graduate School of Business. Codirector of the Stanford Global Supply Chain Management Forum
  • Jack Cheng (鄭振耀) Pro-Vice-Chancellor / Vice-President, Professor of Orthopaedics and Traumatology Chinese University of Hong Kong.
  • So Yuen Tat (蘇源逹) Professor of Neurology & Neurological Sciences Stanford University, Department of Neurology.

[edit] List of principals (former headmasters)

  • Dr. Frederick Stewart (1862-1881)
  • Dr. G.H. Bateson Wright (1881-1909)
  • Mr. T.K. Dealy, FRGS, FEIS, FCS, DRF (Paris) (1909-1918)
  • Mr. Bartram Tanner, ISO (1918-1925)
  • Mr. A.H. Crook, OBE (1925-1930)
  • Mr. F.J. de Rome, MBE (1930-1939)
  • Mr. M.G. O'Connor (1939-1941)
  • Mr. L.G. Morgan (Acting) (1947)
  • Mr. J.J. Ferguson (Acting) (1947)
  • Mr. H.N. Williamson, OBE (1947-1961)
  • Mr. Cheung King-pak (1961-1964)
  • Mr. Wong Yee-wa (Acting) (1964)
  • Mr. F.C. Gamble (1964-1965)
  • Mr. John Stokes (1965-1970)
  • Mr. Raymond Huang (1970-1973)
  • Mr. William Cheung Yuk-ming (1973-1976)
  • Mr. Timothy Yung (1976-1982)
  • Mr. Chew Tung-sing (1982-1987)
  • Mr. Kong Shiu-chung (1987-1994)
  • Mr. Lee Kar-hung (1994-2000)
  • Mrs. Cheung Lam Lai-king Kitty (2000-2003)
  • Mr. Li Lok-yin (2003-present)

[edit] External links

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