1926 Heritage Block 100th Anniversary and 2026 Founder’s Day
1926 Heritage Block 100th Anniversary and 2026 Founder’s Day
So Shuk Sze, Doreen (’58)
1926 Heritage Block 100th Anniversary
I was overjoyed to find out about the celebration of this anniversary, and able to attend it on 28 March 2026. During my school years, I think the kindergarten building did not have a significant place in our hearts. Most of us students paid more attention to the bigger buildings where the classrooms and labs were. I do remember the kindergarten teacher at the time was Miss Leung Chee Ming, and then Miss Chiu Kwan Hung. The old photos and many memorabilia displayed in the 1926 Heritage Block brought back a lot of memories. My mother (Miss Wong Wai Kei) was an alumna teacher of Ying Wa, and her mother (Miss Wong Ching Lin) (my maternal grandmother) was a teacher here too. Their photos were displayed in the Block. So, I was really glad that Ying Wa put such a lot of effort and resources in organising this event. What impressed me most was the morning programme, emceed by two competent students. They were so confident and courageous. In my school days, a lot of us got stage frights and just froze when we had to face a large audience! During the visit, I enjoyed all the dances, songs, other performances, speeches and photo shoots. It is good to see that Ying Wa has placed much importance to nurture young people to unearth their latent talents besides academic pursuits. I was also impressed by the students who guided us to different venues. They were all very polite, ready to help and very quick with answers.
(photo extracted from page 61 of “Ying Wa Girls School - The Blessed Years 1900-2000”)
(photo provided by Rosa Lai (’72))
(photo extracted from the school website)
2026 Founder’s Day Gathering
I am most thankful to the Alumnae Association, all the Ying Wa staff and students for the many hours of planning and organising such a big event also on 28 March 2026. I was happy that the day included a visit to the Hop Yat Church which I attended. My aunt (my mother’s younger sister) was a deaconess there for about three decades. I visited her often during my time in Ying Wa. I was also glad to learn the history of the Hop Yat Church, established as a part of the mission of the former London Missionary Society (LMS). The other two parts under the LMS were Ying Wa and the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital which was just next to the church. The Hospital was relocated to the eastern part of Hong Kong and Tai Po quite a number of years ago. The other visit was to the London Mission Building on Robinson Road. This was the building where Miss Silcocks and other LMS staff and their families lived. The daughter of one of the former domestic staff (Ms Ah Kum) enlightened us on the interesting history of the building.
(photos extracted from the school website)
The 125th Anniversary Celebration
I was in Hong Kong last year intending to attend the 125th anniversary celebration of Ying Wa, but was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) just 24 hours before the gala dinner due to acute cellulitis of my right leg. Of course, I was very disappointed that I missed out on such an important celebration. The one consolation was I had lunch with my classmates the day before. They visited me while I was in QEH where I stayed for five days. I spent 11 years in Ying Wa which formed an excellent foundation of my future profession and life direction. I have enduring fond memories of ALL my teachers. I have formed life-long friendships with all my classmates. After graduating from Ying Wa, I have kept in touch with as many classmates as I can through letters and then later by email or phones calls. I also visited them whenever I was able to travel to their countries. It was always a great joy to “reconnect”.
Alumnae Gathering in Melbourne
There are about 10 alumnae in the Melbourne Chapter. We meet about twice a year. Our most recent gathering was at a lunch in a restaurant on 9 July, attended by six alumnae and four husbands. Some of the younger alumnae did not attend because it was held during their office hours.
