Last week's Proceedings -
13th June, 2007
Last week's Proceedings -
13th June, 2007
Visiting Guest: This week we have a delegation from Rotary Club of Kawasaki South paying us an official visit, to commemorate the 30 years of sisterhood between the two clubs (see more details from the Club News under the Rotary Information below). We also have guests Ms Karen Cheung being introduced by PE Laurence, Ms Emily Chaw and Ms Judith Yew being introduced by Secretary Andy. In addition we have three Rotaryannes Christina, Eileen and Christine of PP Stephen, PP Rudy and Rtn. Eric respectively joining us today. President Paul asked all guests to stand up to receiving a collective welcoming applause from our members.
The Club President of Kawasaki South, Kazuo Kobayashi san, was asked to address us followed by an exchange of gifts and souvenir.
There was no birthday boy this week, Pres. Paul made the following announcements:-Red Box collection: PDG Uncle Peter reported the collection of the day was HK$600.
Talk of the day: PP Stephen introduced Mr. William Hutchinson, the Principal of the Hong Kong Sea School, to speak to us some updated information about the school which have been receiving many years of financial and morale support from us and from our two sister Clubs, Kawasaki South and Osaka Jonan:-
The average secondary school in Hong Kong has:
1000 – 1200 students in 24 – 27 classes
7 years of secondary school
Few, if any, boarders
A large range of external examination subjects
Is totally funded by the Government for its educational offerings
A focus on academic achievement
The Hong Kong Sea School, on the other hand, has:
270 students in 10 classes
5 years of secondary school
100 % boarding
A small number of external examination subjects
Has a hefty proportion of its activities funded via donations
A focus on vocational education
And our students come from disadvantaged backgrounds in one way or another
| 1946 | Stanley Boys' Camp set up by Sir YK Kan and Brook Bernacchi to educate urchins and orphan |
| 1952 | HK Sea Training School joined with Stanley Boys' Camp forming "Stanley Boys' Camp & Sea Training School" |
| 1959 | Renamed "Hong Kong Sea School" |
| 1969 | Education Ordinance Registration |
| 1970 | 574 boys in the school |
| 1993 | Boarding Section of the School came under Education Department subvention |
| 1994 | Hong Kong Sea School became the first Practical School in Hong Kong |
| 2001 | Hong Kong Sea School became a Mainstream Secondary School (approximately 120 boys in the school) |
| 2006 | Began phase-in of 3-3-4 (270 boys in school) |
It is probably the only institution anywhere in the world which has been lead by the army, the navy, the air-force and civilians.
Even today, we wear naval style uniforms, our drill instructors are army and our boys do a hybrid style of drill that is distinctly our own.
The Hong Kong Sea School quickly developed a link with the British Armed Forces and the merchant navy in Hong Kong. In 1976, for example, 161 boys graduated directly into sea going jobs.
These were halcyon days for the school.
However, during the 1980s, the lure of going to sea, even for boys from poor families, lost a great deal of its attraction and this, linked with cheaper labour to be found in other Asian countries, tolled the death knell for the Hong Kong Sea School as a maritime training institute.
It simply didn't fill the needs of Hong Kong society at the time and was forced to change.
In 1993 and 1994, the school became a Government subvention school under the Practical School system. Practical Schools were schools for the unmotivated. From the perspective that time has given us, they were never really going to succeed; therefore, the attraction of the school dropped and with it the number of students.
Society wanted universal secondary education leading to Secondary 7 with a strong emphasis on HKCEE and HKAL examinations. The School provided a special education for 3 years for students who then had to be absorbed back into the system or find employment (at the age of 14 to 15)
The Result? A drastic decrease in numbers to about 120 students.
In 2001, the School began to introduce a "mainstream" curriculum. This had the immediate effect of increasing the size of the school from 3 to 5 years.
But there were problems!
The funding the school enjoyed as a special school gradually was withdrawn.
We lost $2 million annually.
The students we attracted still were the same – poor families, broken homes, low academic achievement, behavioural problems and we had 100% boarding.
BUT suddenly, they had become mainstream!
The Hong Kong Sea School retained a number of its "Special" characteristics
It simply didn't fit the picture of a normal school!
All our students were boarders (EMB decided this was a luxury and would only fund 199 boarding places). Over 85% of our boys are in the bottom 20% of the Hong Kong cohort
We retained and strengthened our tradition of drill and ceremonial parade (but we were not able to gain the status of a uniformed group which would have meant access to funding). We instituted a program of work placement/work experience for the boys.
We strengthened our adventure pursuits program so that all boys benefited every year.
So, in our history, we have been (officially):
A home for children
A maritime training institute
A special school catering for "unmotivated boys"
A mainstream secondary school
Our Strengths
Our Adventure Pursuits program allows all boys to have the equivalent of an Outward Bound Program every year. Our Drill and Ceremonial Parade provide us with the basis for discipline training. Our Work Experience program is currently able to deliver jobs for all graduates. We provide a special education service for boys with Special Educational Needs within the "mainstream" system BUT all these are Non-Subvented
We are able to tap a generous support network for funds to help our students who come from poor families but there are Problems.
The School buildings are old in terms of buildings in Hong Kong – most were built in the 1960s. Concrete problems associated with the use of salt water have been identified in all the buildings. An added problem comes with the environment at Stanley e.g., we need special paint to keep the buildings looking respectable. We have a large campus that is expensive to maintain, including a large number of registered slopes which restrict the building options. The current school lease is based upon the original and does not allow for expansion of the school – it also restricts what we can do with the site
The School is currently negotiating with Government to review its status as a mainstream school. The School is continuing to develop and expand its work experience and school-to-work programs. The School is about to engage is a major fundraising drive to cover the four areas of need in respect of funding recurrent salary costs, sponsorship costs for needy boys, program costs for non-subvented programs, capital costs for building works.
The School is embracing new technologies to try to show a lead to Hong Kong in this area. We have started work on a pilot wind turbine project to provide electricity and study opportunities. The School is seeking to expand its hospitality training programs and is liaising with the Macau Hospitality Institute and IVE for flexible course offerings for our students. The School is providing a base for the HKSI Elite Windsurfing Program for the next 3 years.
he speech from Principal William Hutchison was well received and attracted a number of questions from our fellow Rotarians. PE Laurence was then asked to thank the speaker in our usual Rotarian manner. Pres. Paul adjourned the meeting by proposing a toast to RI and coupled with Rotary Clubs of Kawasaki South and Hong Kong Island East.
Rotary World News
Some twenty years ago, when female members were admitted into Rotary in 1987, Rotary has its first woman Foundation Trustee at present, serving The Rotary Foundation, in the person of Carolyn Jones from Alaska, USA. She had been in Hong Kong to promote the Rotary Foundation last year.
Another first woman RI Director Nominee makes history. For the first time, a woman is poised to join the RI Board of Directors, Catherine Noyer-Rivea of the Rotary Club of Paris, will formally be elected as a director in June 2007 at the Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. USA. She will begin her two-year term on the Board in July 2008.
Nover-Riveau, one of six candidates declared as official directors-nominee by RI President Bill Boyd in December has made Rotary history. She was the first woman to serve as a district governor in France. As director, she will represent Zone 11.
Twenty years ago in June, the U.S. Supreme Court paved the way for Noyer-Riveau's eventual nomination by ruling that Rotary club could not exclude women from membership on the basis of gender.
It will not be a remote future that we shall have a female World President.
Club news
A delegation from Rotary Club of Kawasaki South paid us an official visit to-day, to commemorate the 30 years of sisterhood between the two clubs. Headed by its President, Rtn. Kenichi Nishizaki and his Rotaryanne together with 19 members and ladies. They were warmly treated as our visiting guests and properly introduced at our regular meeting. Among the group, there was a Past District Governor of District 2590, Yukio Narita and his wife. The rest of the group comprised of the following members and guests.
| Mr. & Mrs. Yukio Narita | PDG of 2004-2005 |
| Mr. & Mrs. Tanabe | Past President |
| Mr. Tanabe | Past President |
| Mr. Kakusho | Past President |
| Mr. & Mrs. Kikuchi | Past President |
| Mr. & Mrs. Toru Nakamura | Past President |
| Mr. & Mrs. Uchiyama | |
| Mr. Komine | |
Mr. Kondo |
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Mr. Tanaka |
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Mr. Ishikawa |
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Mr. Hata |
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Mr. Funakoshi |
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Mr. Hirokazu Komiya |
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President K. Nishizaki addressed the gathering in Japanese which was instantly interpreted by his International Service Chairman, Hirokazu Komiya into English.
Later, President Nishizaki exchanged gifts with our club. The souvenir from our sister club is a fancy lacquered clock plus Japanese Yen One hundred Thousand towards our community service fund.
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Electronic
Make-up Questions
Excellent!!!! Buttered
An Italian, a Frenchman and an Indian was drinking at a bar discussing what they had done the previous evening.
The Italian says: "Last night I massaged my wife all over her body with the finest olive oil, then we made passionate love and I made her scream non stop for five minutes."
The Frenchman says: "Last night I massaged my wife all over her body with a special aphrodisiac oil, then we made passionate love. I made her scream for fifteen minutes straight."
The Indian says: That's nothing. Last night I massaged my wife all over her body with a special butter. I caressed her entire body with the butter, then made love and I made her scream for two long hours."
The Italian and Frenchman, astonished, asked, "Two hours, phenomenal! How did you do it to make her scream for two hours?"
Indian : "I wiped my hands on the curtains."
13th June, 2007
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PP Stephen, PE Kobayashi san from Kawasaki South & PE Laurence |
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PDG Narita San & Pres. Nishisaki San from Kawasaki South |
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Rtn Eric & PP Tim welcome the Rotaryannes from Kawasaki South |
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Members & Rotaryannes from Kawasaki South |
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Members of RC of HKIE & Rotaryanne with Kawasaki South Members |
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Members from Rotary Club of Kawasaki South |
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Pres Nishisaki from Kawasaki South delivering his speech |
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Our club, PDG Uncel Peter exchange souvenirs with Pres. Nishisaki of RC of Kawasaki South |
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Guest Speaker, Dr. William Hutchinson from The Hong Kong Sea School |
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Rotaryannes from Kawasaki South & Guest from RC of HK Island East |
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Group picture of RC of Kawasaki South & RC of Hong Kong Island East |
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Group picture of RC of Kawasaki South, RC of Hong Kong Island East, Rotaryannes & Guests |