The third annual grand reunion of the SPC Class of ’66 was held on November 3, 2008 and was attended by thirty-seven alumni classmates, as well as by honoured guests including SPC principal Dr. John Kennard and Mrs. Kennard, Ms. Josephine Ho, Secretary for the SPC Foundation, and six of our former teachers and mentors, Messrs. Geoffrey Emerson, Peter Kwok, Kevin Mak, Kenneth Ng, Yuen Chik Kam and Yung Yik Cheung. This year’s grand reunion dinner gathering is notable for several things: For one, a larger number of classmates were able to participate this time than were present at the 2007 reunion; which is an encouraging sign of the growth in interest in our alumni activities among members of our class. Even more importantly, in response to an invitation that was issued to our class by Dr. Kennard at last year’s (2007) reunion, we were able to hold the 2008 grand reunion dinner at the most auspicious location that we could imagine – the newly refurbished Wong Ming Him Hall at the College itself. The reunion activities included a tour of the College and especially of WMH Hall, and holding our dinner gathering in a place where we once spent many hours of our youth in a variety of classes brought back precious remembrances and made this 2008 gathering indelibly memorable.
As always, the 2008 reunion was a time for sharing memories of old friends, and of times past. However, it was also a moment to catch up with the present and to look forward to the future. Therefore, we were especially grateful that Dr. Kennard spoke to our gathering again, as he did in the previous year, and, in doing so, provided us with a timely update of the current situation and recent developments at our alma mater. Dr. Kennard informed us that in its current planning, SPC pursues three major goals, namely, the continuation of the College’s tradition of academic excellence, the infusion of a global and international perspective in all its endeavours, and the heightening of the College’s awareness of its relationship with and impact on the larger Hong Kong community in which it exists and operates. These are indeed objectives worthy of our school, and together with the fundamental educational objective that the College serves, form a most challenging vision for all of us who are, past, present and future, related to St. Paul’s College. As much as the reunion itself, this vision rekindled our sense of belonging and connection, and helped to motivate our collective will to do something concrete to benefit our alma mater and all the students it continues to educate and serve. Thus, at this reunion, we grew more firmly committed to our plan to contribute, as a class cohort, in some very substantial and significant way, to the newly-established SPC Education Foundation.
It seems that, in honour of the rich artistic tradition of our SPC class of ’66, some kind of musical rendition has become de rigeur for our reunion gatherings. This year, to honour the memory of our former music teacher, the late Rev. Moses Wu, an ad hoc choir under the leadership of Philip Chow regaled us with a performance of Georges Bizet’s “Song of the Toreador.” It probably took the steely nerve of the bullfighter himself to bring our intrepid singers to lend sixty-year old voices to a melody that we sang forty-some years ago when our vocal cords were much younger and much more supple than they are now, but the performance was greeted with thunderous applause, and gave a rousing spark to the evening’s activities. Somewhere in heaven the Rev. Wu probably smiled, too, and applauded our courage.
As each reunion brings us closer to one another and to the school in which we have our common identity, each reunion is also an opportunity for us to celebrate and give thanks for the education we have received and which has enriched each one of us. It is, in the words of blessing and grace that Jacob Leung lifted up in prayer for our 2008 gathering, also a chance for us to renew our commitment “to being fully alive to God’s call and challenges … to live a life that will glorify God and benefit humankind.” The SPC Class of ’66, celebrating its third annual reunion on November 3, 2008, wholeheartedly wishes, collectively, that such would be our legacy.
Post-script: As we file this report of the November 3, 2008 reunion, it is only appropriate to thank every classmate and honoured guest who took time to participate and to attend the reunion gathering, and to render a special word of thanks to:
• members of the organizing committee, represented by Tse Sik Yan, Frederick Kan, Edward Sin, and Philip Cheung
• Robert Law Chi Lim, who once again served as master of ceremonies for the evening’s proceedings
• Jacob Leung, who offered the prayer of blessing for the meal
• Philip Chow, who led the choir
• Wong Kai Fan, who played the piano
• And various classmates who served as table hosts
We urge everyone who wishes to enjoy more of a taste of what this reunion was all about far better than can be put into the words above to visit the SPC66 blog site at http://spb66.blogspot.com/ and to pay especial attention to information and news in the blog concerning the most recent activities and developments of the SPC alumni class of 1966.
Front Row (from left to right):
莫超榮 MOK Chiu Wing, Marcus;
岑冠林 SHUM Kun Lam, Henry;
鄭偉樑 CHENG Wai Leung, Ernest;
嚴志明 YIM Chi Ming;
張國祺 CHEUNG Kok Kee, Philip;
吳能明 WU Lang Meng, Anthony;
葉嘉林 IP Ka Lam;
左永年 CHO Wing Nin;
唐德彰 TONG Tak Cheung;
羅致廉 LAW Chi Lim;
陳育才 CHAN Yuk Choi
Middle Row (from left to right):
馮勝銳 FUNG Sing Yui;
冼永生 SIN Wing Sang, Edward;
郭耀坤 Mr. Peter Kwok (Teacher);
何桂明 Ms. Josephine Ho (SPC Foundation Secretary);
吳茲謙 Mr. Ng Chi Him, Kenneth (Teacher);
甘納德 Mrs. & Dr John Kennard (Principal);
嚴穆生 Mr. Geoffrey Emerson (Teacher);
翁益彰 Mr. Yung Yik Cheung (Teacher);
麥耀鋆 Mr. Mak Iu Kwan, Kevin (Teacher);
袁植錦 Mr. Yuen Chik Kam (Teacher)
Back Row (from left to right)
鄭熾昌 CHENG Chi Cheong;
賴卓藩 LAI Cheuk Fan, Raymond;
馬灼安 MAH Chuck On, Bernard;
盧振棋 LO Chun Kay;
鄧國榮 TANG Kwok Wing, George;
邱泰年 YAU Tai Lin, Sonny;
譚文偉 TAM Man Wai, Mark;
吳仲文 GAW Tiong Boon, Henry;
李達仁 LEE Dad Yen;
徐志強 TSUI Chi Keung, Wilfred;
杜柏和 TO Pak Wo, Patrick;
蒙家強 MONG Kar Keung, Steven;
謝錫恩 TSE Sik Yan;
吳志強 NG Chi Keung;
徐錦翔 TSUI Kam Cheung, Kenneth;
林傳芳 LAM Chuen Fong;
何誌信 HO Che Shun, Jackson;
陳鉅森 CHAN Kui Sum;
王啟蕃 WONG Kai Fan;
黃錦成 WONG Kam Shing;
梁少光 LEUNG Siu Kwong, Jacob;
鄒耀華 CHOW Yiu Wah, Philip;
簡肇昌 KAN Shiu cheong, Frederick;
陳洪烈 CHAN Hung Lit, Lionel
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