:''For the former Diocesan Boys' School in
Nainital, India see
Sherwood College''
'Diocesan Boys' School' is a boys' school located at 131
Argyle Street,
Mongkok,
Kowloon,
Hong Kong. It was founded in
1869, making it one of the oldest secondary schools in Hong Kong. Diocesan Boys' School is regarded as one of the best secondary schools in Hong Kong.
The school aims to provide a "liberal education based on Christian principles"; its students are encouraged to be well rounded. The school regularly participates in various inter-school music and sports competitions, and has of late won HKSMSA awards.
In 2004, a primary school division of was opened on the school campus.
History
The first foundation
In 1860, the Society for the Promotion of Female Education in the Far East(FES) decided to establish a girls' school affiliated with the
Diocese of the
Anglican denomination in Hong Kong. It was given the name ''"Diocesan Native Female Training School"'' (DNFTS), and Lady Robinson, the wife of the first Bishop of Victoria, became the patroness. According to the constitution, it aimed "to introduce the blessing of religious teaching among …native females". The Committee started the school on
Bonham Road, with a small concrete house on a
paddy field. It accommodated teaching, boarding and all the activities
.
The school became mired in controversy and got into financial trouble. According to Dr. Ernest Eitel’s letter to the Colonial Secretary Frederick Stewart, it was forced to close temporarily in 1865 upon learning that almost every one of the girls learned English in that school, and became the kept mistress of foreigners on leaving school
[1].
The school was soon reopened and renamed ''"Diocesan Female School"'' (DFS), but its financial situation was by no means improved. In addition, most Chinese people did not wish their daughters to have education in Western style. In 1868, the second Bishop of Victoria, Bishop R. Alford, took the school under his immediate superintendence
[2]. This marks the end of the First Foundation.
The second foundation
19th Century
| 'The Diocesan Boys' School Hymn' ''by Anonymous''Verse 1:'':Father in heaven who lovest all.:O help thy children when they call;:That they may build from age to age:An undefiled heritage.''Verse 2:'':Teach us to bear the yoke in youth,:With steadfastness and careful truth;:That in our time thy grace may give:The truth whereby the nations live.''Verse 3:'':Teach us to look in all our ends:On thee for judge, and not our friends;:That we, with thee, may walk uncowed:By fear or favour of the crowd.''Verse 4:'':Teach us the strength that cannot seek,:By deed or thought, to hurt the weak;:That, under thee, we may possess:Man's strength to comfort man's distress.''Verse 5:'':Teach us delight in simple things.:And mirth that has no bitter springs;:Forgiveness free of evil done:And love to all men 'neath the sun. |
On
30 January 1869, Bishop Alford issued an Appeal which met with a liberal response soon. Under a new constitution, the ''"Diocesan Home and Orphanage"'' (DHO), for English, Eurasian, Chinese and other pupils, was begun on the same site in September. The objects of the Institution were to receive Children of both sexes, sound both in body and mind and as may be deemed eligible by the Committee, as soon as they become capable of education; and to board, clothe and instruct them with a view to industrial life and the Christian Faith according to the teaching of the Church of England
[3].
In July
1870, Mr. W. M. B. Arthur of the Garrison School was appointed as the Headmaster, and Mrs. Arthur as the Matron
. In
1878, the School was then placed in the
Grant-in Aid Scheme by the
Education Department.
In March 1878, the School Committee decided to receive no more boys, but those already admitted should remain; this decision was reversed in July, and no more girls were received as boarders, though they still remained as day-scholars. The School was to transform into a boys’ school
[4]. On 1st November, Mr. G. H. Piercy, the third master of the
Government Central School, was appointed as the Headmaster
[5]. Mr. Piercy focused on the academic education of the students, and the School gained satisfactory results in the
Cambridge and
Oxford Local Examination scholarships
[6].
In
1891, the School changed its name to ''"Diocesan School and Orphanage"'' (DSO), commemorating the erection of a new wing. All the girls left as Fairlea Girls’ School (later known as
Heep Yunn College), under the superintendence of Miss Johnstone, was opened to them in
1892. For the first time DSO became a boys’ school
[4]. In
1899, the
Diocesan Girls’ School was founded in Rose Villas on Bonham Road, Ms. Hawker being the Head Teacher
[8].
Early 20th Century
In
1902, the School changed its name to ''"Diocesan Boys’ School and Orphanage"'' (DBSO)
[9]. Rev. W. T. Featherstone, Headmaster from
1917 to
1930, introduced the prefects' system, a house system and Speech Day. He also proposed moving the School from Bonham Road to a green field site in
Mong Kok. Construction of the school was completed in
1926. But soon in February
1927, the British military authorities took the School as a hospital for one year
[10].
War broke out in China following the
Marco Polo Bridge Incident in
1937, and at once, DBS showed its support towards the
Chinese Nationalist Party. A Shoe-shining Club was organized under the permission of Rev. C. B. R. Sargent to raise funds for the Nationalist Government. Boys went to schools around Hong Kong, polishing shoes for both teachers and students
[11]. In
1939, it even led to a School strike when a student of
Japanese citizenship was appointed as Head
Prefect[12].
The School was occupied by the Japanese in
1941 along with the rest of Hong Kong. Most of the personnel at the school, including Mr. G. A. Goodban, then-Headmaster, were put into prison. The building itself was transformed into a military hospital (''Kempi Tai'') to serve the Japanese
soldiers.
Post-War Years
Imperial Japan surrendered in August
1945, putting an end to
World War II. The School was still under the control of ''Kempi Tai'' until November, when all the Japanese soldiers were captured. On
21 March 1946, Mr. J.L. Youngsaye, a senior teacher, took over the School which had been vacated, after it was inspected by the army commander. Oswald Cheung and Mr. B. J. Monks took up the post of acting Headmaster successively. Mr. Goodban arrived from England on
19 November 1947. Repairs started during the Christmas holidays. The new
House system, named after the former Headmasters, was introduced in
1949 together with the Piercy Challenge Shield
[13]. In the
1950s, great construction plans including a gymnasium, a Carnegie Hall (the present Art Room) and a science wing were proposed.
In
1955, Mr. Goodban announced his resignation while Canon George She (aka George Zimmern) was appointed the next Headmaster, the first Hong Kong-born old boy to become so. As Headmaster, Canon She brought about many innovations. Firstly, he opened wide the School gates to pupils from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Secondly, he de-colonized DBS by affirming Chinese in the School's culture
[14]. In the academic rink, it was proposed to drop the primary classes because there was not enough space. Finally it was decided that a completely new Diocesan Preparatory School was to be built, yet it was not until
1969 that the resolution was affirmed
[15].
The School became a major force in athletics when James Lowcock was appointed Headmaster in
1961. With his previous experience in DBS, he structured the administration to improve efficiency and more teachers were appointed to posts with designated responsibilities.
In
1983, Lowcock resigned due to ill health, and was succeeded by Jacland Lai, a senior teacher at the School. Under the new Headmaster's efforts, the standard of non-academic endeavours of students were greatly improved, and a number of competition prizes were brought back to the school as a result. In addition, a language laboratory and a demonstration room were built. The electrics and alarm installations were renovated, the School walls repainted, and computerization was performed throughout the School.
Lai retired in August
2000, and Terence Chang, an old boy and then-headmaster at the
Jockey Club Ti-I College, took over the reins in September 2000.
After a 35 year hiatus, it was decided to found and built a primary school on the School campus. The primary school, known as the 'Diocesan Boys' School Primary Division' (DBSPD) had its first (partial) intake of students in
2004. It further expanded its intake with students aged between 6 and 12 in
2005.
Headmasters and Houses
Roster of Headmasters
| Name | Name in Chinese | Tenure |
|---|
| 1. | W. M. B. ARTHUR | 雅瑟 | (1870-1878) |
| 2. | G. H. PIERCY | 俾士 | (1878-1917) |
| 3. | Rev. W. T. FEATHERSTONE | 費瑟士東 | (1917-1930) |
| H. du T. PYNER | 派納 | (1930-1932, acting) |
| 4. | Rev. C. B. R. SARGENT[16] | 舒展 | (1932-1938) |
| 5. | G. A. GOODBAN | 葛賓 | (1938-1941) |
| Pacific War | | (1941-1945) |
| Oswald Victor CHEUNG | 張奧偉 | (1946, acting) |
| B. J. MONKS | 孟克士 | (1946, acting) |
| 5. | G. A. GOODBAN | 葛賓 | (1946-1955) |
| B. J. MONKS | 孟克士 | (1955, acting) |
| 6. | Rev. George Samuel ZIMMERN
(aka Canon George She)[17] | 施玉麒 | (1955-1961) |
| 7. | Sidney James LOWCOCK | 郭慎墀 | (1961-1983) |
| 8. | Jacland LAI | 黎澤倫 | (1983-2000) |
| 9. | Terence CHANG | 張灼祥 | (2000- ) |
Houses
In 1922, Rev. Featherstone introduced the Club system to the School for sports and drama competitions. All the students were divided among four Clubs, i.e. the Green, the Blue, the Yellow and the Brown. As the number of students kept increasing in 1930’s, Rev. Sargent added the Red Club. Three past Headmasters, Piercy, Sargent and Featherstone passed away successively during the years of the Pacific War. In order to commemorate them, Goodban decided to establish a new
House system in 1949. The existing five Clubs were re-designated "Houses" and named after four past Headmasters and the beloved Mr. H. Sykes, who was the Second Master from 1898 to 1920. In 1960, Canon She founded the new Goodban House to commemorate his predecessor. Lowcock House was added in 2002
[18]. The Houses, abbreviations and representative colours are as follows:
| House | Abbreviation | Colour |
|---|
| Arthur | A | Green |
| Piercy | P | Dark Blue |
| Sykes | Sy | Brown |
| Featherstone | F | Yellow |
| Sargent | Sa | Red |
| Goodban | G | Sky Blue |
| Lowcock | L | Purple |
In 2004, the alumni of class 58 managed a fund-raising for the establishment of a new House and the Chapel renovation in memory of the late Canon George She
[19]. Due to some technical problems, nevertheless, the much expected Zimmern House is still under discussion.
School Badge
The school badge of ''Diocesan Boys' School''
The School badge has a deep meaning in the
Christian faith. It is split into seven parts: the ''
Mitre'', the ''
Crown'', the ''
Crozier'', the ''
Key'', the ''
Bible'', the ''
Shell'' and the ''
Shield''
The 'mitre' is the traditional headgear worn by bishops. As a symbol, its meaning is twofold. It shows that the Anglican Church is an episcopal church, a church guided by bishops. It also underlines the fact that the Anglican Church has inherited the faith of the Apostles.
Placed above the Bible, the 'crown' is the symbol of the kingship of Christ. It indicates that the Church works in the world in obedience to Christ and to the glory of God.
The 'crozier' is a symbol of the pastoral responsibility which the Church bears for the world. It is also known as the pastoral staff. It reminds the Church of its humble identity as servant.
The 'key' is the symbol of authority which the Church receives from Christ.
The book placed in the middle of the shield is the Bible, which is a record of the self-disclosure of God in history - the history of the people of Israel in the Old Testament period and the life of Jesus Christ. The doctrine, discipline and worship of the Anglican Church is based on the Bible and must be in accordance with its teaching.
Placed beneath the Bible, the 'shell' is used to symbolise Baptism. It underlines the evangelistic mission of the Church which is to preach the Gospel, to draw people to Christ and to baptise them.
The shape of a 'shield' signifies the defending of Christian faith in the temporal world.
Extra-curricular activities
Sports
There are various sports played inside the school, including athletics, badminton, basketball, debating, soccer, table-tennis, tennis, life-Saving, fencing, cricket, softball, squash, etc, and the school teams are very strong competitors among Hong Kong schools as they garner a lot of awards, with multiple first place awards. They have won the Inter-School Swimming competition for 14 years in a row, a record. They have also won the Inter-School Athletics competition for a few years in a row, and have won numerous competitions in basketball.
Music
Notable Prizes:
★ Captured the 2nd place in the Male and Youth Choir category at the 59th
International Music Eisteddfod. (2005)
★ Captured the Champion and the Gold Diploma for the category "Young Male Voice" at the
World Choir Games (4th Choir Olympics), 2006 in Xiamen.
★ Captured the Champions of the Senior String Orchestra, Senior School Orchestra and Senior School Band in the 59th Hong Kong Schools Music Festival (2007), thus winning the Instrumental Treble.
★ The Diocesan Boys' School Senior Choir captured the "Best Boys Choir of the Year" in the 59th Hong Kong Schools Music Festival. (2007)
★ The Senior Mixed Choir of Diocesan Boys' School together with Diocesan Girls' School captured the "Best Mixed Choir of the Year"and the"Best Secondary School Choir of the Year" in the 59th Hong Kong Schools Music Festival. (2007)
★ Captured the Champion, the Gold Diploma, the Special Prize for Interpretation and the Conductor Prize for the category "Youth Choirs of Equal Voices" in the 5th International Johannes Brahms Choir Festival & Competition, 2007 in Wernigerode, Germany. (2007)
★ The Senior Mixed Choir of Diocesan Boys' School together with Diocesan Girls' School captured the 2nd place and the Gold Diploma for the category "Mixed Youth Choirs" in the 5th International Johannes Brahms Choir Festival & Competition, 2007 in Wernigerode, Germany. (2007)
Other
The Scout troop of the school, 6th Kowloon, has stood unchallenged in competition in their own Kowloon Tong district for 15 years now. One of its most notable accomplishments was capturing "the Carlton Trophy" - the Colony Championship for Scouting Competition in Hong Kong in 1973. This capture is still an unbroken record for any Kowloon-based scout troop since 1955.
DBS also participates a lot in other competitions, such as art, writing, outstanding students selection,
Speech Festival, drama and business. A lot of awards have been attained by DBS students.
Alumni
Field of Politics and Civil Services
Dr. Sun Yat-sen
★ Dr.
Sun Yat-sen (孫文,字載之,號逸仙,又號中山); Chinese revolutionary and statesman, founder of modern
China (Note: Dr Sun studied for only one year, and was expelled for prolonged absence owing to the death of his mother.)
★ Sir Kotewall, Robert H., JP (羅旭龢); famous local community leader
[20]
★
Barma, Haider H. T., GBS, JP (鮑文); retired Secretary for Transport
★ Dr
Patrick Ho Chi Ping (何志平); Secretary for Home Affairs of the
Hong Kong SAR Government (2002-2007)
★
Yeung Kai Yin, CBE, JP (楊啟彥); Ex-chairman and Ex-chief executive of
Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC); Secretary for Education and Manpower (1989-1991), Secretary for Transport (1993) and Secretary for the Treasury (1991-1993)
★
Leung Po Wing, Bowen (梁寶榮); former Secretary for Planning, Environmental & Lands, Director of the Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing
★
Tien Pei Chun, James (田北俊); Chairman of the
Liberal Party (LP) and a Member of the
Legislative Council of Hong Kong (LegCo)
★
Tien Puk Sun, Michael (田北辰); Chairman of the board of the
Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC)
★ Tong Hin Ming,Timothy,JP (湯顯明); Commissioner of Customs and Excise of the
Hong Kong SAR Government
★ Cheung Yue Yan, Tommy (); Member of the Legislative Council and member of the Liberal Party
★
Ko, William (高威林); former Chairman of the Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association
★
Law Chi Kong, Joshua (羅智光); Director-General of Trade and Industry
Field of Law
★ Rev. G. S. Zimmern, JP (施玉麒); one of the earliest barristers-at-law of
Hong Kong, magistrate
★ Sir O. V. Cheung, JP (); distinguished lawyer, legislator, and public servant of
Hong Kong, widely known as "doyen of the bar"
★ Sir
Kwan Cho Yiu (關祖堯); lawyer and judge
★ Justice Litton, Henry Denis (); judge and barrister-at-law
★ Justice Pang Kin Kee (彭鍵基); Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC), Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court of the
Hong Kong SAR Government
★
Kotewall, Robert G. (羅正威); SBS, Senior Counsel, Winner of the Silver Bauhinia Star of 2001
Field of Commerce
★ Tyson, George B. (陳啟明); Director of Dai Yew Bank, Member of the Hong Kong Chinese Chamber of Commerce(prewar)
★ Howard, William, J. (侯維廉); former Director of L. Dunbar & Co. and John D. Hutchison & Co.
★ Wong Ching Yau; former Director of Hong Kong Metropolitan Bank Ltd.
★ The Hon. Fan Hung Ling, Henry, SBS, JP (); Member,
Executive Council; Managing Director,
CITIC Pacific; Deputy Chairman,
Cathay Pacific; Director,
Dragonair
★ Lam Kin Ming (); Chairman of Lai Sun Group
★ Yu Kam Kee, Lawrence, BBS, MBE, JP (); Chairman of Softbank Investment International (Strategic) Ltd
★ Fong, Alex (方志偉); CEO, Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce
Field of Education and Academics
★ Dr. Chan Wing Chit (陳榮捷); Sinologist, professor of philosophy in Dartmouth College and Columbia University
[21]
★ Mr. Chen Pei Hsun (陳培勳); composer, professor of Peking Central Institute of Music
[22]
★ Mr.
Fung Yee Wang (馮以浤); professor of School of Education, HKU and CUHK
★ Dr.
Wong Siu Kit (黃兆傑); professor of Chinese literature, HKU
★ Dr. Cheng Yiu Chung (); former president of HKU
★ Dr.
Liu Pak Wai(廖柏偉); vice-president of CUHK
★ Dr.
Chung Ting Yiu, Robert (鍾庭耀); Public Opinion Project Director, HKU
★ Dr.
Chan Hing Yan (陳慶恩); deparment head of music faculty, HKU
★ Dr.
Hsu Tzu Pin (許子濱); assistant professor, Chinese department, Lingnan University
★ Dr.
Chan Sheung Han, Gary (陳雙幸); associate professor, vice-chairman of Computer Engineering Program, Computer Science and Engineering Department, HKUST
Field of Arts and Entertainments
★
Lam, George (); Canto-pop star
★ Rumjahn, Mahmood (); Cantopop composer and producer
★ Ng Lok Shing, Ronald (); Cantopop composer and producer
★
Dunn Tse Fung, Patrick (); TV host
★ To, Chapman (); radio program host, producer, actor and singer
★ Dr.
Mo Cheung-yu, Franz (毛翔宇); Piano Tutor of HKAPA and CUHK.
★ Li Chuan Yun (); Violinist
Field of Mass Culture and Journalism
★ Ho Tsu Kwok, Charles(); Chairman of
Sing Tao News Corporation Limited
★ Wong K.K.(); political comics writer
★ Law Kai Yui (羅啟銳); Film director
★
Liu Chung Ping, John(廖忠平); TVB news reporter
★
Pang Chiu Chi, George(彭超慈); TVB news reporter
★ Li Chun, Oscar(); TVB news reporter
★ Lui Ping Kuen, Bruce (); Cable TV news reporter
★ Fong Tung Shing, Anthony(); TVB news reporter
Trivia
★ The school campus is a declared monument of Hong Kong
★ The school is planning to launch
International Baccalaureate (IB) in 2009, and has decided to accept girl students in the IB system. The school is building a new building for the IB program.
★ On 6 February, 2006 an alert was declared after a DBS
janitor of found a dead bird on campus. It was immediately suspected of having been infected with
avian flu, and was immediately sent to the
Department of Health. On the evening of 8 February, 2006 the bird was identified of having the H5 virus, but not the
H5N1 strain
[23].
★ Including Diocesan Girls' School, Diocesan Boys' School Primary Division, and the
Diocesan Preparatory School, the total number of "Diocesan" students exceeds 4300.
★ The swimming pool of the school is only 4 feet deep because workers refused to dig deeper during the construction after they started to dig out relics from the Japanese occupation of the campus during WWII.
Footnotes
1. E. Eitel’s letter to the Colonial Secretary in 1889, CO 129/342, quoted in Vicky Lee, Being Eurasian: Memories Across Racial Divides (Hong Kong University Press, 2004), p.21
2. Rev. W. T. Featherstone, The Diocesan Boys School and Orphanage, Hong Kong: The History and Records 1869-1929, p.1
3. Rev. W. T. Featherstone, The Diocesan Boys School and Orphanage, Hong Kong: The History and Records 1869-1929, p.99
4. Rev. W. T. Featherstone, The Diocesan Boys School and Orphanage, Hong Kong: The History and Records 1869-1929, p.48
5. Rev. W. T. Featherstone, The Diocesan Boys School and Orphanage, Hong Kong: The History and Records 1869-1929, p.103
6. Rev. W. T. Featherstone, The Diocesan Boys School and Orphanage, Hong Kong: The History and Records 1869-1929, p.3
7. Rev. W. T. Featherstone, The Diocesan Boys School and Orphanage, Hong Kong: The History and Records 1869-1929, p.48
8. "Blue Book", Hong Kong Government, 1899
9. Rev. W. T. Featherstone, The Diocesan Boys School and Orphanage, Hong Kong: The History and Records 1869-1929, p.129
10. Rev. W. T. Featherstone, The Diocesan Boys School and Orphanage, Hong Kong: The History and Records 1869-1929, p.5
11. ''Steps'', Diocesan Boys' School, 1938
12. W. J. Smyly, A History of the Diocesan Boys’ School (unpublished manuscript circa 1967)
13. ''Steps'', Diocesan Boys' School, 1949
14. George She Memorial Dedicated at DBS, DSOBA
15. Headmaster’s Report, ''Steps'', Diocesan Boys' School, 1970
16. Biography, Ricci Roundtable
17. 知時好雨, 潤物無聲 Nicholas L. Chan, Ta Kung Pao, November 23, 2004
18. Report on the New Lowcock House, Diocesan Old Boys' Association, 2002
19. 知時好雨, 潤物無聲 Nicholas L. Chan, Ta Kung Pao, November 24, 2004
20. 羅旭龢 香港實業家, Luoshi.net (羅氏通譜網), September 10, 2004
21. 陳榮捷小傳, Kaiping District Government, People's Republic of China
22. 陳培勳簡介, Government, Taiwan Republic of China
23. Warning after new bird death, Winnie Chong and Chester Yung, Hong Kong Standard, February 09, 2006
References
★ Rev. W. T. Featherstone, The Diocesan Boys School and Orphanage, Hong Kong: The History and Records 1869-1929 (Hong Kong: Ye Olde Printerie Ltd, 1930)
★ W. J. Smyly, A History of the Diocesan Boys’ School (unpublished manuscript circa 1967)
★ The GS Book Editors, A Tribute to Rev. Canon George She Headmaster 1955-1961 Diocesan Boys’ School (Hong Kong: The Green Pagoda Press, 2004)
See also
★
Education in Hong Kong
★
List of secondary schools in Hong Kong
★
Diocesan Girls' School
External links
★
Official Homepage of Diocesan Boys' School
★
Diocesan Boys School Seventy Years Ago, by W. J. Howard
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