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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1974
+BUT TODAY, WHO WOULD DARE FO, AND WHO CAN POSSIBLY, PREDICT THE PATTERN OF SOCIAL LIFE IN HONG KONG OR ANYWHERE ELSE FOR THAT MATTER IN, SAY, ANOTHER 20 YEARS' TIME?
+IF YOU ARE UNCERTAIN OF THE SHAPE OF THE FUTURE YOU SHOULD REALIZE THAT EDUCATION IS AN ON-GOING PROCESS OF ADJUSTMENT AND THAT LEARNING SHOULD GO ON FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.+
URGING STUDENTS TO DEVELOP THE HABIT OF THINKING FOR THEMSELVES, MR. TOPLEY TOLD THEM TO BE INTERESTED AND ALERT AT ALL TIMES AND KEEP THE NEED FOR CLEAR THINKING IN HIND.
SPEAKING TO THE TEACHERS, MR. TOPLEY REMINDED THEM THAT THEY PLAYED A VERY IMPORTANT PART IN THIS ROLE.
+OF COURSE YOU WILL FIND IT EASY TO TAKE A LESSON FROM A TEXTBOOK AND REQUIRE THE PUPILS TO MEMORIZE ALL THE FACTS, BUT THE RESULT OF THIS IS NO MORE THAN TO PRODUCE A PUPIL WHO HAS ONLY KNOWLEDGE OF THE PAST BUT IS UNABLE TO HANDLE PROBLEMS OF AN EVER-CHANGING SOCIETY LIKE THE ONE WE LIVE IN. TO TRAIN CHILDREN TO THINK IS MORE DIFFICULT AND TIME-CONSUMING THAN TO TEACH ACCORDING TO A STANDARD PATTERN.+
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THE DIRECTOR POINTED OUT, THAT TO DEVELOP A QUESTIONING AND DISCOVERING HABIT IN PUPILS, TEACHERS MUST BE CONFIDENT AND BE READY TO VENTURE ON THE ROAD OF EDUCATIONAL ENQUIRY EVEN AT THE RISK OF EXPOSING SOME LACK OF A READY ANSWER.
+YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT A TEACHER IS AS FALLIBLE AS ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING. FURTHERMORE YOU HAVE TO IMPRESS THIS UPON YOUR PUPILS. ABOVE ALL, VE MUST HAVE THINKING TEACHERS BEFORE WE CAN HAVE THINKING PUPILS.+
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