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MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 1975
'SUSIE WONG' SHIP-SHAPE AGAIN
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'SUSIE WONG' IS BACK IN ACTION AFTER LYING IDLE FOR MORE THAN A YEAR.
THE 26-FOOT LONG BOAT, USED FOR TRAINING STUDENTS OF THE OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL, HAS BEEN GIVEN AN OVERHAUL BY THE 58 PARTICIPANTS OF A RECENT COURSE.
TOILING UNDER THE SCORCHING SUN, THE GROUP TOOK TIME OFF FROM THEIR FOUR-WEEK TRAINING TO REPAIR THE DILAPIDATED BOAT WHICH WAS DONATED TO THE SCHOOL BY A PRIVATE FIRM.
THE BOAT HAS NOW JOINED JIM HOGAN' A 42-FOOT LONG BOAT ALSO BELONGING TO THE OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL, IN TAKING STUDENTS OUT TO THE SEA FOR ROUTINE TRAINING.
'SUSIE WONG" IS AT PRESENT TAKING A GROUP OF STUDENTS TO ATTEND THE SCHOOL'S SPECIAL SUMMER PROGRAMME..
AMONG THE 58 PARTICIPANTS OF THE RECENT COURSE, 12 WERE CIVIL SERVANTS. ALL IN THEIR TWENTIES,
ALL IN THEIR TWENTIES, THEY CAME FROM SIX DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING THE POLICE FORCE AND THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES.
THEY WERE AMONG THE 586 CIVIL SERVANTS WHO HAVE UNDERGONE THE STRENUOUS TRAINING SINCE THE SCHOOL'S INCEPTION IN 1970. OF THESE, 559 ARE MALES AND 27 ARE FEMALES.
THE COURSE IS AIMED AT DEVELOPING ONE'S INITIATIVE AND CHARACTER. IT ENCOMPASSES A LOT OF EXCITING PROGRAMMES INCLUDING MAP AND COMPASS READING, EXPEDITION, CANOEING, ROCK CLIMBING AND MOUNTAIN RESCUE.
PROBABLY THE MOST DEMANDING EXERCISE IS THE THREE-DAY SOLO', DURING WHICH A STUDENT IS LEFT ALONE IN A DESOLATE PLACE USUALLY ON AN UNINHABITED ISLAND WITH A LIMITED AMOUNT OF FOOD AND THREE GALLONS OF FRESH WATER.
LIVING IN ROBINSON CRUSOE STYLE, THE STUDENT STRUGGLES WITH NATURE TO SURVIVE.
DURING THE SECLUSION, THE STUDENT IS ENCOURAGED TO MEDITATE TO THINK ABOUT HIS PAST AND TO PLAN FOR HIS FUTURE.
TO WHILE AWAY THE TIME. THE MODERN ROBINSON CRUSOE IS ALLOWED TO GO FISHING, BUT AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION, NO SWIMMING OR VENTURING INTO THE WOODS IS PERMITTED.
APART FROM THE VIGOROUS OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SIT TOGETHER TO EXCHANGE VIEWS AND EXPERIENCE.
TOUGH AS THE COURSE '1S, THOSE WHO WENT THROUGH IT FIND THAT THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN SO FIT BEFORE.
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