XN000022-1974-11-18 — Page 7

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1974

LADY MACLEHOSE OPENS SPECIAL SCHOOL

FOR SLOW LEARNING CHILDREN

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THE LIONS MORNINGHILL SCHOOL, A SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR SLOW LEARNING CHILDREN, WAS OPENED THIS MORNING BY LADY MACLEHOSE, PATRON OF THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS.

THE 10-CLASSROOM CO-EDUCATIONAL SCHOOL ACCOMMODATES 200 PUPILS FROM SIX TO SIXTEEN YEARS OF AGE.

AS IN ORDINARY SCHOOLS, THE SUBJECTS TAUGHT ARE CHINESE, MATHEMATICS, SOCIAL STUDIES, HOME ECONOMICS, ART AND CRAFT, MUSIC AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION. THE CURRICULUM ALSO INCLUDES TRAINING IN SELF-HELP AND PRACTICAL SKILLS.

THE TEACHERS ARE ALL QUALIFIED TEACHERS AND SIX OF THEM HAVE COMPLETED ADDITIONAL TRAINING AS TEACHERS OF SLOW LEARNING CHILDREN.

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ADDRESSING THE GATHERING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY SAID: THE AIM OF

A MODERN SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMME IS TO DEVELOP EACH CHILD TO HIS FULL POTENTIAL AND TO BECOME SELF-SUPPORTING AND CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.+

HE EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS, ONE OF THE PIONEERS OF EDUCATION FOR SLOW LEARNING CHILDREN, WOULD BE WILLING TO SPONSOR MORE SCHOOLS FOR SLOW LEARNERS AS MORE OF THIS TYPE WERE NEEDED.

AT PRESENT THE ASSOCIATION OPERATES TWO SCHOOLS FOR THESE CHILDREN.

MORNINGHILL SCHOOL WAS STARTED IN 1964 BY A GROUP OF PARENTS AND IT CAME UNDER THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE ASSOCIATION IN 1965. IT BECAME A SUBSIDIZED SCHOOL IN 1968 AND IN OCTOBER OF THE SAME YEAR WAS RENAMED LIONS MORNINGHILL SCHOOL TO COMMEMORATE A DONATION OF $200,000 FROM THE LIONS CLUB TOWARDS THE COST OF A NEW SCHOOL BUILDING.

MR. TOPLEY GAVE THE ASSOCIATION AN ASSURANCE OF SUPPORT FROM THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND WISHED IT EVERY SUCCESS BOTH NOW AND IN ITS FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.

THE DIRECTOR SAID THE PAST 20 YEARS HAD WITNESSED GREAT CHANGES IN COMMUNITY ATTITUDES TO THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED,

/+IN THE