XN000022-1976-10-26 — Page 4

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1976

GOVERNOR OPENS NEW WING OF POLYTECHNIC

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THE MOST IMPORTANT OBJECT OF THE POLYTECHNIC IS SIMPLY EDUCATION ITSELF — TO TRAIN THE MINDS OF ITS STUDENTS SO THAT THEY MAY MASTER THE PROBLEMS THEY FACE IN AFTER LIFE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID TODAY.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE POLYTECHNIC'S NEW WING, SIR MURRAY SAID THAT AT PRESENT THERE WERE ABOUT 8,600 FULL-TIME STUDENTS AND AN EQUIVALENT NUMBER OF PART-TIME STUDENTS.

HE REVEALED THAT THE INSTITUTION'S PRIORITY HAD BEEN SO HIGH THAT DESPITE THE RECESSION ITS EXPANSION HAD BEEN PUSHED FORWARD AT THE HECTIC RATE OF BETWEEN 20 AND 30 PER CENT.

+EVEN THOUGH A PERIOD OF CONSOLIDATION IS NOW CALLED FOR, BY 1980 ITS NUMBERS WILL BE 11,400, AND INCLUDING EVENING CLASSES IT WILL THEN CATER FOR SOMETHING LIKE 30,000 YOUNG PEOPLE, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

+ IT IS INDEED A GREAT PROJECT. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT, FOR THEIR PART, AND AS A GESTURE OF BRITISH INTEREST AND GOODWILL, HAVE DONATED THE CONTENTS OF THE LIBRARY WHICH WILL BE OPENED BY HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS ALEXANDRA NEXT FEBRUARY.

+THIS IS ALL A MEASURE OF IMPORTANCE AND URGENCY WE ATTACH TO THIS PLACE OF LEARNING WHERE MANY ARTS ARE TAUGHT FOR THAT IS WHAT THE WORD +POLYTECHNIC MEANS - IN THIS CASE THE MANY ARTS WHICH GOVERN, AND PROVIDE FOR, AND ENRICH OUR CITY.+

IT WAS HONG KONG'S HOPE, SIR MURRAY CONTINUED, THAT THE POLYTECHNIC WOULD CAUSE THESE ARTS TO BE HONOURED AND KNOWLEDGE OF THEM SPREAD WIDELY, SO THAT THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THIS MANY-SIDED SOCIETY WOULD HAVE THE QUALITY, THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE EDUCATION TO SERVE IT AND CONTRIBUTE TO ITS FUTURE.

+FOR THE POLYTECHNIC TO FULFIL OUR HOPES, IT MUST MAINTAIN THE CLOSEST CONTACT WITH INDUSTRY, THE COMMERCE AND THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG, SO THAT ITS ACADEMIC FEET WILL BE FIRMLY ON THE GROUND ITS STUDENTS MUST ONE DAY TREAD, HE POINTED OUT.

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