XN000022-1976-12-09 — Page 5

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1976

PUPILS TOLD TO DEVELOP QUALITIES OF LEADERSHIP AND INITIATIVE

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THE FUNCTION OF THE STAFF IN PROMOTING EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN A SCHOOL IS PRIMARILY ONE OF GUIDANCE, NOT ONE OF CONTROL, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY SAID THIS EVENING.

+ THE BROAD LINES ON WHICH THESE ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE ORGANISED WILL NATURALLY BE PLANNED BY THE STAFF BUT THE DETAILED ORGANISATION FOR SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES SHOULD, TO MY MIND, BE LEFT TO THE PUPILS, EVEN THOUGH IT CAN BE DONE MORE EASILY BY THE STAFF.

+ONLY IN THIS WAY CAN WE EXPECT TO DEVELOP IN THE PUPILS SUCH QUALITIES AS LEADERSHIP AND INITIATIVE,+ MR. TOPLEY TOLD THE SPEECH DAY OF ST. PAUL'S COLLEGE WHICH IS CELEBRATING THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE SCHOOL.

ADDRESSING THE PUPILS AND RECENT GRADUATES OF ST. PAUL'S COLLEGE, MR. TOPLEY ADDED, THERE IS NO NEED FOR ME TO SAY THAT YOUR SCHOOL PLACES GREAT EMPHASIS ON DEVELOPING IN YOU THOSE QUALITIES OF LEADERSHIP AND INITIATIVE WHICH WILL SERVE YOU WELL WHEN YOU COME TO LEAVE SCHOOL AND GIVE YOUR SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.

+YOU NEED ONLY TO LOOK AT THE MANY FORMER PUPILS OF ST. PAUL'S COLLEGE WHO ARE NOW LEADING PERSONALITIES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY TO REALISE THAT THIS IS SO.+

MR. TOPLEY WAS SURE THAT THE PUPILS AND RECENT GRADUATES WOULD CONTINUE TO GIVE THEIR BEST TO HONG KONG.

ST. PAUL'S WAS ITSELF A LIVING COMMUNITY, THAT WAS WHAT EVERY SCHOOL SHOULD BE.

THE DIRECTOR STRESSED THAT IT WAS NOT BY THE MULTIPLICITY OF SCHOOL CLUBS BUT BY THE ENTHUSIASM AND VIGOUR OF THEIR LIFE THAT THEY CONTRIBUTED MOST TO THE CORPORATE HEALTH OF THE SCHOOL.

HE POINTED OUT THAT FURTHER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES TOOK THE FORM OF COMMUNITY SERVICE BY WHICH THE SCHOOL TRANSCENDED THE CONFINES OF ITS NORMAL LIFE.

+THEY ARE SCHOOLS WHICH TAKE AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN RENDERING ASSISTANCE ON FLAG DAYS AND TO THE COMMUNITY CHEST AS WELL AS BOYS' AND GIRLS' CLUBS IN POORER NEIGHBOURHOODS. THERE ARE OTHERS WHICH MAINTAIN A HOSPITAL COT OR SUPPORT ACTIVITIES AND ORGANISATIONS FOR THE BENEFIT OF CHILDREN,+ MR, TOPLEY SAID.

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