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FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 1977

EXPERT IN SIGN LANGUAGE RETIRES **** *

MR. CHAN SIK-FUNG, OFFICER-IN-CHARGE OF THE WONG TAI SIN DEAF CLUB, WILL BE RETIRING SHORTLY AFTER 17 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE.

MR. CHAN WAS EDUCATED AT THE SUN YAT SEN UNIVERSITY IN CANTON WHERE HE GRADUATED IN 1936 WITH A LAW DEGREE. BEFORE JOINING THE CIVIL SERVICE, HE WAS A TEACHER AT THE OVERSEAS CHINESE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND DUMB. HE JOINED THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IN JUNE 1960 AS A SOCIAL WELFARE OFFICER CLASS 111 AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY RETITLED ASSISTANT SOCIAL WELFARE OFFICER IN 1964.

THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, HIS DEVOTION AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ESPECIALLY IN TEACHING SIGN LANGUAGE FOR THE DEAF HAD BEEN HIGHLY VALUED.

MR. CHAN HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE IN SETTING UP THE VARIOUS CLUBS WHICH PROVIDE INFORMAL EDUCATION FOR DEAF CHILDREN IN THE WONG TAI SIN, LI CHENG UK, TAI HANG TUNG AND SAU MAU PING DISTRICTS.

OVER THE YEARS, MR. CHAN HAS TAUGHT MORE THAN 400 DEAF CHILDREN AND HAS BEEN REGARDED AS A 'COUNSELLOR AND FRIEND'

IN THE DEAF COMMUNITY. HE ALSO PIONEERED THE ORGANISING OF A NUMBER OF SCOUT TROOPS FOR DEAF CHILDREN.

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IN 1962 HE WAS SWORN IN AS A COURT INTERPRETER AND SINCE THEN HE HAS BEEN FREQUENTLY ASSISTING THE POLICE AND THE COURTS IN CASES WHERE DEAF PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED. MR. CHAN WILL ALSO BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS CONTRIBUTION IN THE COMPILATION OF A HAND-SIGN MANUAL OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

MR. CHAN WAS AWARDED A B.E.M. LAST YEAR.

TO MARK THE OCCASION OF MR. CHAN'S RETIREMENT, A DINNER PARTY WILL BE HOSTED BY HIS FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES IN THE REHABILITATION DIVISION TOMORROW (SATURDAY) EVENING.

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