XN000022-1978-08-04 — Page 9

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 1978

WOMAN WHO HELPED PIONEER SPECIAL EDUCATION RETIRES

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A WOMAN WHO PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN BUILDING UP THE SPECIAL EDUCATION SECTION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS RETIRING AFTER 25 YEARS OF GOVERNMENT SERVICE.

SHE IS MISS J.E. ROWE, WHO THIS AFTERNOON WAS PRESENTED WITH A HI-FI SET BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY, AT A FAREWELL CEREMONY HELD AT EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS IN LEE GARDENS.

IN MAKING THE PRESENTATION, MR. TOPLEY PRAISED MISS ROWE FOR THE HIGH PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS SHE SET IN DEVELOPING A CORPS OF EXPERTS PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES FOR THE DEAF, THE BLIND AND PARTIALLY-SIGHTED, THE MALADJUSTED AND SOCIALLY DEPRIVED, THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED, SLOW LEARNERS AND CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM SPEECH DIFFICULTIES.

MR. TOPLEY SAID THE EXAMPLE AND FAR-SIGHTEDNESS THAT MISS ROWE HAD BROUGHT TO HER POSITION AS THE PRINCIPAL EDUCATION OFFICER IN CHARGE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION HAD BEEN OUTSTANDING.

MISS ROWE JOINED THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AS A TEMPORARY SCHOOL MISTRESS IN MID-1953.

SHE WAS APPOINTED AS EDUCATION OFFICER IN 1955 AND WAS PROMOTED TO SENIOR EDUCATION OFFICER IN 1965 AND TO PRINCIPAL EDUCATION OFFICER IN 1971. SHE RECEIVED THE MBE IN 1972.

MISS ROWE HAS PLAYED A LEADING ROLE IN COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES DURING HER TIME IN HONG KONG.

SHE IS A FOUNDER MEMBER OF THE JOINT COUNCIL FOR THE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY HANDICAPPED AND IS A BRANCH MEMBER AND SCHOOL MANAGER FOR THE HONG KONG RED CROSS.

SHE ALSO IS A FOUNDER MEMBER AND PAST PRESIDENT OF THE SOROPTIMIST CLUB OF HONG KONG.

MISS ROWE WILL VISIT CHINA, AUSTRALIA AND THE UNITED STATES BEFORE RETURNING TO HER HOME IN BECKENHAM, KENT.

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