XN000022-1981-06-30 — Page 8

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TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 1981

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ARTHUR BROWN RETIRES TO ENJOY HIS HOBBIES

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ARTHUR BROWN, A MAN WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED MUCH TO HONG KONG'S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, HAS DECIDED TO CALL IT A DAY AND RETIRE TO HIS SURREY HOME TO INDULGE IN HIS FAVOURITE HOBBIES COMPUTERS, CALCULATORS, HI-FI EQUIPMENT, CAR-REPAIR AND GARDENING.

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ARTHUR BROWN, WHO HAS WORKED UNDER SIX DIRECTORS OF EDUCATION SPANNING A PERIOD OF NEARLY 27 YEARS, IS CONSIDERED A +CHARACTER+ BY HIS MANY FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES IN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

HE IS JOVIAL BY NATURE AND LAUGHS AT THE SLIGHTEST OPPORTUNITY, WITH HIS MERRIMENT ECHOING FROM THE END OF ONE CORRIDOR TO ANOTHER.

MR COLVYN HAYE, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, RECALLED AN INCIDENT AMONG MANY FROM THEIR TEACHING DAYS TOGETHER AT KING GEORGE V SCHOOL IN THE 1950'S ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE GUSTO AND GOOD HUMOUR WHICH HAD CHARACTERISED MR BROWN'S CAREER.

+ARTHUR WAS AT ONE TIME RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TECHNICAL EFFECTS OF A SCHOOL PLAY INVOLVING A CHAP HAVING TO JUMP INTO A RIVER OFFSTAGE. HE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A MARVELLOUS IDEA TO HAVE THE SOUND EFFECT OF THE SPLASH.

+CAME THE BIG DAY AND WHEN THE CHAP JUMPED OFF STAGE THERE WAS THIS RESOUNDING SPLASH, ASTONISHING THE AUDIENCE AND EVERYONE ONSTAGE.

*WE ASKED HIM LATER HOW HE DID IT AND ARTHUR, WITH A SHEEPISH GRIN, SAID HE HAD MADE HIS WIFE JUMP INTO A BATH TUB FILLED WITH WATER, AGAIN AND AGAIN, TILL HE WAS SATISFIED WITH THE TAPED EFFECT.+

THIS IMMENSE ENTHUSIASM FOR THINGS TECHNICAL HELPED CREATE THE VISUAL EDUCATION SECTION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, ARTHUR HEADED BEFORE BEING POSTED TO HEAD EXAMINATIONS.

WHICH INTEREST IN ELECTRONICS LED HIM TO WHAT HE HIMSELF TERMS THE MOST

HIS EXCITING PART OF HIS CAREER - THE EXAMINATIONS SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT FROM 1965 TO 1972.

DURING THIS PERIOD, ARTHUR SAID HE FELL IN LOVE WITH COMPUTERS MUCH TO THE ANNOYANCE OF HIS WIFE.

+FROM PUNCH CARDS AND CALCULATORS FOR PROCESSING EXAMS, WE PROCEEDED TO A COMPUTER AND MACHINE-MARKED MULTIPLE CHOICE TESTS WITH THE TRANSITION ACHIEVED SMOOTHLY, MAINLY DUE TO A TEAM OF GOOD OFFICERS WHO THOROUGHLY ENJOYED WHAT THEY WERE DOING,♦ ARTHUR SAID.

/HE WAS