XN000022-1981-10-22 — Page 5

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1981

INDIAN COMMUNITY PRAISED FOR HELP TO EDUCATION

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THE INDIAN COMMUNITY WERE PRAISED TODAY FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR COLVYN HAYE, WHEN HE OPENED THE NEW SCHOOL HALL AT THE SIR ELLIS KADOOR IE SCHOOL AT SOOK UNPOO.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, MR HAYE SAID THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE HONG KONG INDIAN WOMEN'S CLUB HAS HELPED THIS SCHOOL SO HANDSOMELY.+

A PREVIOUS DONATION FOR THE BUILDING OF THE SCHOOL SCIENCE LABORATORY AMOUNTED TO $230 000.

THE GENEROSITY OF THE INDIAN COMMUNITY IN THE SPHERE OF EDUCATION HAD BEEN AN ABIDING FEATURE OF THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF HONG KONG, MR HAYE SAID.

+ IT IS NOT COMMONLY KNOWN THAT AN INDIAN FORCED A SLUGGISH GOVERNMENT AND A RELUCTANT BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO COME UP WITH FUNDS TO MATCH THE CONTRIBUTION HE STOOD READY TO MAKE TO HIGHER EDUCATION. THAT MAN WAS SIR HORMUSJEE MODY AND TO HIM MUST GO CREDIT FOR A MAJOR ROLE IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG IN 1911, MR HAYE SAID.

OTHER INDIAN NAMES ASSOCIATED WITH EDUCATION WERE OF COURSE THOSE OF MR BELILIOS, THE FIRST INDIAN MEMBER OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND THE RUTTONJEES.

NOTING THE STEADY GROWTH OF THE SCHOOL FROM 1960, MR HAYE ANNOUNCED THAT FURTHER EXPANSION WAS PLANNED WHICH WOULD NECESSITATE AN ADDITION OF SEVEN CLASSROOMS, FOUR SPECIAL ROOMS AND OTHER ANCILLARY FACILITIES. THE MODERN LABORATORY AND NOW THE HANDSOMELY CONVERTED SCHOOL HALL WOULD PLACE THE SCHOOL AMONG THE BEST IN HONG KONG.

+ IT MUST BE VERY GRATIFYING FOR THE HONG KONG INDIAN WOMEN'S CLUB TO PLAY SUCH A LEADING ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SCHOOL, + MR HAYE SAID.

J

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