RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-2000
https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/nk328168n
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MetratoA LEGGE DAN K

# A Brief History of Technical Education in Hong Kong

As the first member of staff of a technical institute, I was officially appointed as founding Principal of MHTI in July 1968, more than one year before it opened in borrowed premises. This was the planning period. The initial cost of building the Morrison Hill Technical Institute was around $4.0 million plus $3.0 million for equipment, all donated by the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, although there were other, much smaller, donations.

Looking at these and other figures one can see how costs have shot up over the past 30 to 40 years, although technical education has also, agreed, become far more sophisticated. For various reasons the completion of the MHTI building was delayed and, as mentioned at the start of this paper, the Institute did not start classes in its new building until 1970. Earlier on, consideration was given to calling it the 'Wan Chai Technical Institute' but some officials in the Government Education Department Headquarters felt, in those days, this would have given it a 'Suzie Wong' image. Consequently, it was named the Morrison Hill Technical Institute. As you know it was officially opened 30 years ago today, on 12 October 1970, by the then Governor the late Sir David Trench.

I was pleased it was a hot day. After the ceremony Sir John Cowperthwaite, who has gone down in history as a capable Financial Secretary and a law unto himself, came up to me mopping his brow. 'Principal', he said, 'I'll see you get this hall air-conditioned!'. In spite of his promise it was many years and countless memoranda later before it actually was. I am talking of an institute where, in 1970, one of the few air-conditioned rooms was the Principal's office and this was because an overseas advisor had been persuaded to write it into his report. Administrative Officers talked dismally at the time of creating ‘a dangerous precedent with other institutions jumping on the bandwagon'.

Looking around in the vicinity of MHTI: quarry men started blasting away in 1926 at the solid granite hill on which the Morrison Hill Mission Society building originally stood. The Hill was not totally levelled until around 1970
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RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-2002
https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/mp4901278
147

"Because then you might get members who are not only members but really useful members, people who might come on to the Council, who could assist the Society," said Hase. "These are the people we need most."

The other big project for Hase would be to get the RAS set up as a charity so that they can start offering scholarships to people with certain criteria, to assist them with academic work.

"Once we are a charity it becomes easier to ask for donations and it makes it easier to do things like set up a scholarship fund," said Hase.

Over the last 40 years, the RAS has accumulated more than $600,000, Hase's goal is to get a million dollars for the fund — about $300,000 from the RAS reserves, and the rest through sponsorship from some of the big Hongs (major local companies).

"If we can get [the scholarship fund] done during my time as president, I shall be very pleased."

Red China blues...

It's tea time after Hase's talk at the seminar. The cookies and coffee hit the spot, but it is still too early for a Saturday...

"Report on Hong Kong," a film from 1960, starts rolling. It's hosted by William Holden, co-star of the famous film, "The World of Suzie Wong," and follows three subjects - a family relocated after the Shek Kip Mei fire, an expatriate and a local businessman — for a day. It recorded the family's struggles, the expatriate's expectations and the businessman's politics.

In the closing stand-up, Holden comments on the amazing things that can be accomplished when people have the will and determination to survive and prosper. Holden stands on the peak with a view to the border and asks what else is possible with the population that is just beyond the borders in “Red China”.....

The RAS in fact dates back to 1847 with its China branch. It began
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