Bulletin Spring‧Summer 1978

OPENING OF NEW STUDENT HOSTELS Speech by Sir Murray MacLehose I imagine it is with something like a sigh of relief that you, Vice Chancellor, approach the opening of this hostel today. I too am delighted that generous private donations, amounting to more than one-third of the total cost has enabled the three hostels to be completed. The naming of this hostel at Chung Chi College after Madam Ho Sin-hang fittingly commemorates the great generosity of the Ho family who have contri buted more than two-thirds of the private funds for the three hostels. As your Chancellor I might, with propriety, also commend your Government for contributing the major share of the bill for these hostels. We attach much importance to them as places in which students can read and think and learn in favourable conditions — conditions created by the construction and con cept of the Chinese University of Hong Kong; a mag nificent idea, a magnificent site and splendidly executed under Dr. Li's leadership. What purpose do we want it to serve? For my part I want it to serve two causes, that of learning and that of Hong Kong. Learning: because learning and knowledge for its own sake is what gives a university inspiration, authority, and repute, and gives it the ability to com mand the respect of those who learn in it. Hong Kong: because to turn it into the place we want it to be, Hong Kong desperately needs people of all ages with the wisdom that only true learning and true education tempered by practical experience can confer the sort of learning and education that can be acquired here. I am sure that these new hostels will provide an environment that will promote these ends, and thus fulfil the hopes of the donors, the University, and community it serves. It is thus with the greatest pleasure that I now declare open the Ho Sin Hang Hostel of Chung Chi College. Dr. Choh-Ming Li's Speech of Welcome The fund for these hostels came from three different sources. Dr. S. H. Ho donated $4,000,000, Yale-China Association, $1,000,000, and the Hong Kong Government appropriated the balance required for the project, amounting to $6,000,000. Our opening ceremony today is held at the Madam S. H. Ho Hall. This hostel is named to express the gratitude on the part of the University to Dr. and Mrs. Ho. I hasten to tell you that behind this name, there is an extremely moving story. Early in 1975, the University was confronted with an acute shortage of lodging for students. The shortage had caused students great inconvenience, and handicapped their studies. Dr. Ho was much concerned when learning of the situation, and promptly offered to donate $4,000,000 to alleviate the situation. At that time, Hong Kong was severely hit by depression, which made it difficult even for him to raise such a huge sum immediately. In spite of the slump in real estate he resolutely sold, with the gracious consent of Mrs. Ho, the mansion he had bought for his own use, at an enormous loss. The sale brought in a little over $3,000,000, and he further contributed the balance. This first move of generosity was followed by the contribution made by Yale-China Association for the purpose of providing accommodation facilities for overseas students enrolled in International Asian Studies Programme courses, and also the colossal financial support from the Government, thus making it possible for the new hostels to come into being. We want to thank them most heartily. Dr. Ho actually left the christening of these hostels entirely to the University. It is only at my repeated request that he finally agreed, with much reluctance, to our suggestion to have the hall named after Mrs. Ho as our appreciation of their generosity. That the Chinese University will benefit tangibly by their munificent gift can easily be seen. For these new hostels will make students' contacts with the faculty much closer and more frequent, and the time saved by students in commuting can well be spent on academic pursuits. Their assistance facilitates the University's student-orientated teaching and thus enhances our teaching and learning standards. I am sure every member of this University will always remember the generosity of Dr. and Mrs. Ho, Yale-China Association and the Hong Kong Govern­ ment. 19