Newsletter No. 37

CUHK Newsletter -No37 December 1992 Histori cMoment s Four Special Congregations Congregations are important occasions at The Chinese University, just as they are at most other universities in the Western academic tradition. At The Chinese University congregations are held primarily for the conferment of degrees, but there were several which had been convened for special purposes: the first congregation, which took place in October 1963 for the inauguration of the University, the second, in September the next year, for the installation of Dr. Choh-ming Li as the first Vice-Chancellor, and congregations in October 1978 and October 1987, which respectively marked the installations of Prof. Ma Lin and Prof. Charles Kao as Vice-Chancellors. Records of these congregations have been meticulously preserved as part of the University archives, and it is possible to reconstruct these ceremonies on paper, with a reasonable degree of accuracy, from photographs, printed items, newspaper cuttings, and, no less, the minutes and correspondence of the various organizing committees. As the University prepares for the celebration of its thirtieth anniversary, the editors believe that readers of the Newsletter would be interested in a brief account of these historic moments. 1963 The City Hall, older than th e Chinese University b y on e year an d no w happily celebrating it s thirtieth anniversary with a colourful series of cultural events, was closely associated with the University's congregations before the opening o f its own great hall, the Sir Run Run Shaw, i n 1981. In those early days either the Ball Room (now the Exhibition Hall, as most civic balls have found more stylish accommodation a t th e to p hotels) o r the Theatre would b e used as a robing room fo r members of the procession, and the Concert Hall would be the venue fo r the ceremony. On 17th October 1963 an academic procession of The Chinese University was formed for the first lime i n th e Ball Room, fo r o n that da y th e Inaugural Congregation o f the University took place. The procession, comprising the Governor, Sir Robert Black, who presided as Chancellor, members o f the Council, heads o f the Colleges and senior officers of the University, left the Ball Room by its back entrance, moved down t o the Memorial Garden, passed the bronze gates, and re-entered the Low Block, climbing two flights o f steps t o enter the Concert Hall. One may say this was a rather roundabout way o f going downstairs (the Ball Room i s on e level above th e Concert Hall, i n th e same building), bu t a procession i s always meant t o be seen and photographed, and the long detour had indeed captured th e attention of many in the vicinity o f the City Hall! For this first congregation - and the only one for Sir Robert Black, as he retired soon afterwards - th e Chancellor was 6