Difference between revisions of "The Vernacular Normal School"
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| − | In the light of the rapid growing need of Chinese teachers in the 1920s, the Vernacular Normal School (官立漢文師範學堂) were established in 1920 to provide professional training to qualify teachers | + | In the light of the rapid growing need of Chinese teachers in the 1920s, the Vernacular Normal School (官立漢文師範學堂) were established in 1920 to provide professional training to qualify teachers, especially for Chinese speaking educators. Before the establishment of Vernacular Normal Schools, teacher’s training was provided under Vernacular Teacher’s Class by the Hong Kong Technical Institute. The Vernacular Normal Schools were the first independence schools in Hong Kong solely for Chinese speaking professional teachers. Together with the Vernacular Normal School for Men (日師), Vernacular Normal School for Women (女師), Tai Po Vernacular Normal School (埔師) and the Vernacular Teacher’s Class of the Evening Institute (夜師), these four teacher’s training schools formed the “Vernacular Normal Schools” for teacher’s technical training during the years before the Japanese occupation in WWII. <br /><br /> |
'''The Vernacular Normal School for Men'''<br /> | '''The Vernacular Normal School for Men'''<br /> | ||
| − | The Vernacular Normal School for Men (官立男子漢文師範學堂 or "日師") was established in September 1920 by the Hong Kong Government under the governorship of Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs | + | The Vernacular Normal School for Men (官立男子漢文師範學堂 or "日師") was established in September 1920 by the Hong Kong Government under the governorship of Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs, in order to solve the problem of shortage of qualified school teachers. The first principal was 余芸. The school offered 2-years teacher’s training program and it has a total of 109 graduates before the school closed in 1940. |
| − | The Vernacular Normal School for Men was never having its own campus throughout the years. It was first housed in borrowed premises at the Chung Wah College (中華書院) adjacent to Man Mo Temple (文武廟) on Hollywood Road until 1926. Then, it merged with Government Vernacular Middle School (漢文中學) and moved to 26-28 Hospital Road. The school | + | The Vernacular Normal School for Men was never having its own campus throughout the years. It was first housed in borrowed premises at the Chung Wah College (中華書院) adjacent to Man Mo Temple (文武廟) on Hollywood Road until 1926. Then, it merged with Government Vernacular Middle School (漢文中學) and moved to 26-28 Hospital Road. The school had planned to raise fund and built its own campus, but it never succeeded until the school closed in 1940.<br /><br /> |
'''Vernacular Normal School for Women'''<br /> | '''Vernacular Normal School for Women'''<br /> | ||
| − | The Vernacular Normal School for Women (官立女子漢文師範學堂 or "女師") was opened in the same year as The Vernacular Normal School for Men, in 1920. It was the cultural | + | The Vernacular Normal School for Women (官立女子漢文師範學堂 or "女師") was opened in the same year as The Vernacular Normal School for Men, in 1920. It was the cultural and the education policy requirement during the early years to separate men and women in different premises on receiving education. In short, there was no co-education schools during the early 1920s. It resulted in a separate Vernacular Normal Schools established for male and female teachers. The Vernacular Normal School for Women was first operated in a borrowed premise at Belilios Public School. In 1927, Vernacular Normal School for Women moved to Lee Garden Road and had its own campus until 1941. |
| − | The first and only principal of Vernacular Normal School for Women was Ms. Chan Yat Hing (陳逸馨). She served at the school until the school | + | The first and only principal of Vernacular Normal School for Women was Ms. Chan Yat Hing (陳逸馨). She served at the school until the school closed in 1941. Throughout the two decades, the school had a total of 202 graduates. Unlike the Vernacular Normal School for Men, Vernacular Normal School for Women was first offered a 2-years teacher training program, but later extended to a 4-years program in 1928 and reduced to a 3-years program in 1938 until it closed.<br /><br /> |
'''Tai Po Vernacular Normal School'''<br /> | '''Tai Po Vernacular Normal School'''<br /> | ||
| − | Tai Po Vernacular Normal School (大埔官立漢文師範學校 or “埔師”) was established in 1926. The school was opened to meet the needs of teacher’s technical training in New Territories, especially when the graduates from the Vernacular Normal School for Men and Vernacular Normal School for Women, | + | Tai Po Vernacular Normal School (大埔官立漢文師範學校 or “埔師”) was established in 1926. The school was opened to meet the needs of professional teacher’s technical training in New Territories, especially when the graduates from the Vernacular Normal School for Men and Vernacular Normal School for Women, where both schools located at Hong Kong Island, refused to work in the rural area. The campus was located at Tai Po Yan Hing Street and later rented additional classroom spaces at Pak Shing Street. In 1933, the campus moved to Hon Ka Road until it closed in 1941. |
| − | Throughout the years, the school received over 600 students but only 60 of them could pass all graduation requirements. However, due to the eager need for teachers in rural areas, those dropped out trainees from Tai Po Vernacular Normal School were also welcomed to teach in rural areas. | + | Throughout the years, the school received over 600 students but only 60 of them could pass all graduation requirements. However, due to the eager need for teachers in rural areas, those dropped out trainees from Tai Po Vernacular Normal School were also welcomed to teach in schools at rural areas. |
Unlike the Vernacular Normal School for Men and Vernacular Normal School for Women, Tai Po Vernacular Normal School did not have a plan to be replaced by the upcoming Northcote Training College. The closure appeared to come suddenly due to Japanese occupation in 1941.<br /><br /> | Unlike the Vernacular Normal School for Men and Vernacular Normal School for Women, Tai Po Vernacular Normal School did not have a plan to be replaced by the upcoming Northcote Training College. The closure appeared to come suddenly due to Japanese occupation in 1941.<br /><br /> | ||
Latest revision as of 02:58, 20 May 2021
In the light of the rapid growing need of Chinese teachers in the 1920s, the Vernacular Normal School (官立漢文師範學堂) were established in 1920 to provide professional training to qualify teachers, especially for Chinese speaking educators. Before the establishment of Vernacular Normal Schools, teacher’s training was provided under Vernacular Teacher’s Class by the Hong Kong Technical Institute. The Vernacular Normal Schools were the first independence schools in Hong Kong solely for Chinese speaking professional teachers. Together with the Vernacular Normal School for Men (日師), Vernacular Normal School for Women (女師), Tai Po Vernacular Normal School (埔師) and the Vernacular Teacher’s Class of the Evening Institute (夜師), these four teacher’s training schools formed the “Vernacular Normal Schools” for teacher’s technical training during the years before the Japanese occupation in WWII.
The Vernacular Normal School for Men
The Vernacular Normal School for Men (官立男子漢文師範學堂 or "日師") was established in September 1920 by the Hong Kong Government under the governorship of Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs, in order to solve the problem of shortage of qualified school teachers. The first principal was 余芸. The school offered 2-years teacher’s training program and it has a total of 109 graduates before the school closed in 1940.
The Vernacular Normal School for Men was never having its own campus throughout the years. It was first housed in borrowed premises at the Chung Wah College (中華書院) adjacent to Man Mo Temple (文武廟) on Hollywood Road until 1926. Then, it merged with Government Vernacular Middle School (漢文中學) and moved to 26-28 Hospital Road. The school had planned to raise fund and built its own campus, but it never succeeded until the school closed in 1940.
Vernacular Normal School for Women
The Vernacular Normal School for Women (官立女子漢文師範學堂 or "女師") was opened in the same year as The Vernacular Normal School for Men, in 1920. It was the cultural and the education policy requirement during the early years to separate men and women in different premises on receiving education. In short, there was no co-education schools during the early 1920s. It resulted in a separate Vernacular Normal Schools established for male and female teachers. The Vernacular Normal School for Women was first operated in a borrowed premise at Belilios Public School. In 1927, Vernacular Normal School for Women moved to Lee Garden Road and had its own campus until 1941.
The first and only principal of Vernacular Normal School for Women was Ms. Chan Yat Hing (陳逸馨). She served at the school until the school closed in 1941. Throughout the two decades, the school had a total of 202 graduates. Unlike the Vernacular Normal School for Men, Vernacular Normal School for Women was first offered a 2-years teacher training program, but later extended to a 4-years program in 1928 and reduced to a 3-years program in 1938 until it closed.
Tai Po Vernacular Normal School
Tai Po Vernacular Normal School (大埔官立漢文師範學校 or “埔師”) was established in 1926. The school was opened to meet the needs of professional teacher’s technical training in New Territories, especially when the graduates from the Vernacular Normal School for Men and Vernacular Normal School for Women, where both schools located at Hong Kong Island, refused to work in the rural area. The campus was located at Tai Po Yan Hing Street and later rented additional classroom spaces at Pak Shing Street. In 1933, the campus moved to Hon Ka Road until it closed in 1941.
Throughout the years, the school received over 600 students but only 60 of them could pass all graduation requirements. However, due to the eager need for teachers in rural areas, those dropped out trainees from Tai Po Vernacular Normal School were also welcomed to teach in schools at rural areas.
Unlike the Vernacular Normal School for Men and Vernacular Normal School for Women, Tai Po Vernacular Normal School did not have a plan to be replaced by the upcoming Northcote Training College. The closure appeared to come suddenly due to Japanese occupation in 1941.
Closure
Consequently, in 1938, a thorough review on teacher training in Hong Kong was conducted by a committee appointed by Governor Northcote. It recommended that a full-time training college for teachers be established, so that they could undertake a wider range of academic studies and have more time for both theoretical and practical training in teaching. The committee recommendation resulted in the establishment of the Northcote Training College, and officially replaced the Vernacular Normal Schools.