St. Francis Xavier's College [1955- ]

St. Francis Xavier's College, Sycamore Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong.  Date of occupation permit issued - December 6, 1955; first series of classes began - December 9, 1955.

(one of several schools I attended and fondly remembered)

Photo taken in 1957.  Notice the wooden shops and houses on the right of the photo.  By 1960, a primary school building has been constructed and occupied at this site.  My classroom was on Maple Street and yes, us students could wave at each other from our classrooms.  The wooden houses on the distant left were also being gradually phased out to make Sycamore Playground.

The last remaining wooden buildings and wood shops were west of the school.   We walked through there for short cut to Boundary Street.  Across Willow Street outside the play ground, several street vendors sold snacks from their bicycles and carts, and my fellow classmates of the late 1950s and early 60s will remember the pickle-man and his tasty sweet and sour pickles.

When people asked, I replied that Bruce Lee had left when I arrived.  His mentor was Brother Edward who, according to one story, provided boxing gloves to two students who wanted to fight, and such was arranged under strict supervision.  Because of his large stature, Brother Edward's other duty was to stand guard at the school entrance making sure we wear our school tie.  Once you got to know him, you knew he was kind and spoke softly, and a dedicated teacher.  As for teaching me Catechism, that was Brother Peter the vice-principal.

About the school: http://sfxc.edu.hk/

Photo source: uwants.com - post #3789 by user 4rex - http://www.uwants.com/viewthread.php?tid=14833421&page=253#pid228905692

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