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## King's College, HKU Arts, and a Remarkable Teaching Couple: Mr. Cheung Wing Min & Ms. Kathleen Tse
It's fascinating to look back at the early days of Hong Kong's education system and see the strong connections between its leading institutions. King's College, a distinguished government school, traditionally served as a significant destination for University of Hong Kong graduates, particularly those from the Arts faculty, who were preparing for careers as teachers. Many of these university-trained masters and mistresses found their first, and often long-term, teaching posts within its historic halls.
Among the ranks of these dedicated educators, two names stand out not only for their individual contributions but also for their shared journey: **Mr. Cheung Wing Min** and **Ms. Kathleen Eunice Tse**.
**Mr. Cheung Wing Min**, a distinguished graduate of the University of Hong Kong (Class of 1928), began his teaching career at King's College on **December 12, 1932**. His impressive academic background included a scholarship to Oxford University after joining the Hong Kong Government Education Department in 1929. Upon his return, he taught Science at King's College, leaving a lasting impression on his students. His dedication to education was evident early on, leading him to become the founding Principal of Grantham College of Education from 1951 to 1961, shaping generations of teachers including notable figures like Szeto Wah.
Just a few years later, on **January 5, 1935**, **Ms. Kathleen Eunice Tse** (a University of Hong Kong graduate, Class of 1934) joined the King's College . Like her future husband, she dedicated her life to education. One of her students at King’s College was Judge Simon Li Fook-sean 李福善。
She later became the founding Principal of Ho Tung Technical School for Girls , serving from 1953 to 1967 – the longest-serving principal in the school's history.
This was modelled on the technical schools of the UK and also Germany. There were no technical school for girls at the time in Hong Kong.
Ms. Tse came from a prominent family, being a descendant of the influential Ho Kom Tong. She lived a remarkable life and passed away in 2013 aged 100, a testament to a life dedicated to learning and leadership.
What makes their story particularly charming is that these two prominent educators, both serving at King's College in the 1930s, found love and built a life together as a happily married couple. Mr. Cheung Wing Min and Ms. Kathleen Eunice Tse represent a true power couple of Hong Kong education, whose combined legacies at King's College and beyond highlight a golden age of dedicated local talent in Hong Kong's burgeoning education sector.
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A Gwulo Mystery: Ms. Kathleen Eunice Tse
## A Gwulo Mystery: Kathleen Eunice Tse's Elusive Graduation Record (HKU Class of 1934)
I'm looking into a puzzling discrepancy concerning Ms. Kathleen Eunice Tse, a University of Hong Kong graduate from the Class of 1934. While she should have been formally conferred in 1934, her name surprisingly *did not appear* in the HKU Calendar until the 1937-38 edition – a full three years after her expected graduation.
Naturally, this raises questions. Some have suggested she might have requested a deferment of studies or final examinations due to health or financial issues. However, our research has yielded no evidence whatsoever to support these theories.
The plot is solved with a crucial piece of evidence: The Civil Establishment of 1935 (page J 98) conclusively confirms her employment. It lists her as a University-Trained Mistress at King’s College, alongside Mr. Cheung Wing Min, who would later become her husband. Her entry specifically noted her as a "new appointment," indicated by a suffix like '3'.
Her appointment date was recorded as January 5th, 1935. This date is critical; it unequivocally confirms that she must have completed her studies and been awarded her B.A. degree as expected in 1934. This is also the very graduation year that was eventually registered in the 1937-38 HKU Calendar.
So, the fundamental question remains: **Why was her name omitted from the HKU Calendar, not for just one year, but for three?**
In those days, class sizes were remarkably small, often fewer than twenty students. Professors and students knew each other intimately, making a simple administrative oversight seem highly improbable. If it was a clerical error, how could it go unnoticed for so long, only to be rectified years after Ms. Tse had already launched her teaching career at King's College and embarked on a significant personal relationship?
This anomaly feels too substantial for a mere mistake given the close-knit university environment of the time. Does anyone have any insights or theories that could shed light on this curious delay in Ms. Tse's official HKU recognition?
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