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Elder Lâu Chú-an 劉主安校長 （1905-1994） |
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By Stephen Chen 陳中潔 Posted to the Taiwanese Site! http://thetaiwanese.blogspot.com/ Friday, May 21, 2010 Elder/Principal Lâu Chú-an 1905 - 1994 A life reflected on Faith, Hope and Love While I searched the information on Principal/Elder Lâu Chú-an, I also searched a word that would describe him the best. The word SERENITY came to my mind. Like all other people on this site, Lâu held a special position in my heart with much admiration. I probably saw him twice briefly in my early years. Once he was speaking to a lot of young people like me. I honestly don't remember what he was talking about. And it did not matter. Another time I joined seven other high school classmates as a male double-quartet team and sang a couple of songs at the Chang-Jung Girls Middle School (長榮女中) where he was the principal. I paid much more attention to the students (all were young and pretty with their light-blue angel-like uniform) than the teachers, but Principal Lâu still caught my eyes with his unique way. His handsome manner, kindness or something, I do not know. He was just there, smiling with serenity... Lâu was born in 1905 to a well known family in the city of Tainan, then the cultural center of Taiwan. Lâu was excellent in mathematics with unbelievable memory since he was a boy. He studied at the elementary school in Dr. James Maxwell Memory Church, Tainan (太平境教會附設小學) then moved on to study at Doshisha Elementary School (同志社小學) in Kyoto and then the Aoyama Middle School (青山學院中學) and graduated with honor from the Tokyo Institute of Technology (東京工業大學) majored in Chemical Engineering. Lâu came back to Tainan and taught chemistry and physics in both Chang-Jung Girls Middle School and Chang-Jung Middle School (長榮中學) – both were run by the Presbyterian Church, two of the oldest middle schools in Taiwan. Like many good teachers, he never stopped learning. Elder Lâu further studied religion and theology at a Presbyterian Seminary in Birmingham (1935-36) and Westminster College, Cambridge University (1948-49.) Besides teaching at the middle schools, Lâu also found time teaching at the Tainan Theological College. In one of his students’ description, Lâu taught chemistry with creative thinking. While trying to explain the element of water (H2O) he asked his students to simply remember that WATER is “two fish heads [H] with a big egg [O].” His wisdom, sense of humor, the love for teaching and deep care for his students made him one of the greatest educators in the history of Taiwan. As a devoted Christian, Lâu was deeply moved by the dedication of the missionaries sent by the Presbyterian Church of England while he was a teacher. He was soon asked and then took the administrative duty as the principal in Chang-Jung Girls Middle School. In the span of forty-four years, a school had flourished by building the foundation of “Faith, Hope and Love” for thousands of teen aged girls. While Lâu's academic achievements were outstanding, he is remembered well as how he spent his life - by giving. He was a life long Sunday school teacher, a popular lay preacher and Bible study leader, a never ending loving teacher, writer and father. He had written a few dozen books ranging from nature science text books to Biblical and theological interpretations especially about Trinity and St. Paul. To some people, Lâu was an educator and a beloved Principal. To others, he was an Elder Emeritus of one of the most historical churches in Taiwan. To all who had come to know him, Lâu was loved, respected and missed. He had set a role model for what a good Christian/teacher should be. During his memorial service held in Chang-Jung Girls High School on February 5, 1994, Principal/Elder Lâu Chú-an was remembered with the highest honor by both the school and the church officials. ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** To read the article by Dr. Lâu Tek-iong on his father Elder Lâu: http://www.laijohn.com/Laus/Lau,CAn/reminiscence/Lau,Tiong/E.htm Some Related Websites: http://www.laijohn.com/Laus/Lau,CAn/biog/service.htm http://www.laijohn.com/Laus/Lau,CAn/recollections/1926-1974.htm http://web.ckgsh.tn.edu.tw /長女簡史/歷任校長.htm
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