School History – Ying Wa Girls' School

Leadership through the years

Our Principals

From 1900

Beginnings

1899

The first $1,000 came from the London Missionary Society, and Ms Helen Davies also dug into her own pockets by donating her savings, for a two-storey building and a boarding school for girls’ education.

Ms Helen Davies

First Headmistress

1900

Opening of Ying Wa Girls’ School, with Ms Davies as the first headmistress. The School was referred to in English as ‘Training Home’. It was not until 1920 that the name of Ying Wa Girls’ School was officially adopted.

1911

The kindergarten was officially established.

1915

The first student organisation, Wah Kwong Club, was established.

1917

First batch of ‘Normal School’ (Ying Wa Teacher Training College) – 6 students (4 remained to teach in Ying Wa after graduation).

Ms Muriel Hogben

Headmistress

1920

Ms Muriel Hogben served in Ying Wa as the ‘Headmistress’ while Ms Davies served as ‘Principal’. The ‘Ying Wa Guild’ was established.

Early 1920s

Opening of secondary section.

Ms Dorothy Hutchinson

Headmistress

1925

The outbreak of the Canton (Guangdong)–Hong Kong Strike affected the construction work of the school extension. Ms Dorothy Hutchinson served in Ying Wa as the Headmistress.

1926–1940

Growing on Robinson Road

1926

The Small Block was established for the kindergarten. Originally housed in a mat shed, the kindergarten moved into the small cottage around 1926 and remained active until 1963, except for the war years in the 1940s.

1927

Fundraising programme with the slogan ‘For God, for country, for Ying Wa’. The new 1927 Block was completed.

1930

Leung Tsui Hor, the first Ying Wa girl to enter the University of Hong Kong.

1935

Wong Sau Han, the first YW girl to enter medical school in the University of Hong Kong.

1937

Ying Wa Student Relief Committee was formed.

Ms Vera Silcocks

Headmistress

1939

Ms Vera Silcocks took up the position of Headmistress.

1940

Boarding section was officially closed.

1941–1966

War and Renewal

1941

Fall of Hong Kong under the Japanese. Ms Silcocks was caught and interned in the camp at Stanley.

1945

Reopening of Ying Wa on 1st October. Ms Dorothy Shilston took over as Acting Headmistress.

1947

Return of Ms Silcocks to take up the leadership as Headmistress.

1948

Establishment of School Council.

1949

Establishment of Ying Wa’s Student Association.

1950s

Beginning of the summer school for the underprivileged.

1953

Completion of the new block.

Early 1960s

Publication of ‘The Clarion’, initiated by the Student Association.

1966

Ying Wa became one of the related schools of the Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China.

1967–2000

A New Era

Ms Evelyn Jenkins

Principal

1967

Completion of the Robinson Block. Ms Silcocks retired, ending four decades of service in Ying Wa (1927 to 1967). Ms Evelyn Jenkins became Principal.

1968

Closure of primary section. Ying Wa took in male students for the first time (until the mid-1970s).

1969

Ying Wa held a sponsored walk as part of the Thanksgiving service to raise money for charity.

Mrs Chau Ma Pui Kin Katherine

First Chinese Principal

1972

Mrs Chau Ma Pui Kin Katherine became the first Chinese Principal in Ying Wa history.

1975

First Sports Day was held.

1980

The first swimming gala was held.

1993

The Inter-house Committee was established. The five houses were named after the five previous headmistresses.

1994

The re-establishment of the Parent-teacher Association.

2001–2019

Rebuilding Ying Wa

Mrs Lee Shek Yuk Yu Ruth

Principal

1 Sep 2001

Retirement of Mrs Chau. Mrs Lee Shek Yuk Yu Ruth was appointed to be the new Principal.

7 Oct 2004

The New Annex was officially opened.

11 Dec 2006

The Alumnae Association held a fund-raising Movie Gala at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

27 Mar 2010

The anniversary dinner at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre was the highlight of YW’s 110th anniversary celebration.

1 Sep 2012

YWGS moved to the decanting site in Sham Shui Po.

21 Feb 2014

Ying Wa’s redevelopment project gained approval for an increased funding of $220.7 million.

22 Nov 2014

The Annual Sponsored Walk was completed with the added event ‘Walk an Extra Mile for Ying Wa’.

7 Mar 2015

Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony.

Mr Kwan Hon Cheung Francis

First male Principal

1 Sep 2015

Mr Kwan Hon Cheung Francis was appointed as the first male Principal.

19 Mar 2016

Nearly 10,000 students, alumnae, parents and teachers attended the Spring Bazaar, contributing over $1.7M for the redevelopment of the Robinson Road campus.

24 Mar 2018

The Topping-out Ceremony at the Robinson Road campus.

Mar 2019

The ‘Big Move’ from the decanting site in Sham Shui Po back to our home – the Robinson Road Campus.