Betty Barr (teacher 1959-1972)

Fifty-three years later!  Who could have imagined, in 1967, that a teacher and 28 of her students from Class of 1967 would be reunited through the wonders of modern technology - ZOOM?  We not only saw each other but we sang together ‘Down De Road’, a song I had taught them all those years ago, and the Ying Wa School Song. 

My thanks go to Luk Ming, a hard-working member of their class, who has kept in touch with Miss Jenkins in the UK over many years.  I was able to give the ‘girls’ news of Miss Valerie Hepple, Miss Daphne Hughes, Miss Margaret Thomas and Miss Margaret Moore, who are all my email correspondents.  Of course, I also keep in touch with Rev C.C. Lee, Miss Yau Ping Wai, Miss Kwan Yeuk Laan…. What a community Ying Wa is! 

On the spot, I asked the girls if they would like to meet my handsome, 92-year-old Shanghainese husband, George.  They learned that he is trying to teach me, aged 87, to cook some Chinese dishes.  (I still prefer Cantonese food.) 

It was amazing that, in fact, I did recognize some of the girls and it was fascinating to learn a little about their lives in various corners of the world.  One of them lives in my mother’s hometown - Dallas, Texas, USA.  

My thanks, also, go to Yue Sai Hung, who chaired the meeting so efficiently.  I hope some other classes can learn from the Class of 1967. 

Finally, I would like to praise this Alumnae Association Newsletter which has kept me in touch with Ying Wa events and people over many years.  Long may it flourish! 

August 2020

Previous articles on Miss Barr can be accessed here.

Miss Betty Barr with her husband George Wang in Shanghai

Class of 1967

Our class had plans for a global reunion in Hong Kong in March 2020 to celebrate the opening of the new Ying Wa campus, with a tentative side trip to Shanghai to visit our beloved teacher Miss Betty Barr, who taught us English, Scripture and Music.  

Notwithstanding the disappointment of our smashed dreams by the horrible COVID-19 pandemic, 28 girls (10 from HK, 2 from Sydney, and the rest living in various cities in North America) were able to have a marvellous time with our teacher in the morning of 7 August on Zoom.  

Miss Barr joined our Zoom

Following Ying Wa’s tradition, and with thankful hearts, we started our gathering with a prayer.  Next, Miss Barr was invited to talk to us.  87 now, our teacher still looks very much the same as decades before, and time has not eroded her warmness and bright smile either.  She shared with us interesting episodes in her childhood, college days, years teaching in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Scotland, and the return to Shanghai in 1984 to tie the knot with Mr. George Wang.  You can imagine our delight when the gracious elderly gentleman appeared on the screen to say hello.  

Miss Barr, too, was interested in knowing more about what we had been doing.  We also made a point of singing together “Down de Road”, one of the many songs that Miss Barr taught us.  

We learned from our teacher  -         

It is NEVER too late    ~ to enjoy a romance, 

                                                ~ to develop one’s potentials, 

                                                ~ to embrace new technology… 

BRAVO, Teacher!