Hi classmates,
Indeed Mr. Lowcock’s life is not without controversy.
I was not a fan at all for Lowcock in schooldays for several good reasons.
For me, the foremost is that the Chaplin in our times was a heretical “Christian”, a Modernist or Liberalist. Lowcock let him preach and teach us his un-orthodox teachings and doctrines. In that sense, Lowcock was the accomplice. In the year of L.6, I boldly walked away in the midst of morning assembly, as a protest against his call on all students to stand up paying tribute to the Pope Paul VI (1963-78). This pope was one of the worst popes of modern time if not all time because of his advocacy of deifying(神化) Mary, the mother of Jesus to be the “Mother of God ” as well as the Infallibility of Pope, taking these insane beliefs to the greatest heights. How can Mary be God? How can a pope be flawless, like God, when he makes so many mistakes and wrongs?
Lowcock’s endeavors on all round education, in my opinion, were far from perfect either. As some of you have pointed out and let me add, he might be too liberal to let the students to DIY. We never had any homeworks. We could bang and shout, totally ignoring the teachers during our classes. In one word, over-indulgence. As a result, I was a victim too. It turned out that I focused overly on religious activities in senior forms, neglecting my academic pursuits and led to poor health for years, which largely explains the late development of my career.
Why am I writing this? Just to let you all know that I am not a shoeshine boy. Only knowing how to eulogize (歌功頌德). Like many of DBS boys, I’m the same Henry who speaks his mind regardless. This is one of the many faces of our DBS Spirit. Hey, we ain’t no North Korean people. Most of all, I want to tell you all that, despite the flaws you may find in Lowcock, despite your disliking of him, to whatever extent, I think he deserves some or even great respect from us. Because he was another typical DBS boy doing his way – living his life and doing his job his way. No matter how one discounts his educational achievement, he is widely and deeply respected by many other old boys in his passion to all round education (which was greatly successful, though not 100%) and his devotion of his fortune to raising the needy students. These are undeniable facts. One day in the early 1990’s, I ran into Lowcock on a double decker without air-con. He chat with me casually and happily. I found no arrogance in the old man. That’s why I am more than happy to do something for him as my last tribute.
When one passes away, let us be kind and forgiving to let bygones be bygones. Let him rest in peace. One day, we all will tread the same path. We ain’t no perfect. How would we want to be treated by people when we are gone?
Yours truly,
Henry Chiu
DBS1978er
