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12 Feb00:00am

From Ramon Lo

Lowcock became Headmaster in 1961, a year after I left DBS in 1960 so I didn’t really know him. Nor has he taught me.

I do remember him clipping me on my ear once.

Somehow, he knows me. My twin elder brothers left for the US in 1961 so Lowcock was never their headmaster either. The only link must be my younger brother who joined me in England in 1964 or so.

I got to know him after I returned to HK in 1971. Our encounters were far and few, yet he has an incredible memory; possibility because of my role at DSOBA or acting as Class of 64’s convener.

From everything I have learnt, he was a great headmaster and human being. Headmasters like that are rare gems.

About 3 years ago, a group of 5 of us visited him at home. He immediately said I don’t know you Ramon, who are you James, etc. He then said I hate people asking if I remember them. I thought that was impressive as he was not supposed to know me.

Ramon

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09 Feb00:00am

My Deepest Condolences Will always be a part of our lives – Brian John Abbas

My Deepest Condolences Will always be a part of our lives

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08 Feb00:00am

My memory of Har Gow Lo – Huey Man Chiu Class of 1969

I cannot say that I know Lowcock well but I am certain that he knew every single boy who came to the School while he was headmaster.  By way of proof and in order to dispel a myth, let me recount two pieces of personal experience – both of enormous influence on my later development.
When I received the piece of paper slip telling me my School Certificate grades, I was scared.  We were told earlier that we needed at least three credits to be readmitted to DBS’s Form Six.  I got two.  Going to see the headmaster as was required, I expected the worse.  He took one look at me, then said, “It’s alright. You are good for doing study.  Come back, September.”  Relief and gratitude.  Above all, I was surprised at his quick decision.  Now, I felt that he had given me just that one important chance because he must be a very perceptive educator.
The other incident happened when that one year the inter-house athletics meet took place.  It was the 100 metres dash; and the times were bad.  We were made to sit on the steps of the field and faced a dress-down by the headmaster.  None of the top athletes escaped.  In fact, nobody, I believed at the time, would.  When my name was called out, I listened and he said, “No use to say much, really.  You just concentrate on your study.”  Our headmaster was not interested only in sports and students who excelled in sports.  He understood our strengths and weaknesses.  I actually enjoyed sports a lot more after this.
Many of the students during his 22 years as Headmaster of DBS might have seen him very few times, if not only during Speech Days and of course would dread to be ‘invited’ to his office.  But I am sure in different ways our values and attitudes and education were quietly but significantly shaped by his own belief in DBS education.
Huey Man Chiu
Class of 1969

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07 Feb00:00am

Gratitude to S.J.Lowcock – Ernie Chou

When I entered DBS as a boarder in 1959, Mr. Lowcock was there to welcome me.

He immediately took me under his wing, and, indeed, became my surrogate fathe when my own father was held in a communist prison due to his journalistic view of Chairman Mao.
Mr. Lowcock was always there for me with his sage wisdom, timely advice, and emotional support,as I am certain he was for many other “DBS Boys.” He taught me so many valuable life lessons, chief among them, “Think for yourself and don’t follow the crowd.” In fact, I credit my business success to that very pearl of “Lowcock” wisdom. He ignited my love for sports that became a flame which still burns within me today, and has given me countless enjoyable hours as both a participant and a spectator. He was truly a gentleman and a scholar, and I can think of no one else that had such a positive influence in my life and the lives of all those young men who attended DBS during his tenure.

And so today,I raise my glass to one of the finest, most generous men I will ever know, Mr S. Jimmy Lowcock.

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07 Feb00:00am

「蝦餃」走了！- Dr. Aurelius Wai-Ching Fung DBS 86

「蝦餃」走了！

對一眾拔萃舊生來說，以「蝦餃」稱呼我們這位前（兩）任校長，比用其全名Mr. SJ Lowcock （郭慎墀）來得更親切。

噩耗傳來，歷代校友紛紛上線留言致哀，當中不少是我這一輩在他任期最末三兩間年入學的「小」師弟。同屆同學雖只與老校長共處不過兩年（他在任二十二年，於八三年我諗中二時因健康問題提早退休），對他卻懷有無尚的敬重。

全因他是個有心的校長。這份心，即使是我這個初中時只管啃書的「薯仔」也深深感受到。

他重視每個學生的多元發展，鼓勵他們參與各項課外活動，並保證學生不會因家境貧窮而喪失被栽培的機會。當年他不時自掏腰包，資助貧困學生購買樂器和體育裝備，至今仍為人稱道。在他任內，運動比賽不只是校隊的事，校際音樂節不只是合唱團或管弦樂團的事 – 這是全校上下的事! 每年三月的校際田徑賽，決賽當日特許全校停課，發動各級同學到灣仔運動場為田徑隊打氣，成為了母校的傳統和校友們的集體回憶，還記得中二那年，當我們重奪失落一屆的總冠軍，老校長在頒獎禮致辭時，當著其他參賽學校數千師生前，雀躍地宣佈我校翌日全校休假！他的投入感和熱情，較諸同學，有過之而無不及。拔萃在學界體育和音樂的成就，與老校長這種貼心關懷實有莫大關係。

他特別關心學生福利，他設立的各項助學金暫且不說，最令同學們受惠的，要數以鉅額補貼學校飯堂和小賣部，提供極低亷的午餐，確保佔多數沒有饒裕零用外出用膳的同學都能在校內吃得飽。三十年前飯堂的飯票兩塊半錢一張，小賣部星洲炒米售三元，餵飽了我們一眾基層學生，津津樂道，那份親切非現時那「豪裝」的外判餐廳可予。

他也是個嚴師，在那個仍然認可體罰的年代，他執起那根藤條打學生屁股可說是毫不手軟，足見他對學生品行有嚴格的要求，同時他也不吝嗇對學生的嘉許。有一次早會上，一位外籍學長要宣讀幾則冗長而艱深的中文通告，對以英文為母語的他是一大考驗。當他小心翼翼讀畢通告，坐在講台上的老校長突然站起，一手把米高風拿過來，以他一口流利的中文說：「請為他鼓掌！他只在小學時讀過三年中文。」這豈不是一個啓發動能（empowerment）的親身示範？

在他任內，拔萃成為一個來自不同背景的學生能夠無分彼此，共融無間的地方，不論是富家公子或清貧子弟，都可以找到自己引以為傲的位置和身份，從而萌生對學校的歸屬感，傾心全情作出貢獻。

有「蝦餃」這位與別不同的校長，才能把母校打造成與眾不同。

八三年某一天，當他在早會上突然宣佈將提早於學年終退下來，頓時全校千名師生鴉雀無聲，惘然目送他顫抖著身軀在總學生長攙扶下，蹣跚地歩下講台的情景，至今仍歷歷在目。

歷歷在目的，還有那次放學後，大草場上，我正參與社堂的強制田徑集訓，老校長正提著那根可以當摺椅坐的三腳行杖，瞥見我這個剛完成round school（環校跑）正在回氣的「Form 1 仔」，向我報以和藹的點頭。

這是我與「蝦餃」最切身的接觸。微不足道，卻刻骨銘心。

老校長畢生為拔萃熱情躍動的心，終在這個寒冷的初春停下來。Rest in Peace，Mr. Lowcock.

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07 Feb00:00am

A Tribute to Mr. S. J. Lowcock – Leung Lit Cheong (Class ’60)

A Tribute to Mr. S. J. Lowcock, Headmaster of Diocesan Boys’ School from1961 to 83

A vast majority of his students respected Mr. Lowcock, an outstanding physics teacher before his appointment as Headmaster of DBS in 1961. His lucid and well presented lessons on heat, light and sound became sources of inspiration even to an artistically inclined student like myself.

In 1957-58 while being a student in Form 3, I was fortunate enough to have Mr. Lowcock as my Form Master. Not only did he know all his students in the class by name, his keen observation also enabled him to understand their strengths and weaknesses. In appropriate moments, he gave them timely advice for remedies.

The trademark of Mr. Lowcock was his thick moustache. His moustache seemed to radiate happiness when issues on sports were raised. As Sports Master in the 50’s, he encouraged student participation in athletics and other sports. And he instilled the importance of sportsmanship into participants.

During his 22 years as Headmaster, academic excellence of the students was just one of his priorities. His ideal of bringing up students as all rounders was reflected in various achievements of the school in music and sports under his leadership.

Mr. Lowcock’s contributions in the development of the school was discernible. He decentralized further the administration of the school. New facilities such as the new laboratories and swimming pool were built. More old boys were recruited as teachers in order to preserve the school’s tradition and culture. Moreover, he was a strong voice urging the government to revamp its education policies to cater for the changing demands of the society.

For his friendliness, kindness and charismatic personality, Mr. Lowcock was definitely loved by his students. Having grown up in a relatively poor family, he had a good grasp of the needs of students from the lower strata of the community. Financial assistance directly from his own pocket to needy students was legendary. That partly accounted for his inadequate savings for the purchase of a house for his own retirement. His past students who appreciated his love and generosity returned him the gift of a house in Sai Kung, so that he would live in peace and quiet during retirement.

Retirement did not deter him from continual contacts with his past students. The stream of past students who visited him by appointments was simply amazing. Mr. Lowcock who had gained love and respect from students was a living example of what a true educator should be.

He is, and will be, dearly missed by his boys. May he rest in peace.

Leung Lit Cheong (Class ’60)

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06 Feb00:00am

Memorial to Jimmy Lowcock – Andrew TC Ma, class of ’58 ‘

” Mr. Lowcock had always been someone very special to a lot of us because of what he taught us, especially during the time when he was our Sports Master. He instilled into us that the principle of sports was (and is) based on the following:
– Firstly, we must always be giving our best possible effort;
– Secondly, we must be completely honest , and
– Thirdly we must always try to do the right thing.
These values were deeply ingrained into us and were responsible for our top performances on and off the field.  They enabled us to be counted on to undertake any and all tasks that faced us for the rest our lives.  They enabled us to stand tall and proud to have been DBS – trained and nurtured, for which we will be forever grateful.
Mr. Lowcock has left his mark on all of us who learned under him and he will always be remembered and revered for the rest of our lives.
Submitted by Andrew TC Ma, class of ’58 ‘

 

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06 Feb00:00am

Lowcock – Michael CK Wong (83)

Mr. Lowcock is one of the best Headmaster and bring lots of inspiration to the DBS boys. We love him all and may he rest in peace. 

Michael CK Wong (83)

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06 Feb00:00am

Mr. Lowcock – C.K. Wu (DBS 1981 – 1987)

I was a student at DBS from 1981 – 1987. I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Mr. Lowcock. He (Ah-Gow) was a remarkable headmaster. Not only did he elevate our school to its highest academic glory, but he also encouraged us to develop our sporting and musical interests. I feel honoured that he was a part of my school life. 

May our beloved Mr. Lowcock rest in eternal peace.

C.K. Wu
Brisbane, Australia

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04 Feb00:00am

From Dr Peter YU DBS1961, Oakland, CA, USA

Dr Peter YU DBS1961, Oakland, CA, USA
Lowcock (or Har Gao Lo as he is known to all this students) played an important role in our life at DBS. This is particularly true for those of us who went through Lower 6 and Upper 6 at DBS since he became our Headmaster during our last 2 years at DBS. I remember him teaching us Physics in Lower 6. In the US tradition we should not feel sorrow at his passing but instead we should celebrate his life since he has touched so many of us. His life revolved around the school and we have all become part of his extended family. Not only he helped me to get into HKU but he also helped my brother Robert to get into HKU. He came several time to visit my father to convince my father to let my brother enter HKU to study PHysics (by the way Lowcock also studied Physics at HKU). Because of his effort I had a much easier time to get my father’s approval to study Physics at HKU. As far as I know not too many students took PHysics from Lowcock. He was unusual in his approach to teaching Physics. He did not emphasize mathematical rigor in deriving Physics equations. Instead he emphasize concepts. It was not until I have taught Physics at Berkeley for many years before I realize that he has the right approach to teaching Physics. It is easy to manipulate the equation (ie doing the maths) but much more difficult to get the concept right. 
I wonder if some of our HK classmates can represent our class in the memorial service to honor Har Gao Lo!
Peter YU 1961

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