SPC Alumni Reunion Dinner (September 20, 1996)

The Greater Toronto Area has the highest Chinese population in North America, including many St. Paul's graduates and former students. Alumni from different classes have met in small groups in the past, and during 1991 and 1992, members of the Class (Form 5) of 1961 began to hold monthly dinner meetings and were later joined by the Class of 1963. Efforts were made to network with other alumni and at one time nearly twenty turned up. Not surprisingly, the idea of forming an alumni association was mentioned more than once.

In July 1996, several alumni decided to revive the issue and hold a dinner meeting discuss forming an alumni association. The date of meeting was September 20, 1996 and the place was the Century Palace Restaurant in Markham, just outside Toronto. A news release was sent to local Chinese newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and television. The 1991 Edition of the Alumni Directory published by the HKAA was also a source of names and addresses of alumni residing in the Greater Toronto Area. More than seventy alumni were contacted.

The St. Paul's alumni reunion gathering turned out to be a great success, with 48 alumni participating and some came with their spouse. Names of participants are as follows:

Class 1933 - CHAN Po Sum, Dennie SIU Tin Lim, TAM Kwan Kon
Class 1941 - CHAN Tak Chiu
Class 1955 - Dennis CHAN, CHING Yuk Sing, Stephen KWONG Tai Fan, LUI Wing Kun
Class 1956 - Sidney POON Sze Lim
Class 1958 - Dick POON Che Hong
Class 1960 - Kenneth TSE Kwong Yu , HO Shung Hay, Ronald LIU Kwok Wai
Class 1961 - SO Loong Sin, Jeffrey TONG Hing Yin, Peter TSANG Kai Kin
Class 1963 - Philip CHOI Chiu Ming, Sam HUI Yan Kan, William LEE Wai Nam, David LEUNG Shu Man, Anthony WONG Dick Ming
Class 1965 - CHAN Kar Wah
Class 1967 - Lambert CHENG Shu Lam, Joseph LO Jo Yan, Gordon SHAW Ka Shing
Class 1969 - Danny HONG Hin Ning, LEUNG Nin Ming, Thomas LI Hoi Ki, Tim LU Tin Leung, Jimmy SUN Kar Wah, Kenneth TAM Ming Kin, TONG Tack, Patrick WONG Yin Chiu, Ben YAN Wai Hon, Frank YAU Chuen On, David YU Kwok Tung
Class 1972 - Michael LEUNG Chi Man, Simon LEE See Pang
Class 1974 - Dennis HO Kwok Kuen, William YAU Chuen Hing
Class 1977 - Eric FAHN
Class 1978 - Willy LUK Wing Heng, Albert YU Chun Ming, Danny YEUNG Siu Chin
Class 1979 - Charles TSE Kin Chung
Class 1985 - Trevor SU
Class 1995 - CHAN Po Lun, Peter IP Wai Lun

The three most senior alumni are from the Class of 33, they are Dennie SIU Tin Lim, TAM Kwan Kon and CHAN Po Sum. The two youngest alumni are CHAN Po Lun and Peter IP Wai Lun, both from the class of Form 5 in 1995. The largest group was the Class of 69, with twelve old boys having registered for the dinner (one of them - Edward HUNG Ping Ching could not come).

A good time was had by all! Some publications of St. Paul's were displayed - "News from St. Paul's", "St. Paul's College Alumni Association Alumni Directory 1991 Edition", "St. Paul's College 120 Anniversary 1851-1971", and several old issues of "Wayfarer" from two participants. Members of each class took turn to come to the microphone to introduce themselves and say a few words; some giving hilarious accounts of old times and happy days and nicknames of buddies and former teachers were mentioned. Though no special program was planned, the evening was considered by most to be entertaining and enjoyable!