Enlightenment to Democracy - Two Historical Schools in Taipei
When
Lee was 22, Tokyo’s surrender brought an end to World War II, and also to
Japan’s fifty-year colonial rule over Taiwan.
Lee’s
passing on July 30, 2020 marks a closure for Taiwanese people's memories of
Japanese rule.
Established in 1922, the school offered a
seven-year program, graduation from which guaranteed entry to Taihoku Imperial
University (today’s National Taiwan University). Of the 38 elite high schools
Japan created before World War II to prepare students for admission to Japan’s
Imperial Universities system, Taihoku Higher School was the only one in Taiwan.
The acceptance rate was said to have been a mere 0.1%, and Lee was one of four
Taiwanese accepted in 1941 (out of a total of 38).
The
Transitional Justice Commission (促進轉型正義委員會) reviewed the guilty verdicts of
Yanping teachers and students; belated justice was served when President Tsai
Ing-wen issued an exoneration certificate on January 21, 2020.
Despite
extreme financial pressures and political threats, the college began to regroup
in 1948. Notable Taiwanese intellectuals joined the teaching staff, among them
Lee Teng-hui and John Lai (賴永祥), a Taihoku Higher School
alumni who later became head of the Harvard-Yenching Library.
John Lai today in Taiwan is best known for his ‘Elder John Lai’s archives’ "We hope these on-line resources would help who like to know more or study history of Christianity (especially Presbyterian Church) in Taiwan in some ways." (Recommend Read)
In his memoir, Chu — who passed away in 2002 — fondly recalled talking with Lee about Yanping’s past, present and future during the latter’s term as Taipei mayor. (See My Grandfather and Lee Teng-hui)
Yanping is today a prestigious private high school on Jianguo South Road (建國南路) in Taipei. Notable alumni include politician Kang Ning-hsiang (康寧祥), filmmaker Wu Nien-jen (吳念真), and musician-turned-lawmaker Freddy Lim (林昶佐).
On September 18 2020, on behalf of my belated father, I was invited to National Taiwan Normal University attending a special event but on this day something else significant “Remembering Lee Teng-hui” and a special exhibition “Plants collections by teachers and students in the 1920-1930s”.
It was an emotional and mesmerizing days for all who involved – organizors, NTNU staff and admins, and naturally the remaining proud alumni and family representations of this historical school.
Koo Kwang-ming 辜寬敏 and his brother Koo Chen-fu 辜振甫 are both
Taihoku Higher alumni.
The remaining few (my father’s classmates) shared a special memory of their English teacher George Kerr 葛超智 ( a United States diplomat during World War II, and in later years an author and an academic.) who taught in Taihoku High 1938-1940.
Kabira Chōsei 川平朝清 ( Notable alumni who was born in Taichung and who has a unique and diverse perspective on World War II.) and George Kerr reunited in 1965 in USA at which time Kerr gave Kabira an English edition of 'Formosa Betrayed'
Shedding Light on “Formosa’sBetrayal”: Kabira Chōsei on George Kerr and Taiwanese History (Recommend Read)
Taihoku Higher School Plants collection (1920 - 1940) exhibition
Kudos to NTNU staff and researchers painstaking efforts to uncover collections buried for eighty years (!) and present us today this amazing and beautiful exhibition!
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