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“...i an grant
27 Little Ave Barrie, ON L4N4M7 (705) 726-9677
THE CHEFOO MAGAZINE
SUMMER 1992...”
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“...THE CHEFOO MAGAZINE [Est. 1908]
Published twice a year by the CHEFOO SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION
Edited By Dorothy Cox
34 Pirie Road West Bergholt Colchester Essex CO6 3TA UK
THE CHEFOO GRAPEVINE
(Supplement issued twice-yearly to secondary school Chefusians) Editors: Debbie Peskett & Martin Roberts
THE CHEFOO SCHOOLS (Founded in 1880)
Chefoo was established by the China Inland Mission at Chefoo (Yantai) in Northern China to provide an education for the children of missionaries and the business and diplomatic communities. In 1951 the school left China to relocate in South East Asia. Two Chefoo Schools are currently operating as junior schools in Japan and Malaysia under the Overseas Missionary Fellowship.
CHEFOO SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION (Founded in 1908)
To operate as an association for all former scholars and past and present members of the staffs of the Chefoo Schools. - To sustain interest amongst it’s members in matters concerning the Schools and in one another. - To afford means whereby it’s members...”
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“...Through Scandinavia - Eric Fewster ..................... 5
Reunions............................................................ 6
Extracts from Chefoo Diaries - David Bentley Taylor ................ 7
Present Day Chefoo................................................ 15
A Revival Experience - Eric McMurray................................18
Searching for Footprints of Mission Life in China - J Dudley Woodberry .. 21
Chefoo - The Hairnet Capital of the World 1915-1923 - Bruce Clinton.22
Down Memory Lane - Woodberry Minor (Fred)...........................23
Turbulence and Toe-Holds............................................24
Martha’s Memoirs - Book Review by Norman Cliff .....................25
Eric Liddell Foundation - Press Release..............................27
Congratulations!.....................................................29
Two Chefoo Memories - Stanley Rowe...................................31
Letter - 3rd February 1940...........................................32
Information...”
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“...difficult time for the CSA. At their last meeting the GB committee asked me to take over from Norman, and I do so (pending confirmation at the AGM) not without qualms, being a relative newcomer to CSA, and not having attended a Chefoo school in China but in Sendai, Japan.
It is my intention and hope to be able to encourage some form of reconciliation between the rival CSA groups in North America. The Constitution should be upheld, but no-one must feel that he/she is being excluded from the CSA, nor should anyone insist that his/her group is the CSA to the exclusion of all others.
My second aim will be to maintain a Christian ethos within the CSA without making anyone who is not a practising Christian feel out of place. Chefoo Schools are, after all, Christian schools, and that ethos is part of what we remember and celebrate in the CSA.
My third aim as chairman of the GB committee will be to encourage post-China Chefusians to join the CSA. Without them the GB branch will die out very quickly...”
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“...thanks for your kind letters and best wishes for the future of this magazine. Once again I’m on the scrounge for information.
The mother of an acquaintance of mine was born in Chefoo in the 1930’s. Her name was Elizabeth Macrae (she had two sisters and a brother) and her parents were Duncan and Susan Macrae - Canadian missionaries but not with CIM. Do any of you remember them or know the whereabouts of their descendants?
Is The Chefoo Grapevine still going? If so please could I have details of how often it is published and by whom etc. for the next C.S.A. magazine. If it is no longer in existence I’ll omit it from the front cover.
Many of you have said that ‘Chefoo’ means little to the post-China Chefusians. How about some of you who are in this category proving the other wrong! Play a practical part in the Association, write about your doings, give us ideas of what you would like CSA to do for you. It’s up to you!!
Thanks to all of you who have sent in contributions to make this magazine...”
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“...ACCOUNTS 1991 GREAT BRITAIN BRANCH
Expenditure £ Income £
Magazines 533.61 Subs received 546.00
New Constitution Legal fees 74.75 Martin Memoir Fund 277.50
Chairman’s Expenses 12.50 Bank Interest 26.60
Duplicating, Postage etc 106.52 Sundry Gifts 324.00
Reunion Expenses 31.93
Sundry Expenses 1.64
Surplus for year 413.15
1174.10 1174.10
Balance Sheet as at 31st December 1991
Accumulated A/c 1670.75 Secretary Float A/c 2.68
Cash at Bank Stock of Ties 1565.30 102.77
1670.75 1670.75
Chefoo Schools Fund
O.M.F. for Japan Malaysia 150.00 25.00 Balance b/f Gifts for year Per Accum. Fund 173.00 185.00 42.00
400.00 400.00
Editor - Please may I I have accounts from the other branches for the next
magazine. Thank you.
page 4...”
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“...England visiting her sister Irene was the excuse for a good Chinese feed and gab.
Don & Steve Fish; Doris Gonder; Grant Hanna; Grace (Taylor) Harris; David Michell; Douglas Moore; Betsy (McMullan) Roche; Doris & Irene Rouse; Marion Rouse; Isabel Taylor; William & Vera Tyler; Kathlen (Coates) Thompson; Roxie (Hanna) Wilson.
TORONTO - 28th March 1992
A broad spectrum of Chefusians and friends gathered at the New World Oriental Cuisine for another sumptuous feed. There were three who started at Chefoo between 1970 and 1980 and there were two who started between 1900 and 1910, with 65 other of us in between.
After the meal we had some reminiscences from Ian Grant and Stephen Austin about Kuling as seen on their recent visit. The Chinese guide they had sprkled with riddles, such as :'Why can’t a bicycle stand up by itself?' Answer: ‘Because it is two (too) tired.’
Betty Abbot told us of 22 kids from Faith Academy that they had staying at the OMF Guest Home at 1058 over Christmas and of thier...”
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“...as when one boy at midnight decided to dippieces of an old foam mattress in the generator gas, set them alight and pitch them overthe wall for a fire-works display.
Finally, David Michel! showed us a video of his recent visit back to Weifang and Chefoo and told us of the delation of the seven-foot high memorial stone to Eric Liddell.
These memories of the Chefoo Schools continue to widen and deepen.
Present were: Ron & Betty Abbot; Doug & Mrs Andrew; Samuel & Mrs Arendt; Alvyn & Stephen Austin; Rosemary Baker; Pealr (Galloway) Dobson; David Dykema; Donald & Elizabeth Gibson; Doris Gonder; Ian, Sandra & Gertie Grant; Gordon & Mary Gray; Grant & Bruce Hanna; Grace (Taylor) Harris; Don & Eunice Harrison; Ian & Kathryn Harrison; Heather Ryland Jones; Tom & Heather (Michell) Lappalla; Alex MacLeod; Ernest & Marie (Davis) Martin; Rjona (Guelch) McCoppen; & 2 friends; Bob McMullan; Sharon (Fuller) McNutt; David, Joan, Robyn, Ken & Judith Michell, ivy (Gonder) Mildon; Doug & Jean Moore; Gaston...”
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“...sickness, though many of them must feel the long separations from their parents which are their lot. This is one of several ways in which Chefoo differs from any of the schools I was at in England. Here the difference between junior and senior boys is much less, relationship between boys and staff more intimate and friendly, the link between boys and parents much weaker owing to the vast distances and wartime conditions. There is no desperate sense of belonging to one particular ‘house’ within the school, nor of rivalry with other schools, for on this far away coast there is no contact whatsoever with any similar institution. The whole tone and spirit of Chefoo is different - warmer, closer, I would say. On the last night of term, for instance, having bathed with the boys in the sea during the afternoon and again at 8 p.m., I indulged in an hour of hard pillow-fighting and wrestling in bedrooms with all the forms in turn. When I was utterly exhausted the sixth form, who had tried unsuccessfully...”
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“...time it was exceptionally severe and we may have been struck by the edge of a typhoon. Seven trees were blown down around us, telephone and wirelesses are out of order, and there is a legacy of mud and slush everywhere. The sea has been lashed into a fury, with waves crashing over the breakwater outside the harbour and concrete on the promenade smashed up a thigh tide. It is quite strange to see clouds of spray and all the other things one associated with stormy conditions in England, for at Chefoo the water is normally perfectly calm. A few days ago I checked carefully and found that only the last foot of water was moving gently on the sandy beach.
INVIGILATING FOR THE SECOND FORM November 18 1939
I get quite a lot of exercise while invigilating for the second form, my own form. Thechildren ask innumerable questions, but as they are not allowed to move from their places or speak aloud, I have to thread my way between the desks every tine a hand is raised. Frequently all they need is a...”
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“...at 8.15 taken that week by David Davies, a visitor from Shansi. A brief time of prep followed, with me still on the dais and the whole of the Boys School present. A seven minutes to nine we all went over to the main school bu ilding to start the morning’s work, which lasted from 9 until 12.50 with a twenty minute break in the middle, during which I was responsible for senior school drill. Lunch followed at 1 p.m. at the Boys School. In the afternoon there was supposed to be a match against the Chefoo United, an excellent Chinese team with a Portugese goalkeeper captain, but unfortunately they had to cancel it, so I sent the boys around the compound to collect as many people as possible and we had a pick up game. Then I sat in the master’ room for an hour before supper with the boys dropping in from time to time. They have to ask permission before they can leave the school grounds and on Saturdays there was always a good deal of visiting brothers and sisters at the Girls School and the Prep...”
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“...LAST KICK November 25 1933
I played for the School against Chefoo United today. It was the last match of the season and the boys were very anxious to wipe out their two previous defeats. The game was played in the most dreadful conditions. There was a bitterly cold wind and it was snowing nearly all the time. All our side wore gloves and some of them hs three sweaters on. Although ft was so frightfully cold, the game was a splendid one. On account of the strong wind it was decided we shouldpiay for four periods of twenty minutes each, instead of the usual half times. It proved io be a titanic struggle. The boys had learnt a lot from previous encounters with these friendly Chinese who combined together so well and were very keen to beat us again. We were much encouraged by an early goal in the first quarter and we scored again straight from the kick-off in the second. However, the United pulled themselves together and retaliated with two good goals. In the third quarter their goalkeeper...”
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“...juniors from both Boys and Girls School in an hour of carol singing outside several houses on our compound. No sooner was that finished than I went out again with the seniors and other staff members and friends, a party of about sixty. It proved to be the most memorable carol experience I have ever had in life.
The route had been carefully mapped out and for three hours we walked along through the suburbs of Chefoo, singing enthusiastically outside the homes of members of the China Inland Mission, of other missions and of friends of various nationalities, the eastern end of Chefoo being quite a foreign quarter. Carrying torches and magic lanterns we must have formed a picturesque sight, including as we did our own orchestra of four violins, a cornet, a trumpet and cello. The singing had been well practised and went excellently. It was a beautiful starlit night, fortunately not very cold, though we were all warmly clad. As we were singing outside one house we noticed that some Japanese soldiers...”
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“...PRESENT DAY CHEFOO
NANAE - JAPAN (From - Judith Spear)
In recent years Chefoo School, Japan has been becoming increasingly international. At present we have only thirteen children but they come from seven ‘home countries’ - Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, South Africa, U.K., U.S.A. With over a third of the children being Asian, it’s so good to have Polly Chan from Hong Kong here with us as Assistant Housemother for the past eighteen months. As well as ‘homeside duties’ Polly also has given the children a series of fascinating lessons about Chinese customs and culture as well as giving Chinese lessons to our four Chinese children.
To add even more variety, we’ve had eleven year old Vladimir from Russia studying with us for five months while his father did research in the nearby university. It has been a thrilling and humbling experience for all of us to watch God’s working in his parents’ lives during this time. All the Chefoo children were there to share their joyful Baptism service...”
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“...Rest-hour in Level One, with the sound of the mower outside;
- Proud smiles from both students and parents as graduation photos are snapped;
- A line of taxis sweeps out towards the gates, with arms waving and shouts of "See you next term!”
We never expected to be asked to stand in for Barry McKessar as ‘Chefoo Co-Ordinator’ for one term in 1991, and it was a great privilege to do so: and a memorable climax to our missionary service in malaysia. We came to appreciate even more the dedication and hard work of the regular staff (both missionary and Malaysian). And we realized afresh that the special atmosphere of Chefoo is not to be taken for granted. Now that the decision has been made for Chefoo to remain in the Cameron Highlands (though with a reduced enrolement) let us continue to bathe that valley in our prayers. Do mention before the Lord those names that you remember, and those of His servants whom you know personally. And continue to pray for each missionary family, separated for four...”
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“...CHEFOO HOMES MANILA NEWS UPDATE Jan-May 1992
The second half of this school year includes four long weekends, much to the delight of the Chefoo Homes. Actually, there are relatively few ex-Chefusians and so the Chefoo Homes are more commonly called the OMF Dorms.
As the Philippine elections draw nearer than is comfortable, Faith Academy continues to be a prayer-centred community drawn closer by the trials that have affected many people.
Despite the many interruptions and extra activities, the Gospel Team was finally able to start performing in January. This is a team of schooler, of which three OM F ‘Dormees’ are members. This team sings and performs dramas for Philipino churches. They were able to work at a Relocation Centre for Mt. Pinatubo survivors over a weekend which began with a Ministry Day.
On Ministry Day all the high schoolers went to the ministry for their first, second or third choice, for the day. They ranged from helping at an orphanage to writing devotionals or putting down...”
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“...A REVIVAL EXPERIENCE
By R F (Eric) McMurray
I would like to tell you about a revival that took place at a boarding School for missionaries’children by the shores of the Yellow Sea. Actually, it wastheorigina 'Chefoo School’ of the China Inland Mission, now known as the Overseas Missionary Fellowship.
A very young and inexperienced missionary, not of the CIM, was invited to preach on three successive Sundays at the school’s ‘Memorial Hall’, the largest Christiar auditorium in the city of Chefoo/Yentai. A regular feature of school life, these Sunday afternoon services were attended not only by the entire student body anc staff of Chefoo School, but also by other English speaking people living or visiting in the area.
The headmaster, a Christian gentleman and a godly man, made it quite clear to the young speaker (who was to some extent an unknown quantity) that altar calls, invitations to come forward, etc. while not exactly forbidden, were not normal procedure at theses public gatherings...”
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“...staff of Chefoo School, by name, every day, and he had brought along the official list so that none would be overlooked. When you think that the bulk of the students were 'MK’s' (missionary kids) whose parents were currently serving in various parts of China - many, indeed, in West China beyond the front lines where the Chinese armies were locked in mortal combat with the Japanese aggressors - you will understand that this was no ordinary situation. Little did weknow that things would get worse, and stay worse for a long time before they would begin to get better.
To me, at that stage, the names listed - some four hundred of them - were mostly no more than names, but not so to Dr Howie. From time to time, as we read through the list, the good doctor would lift up his heart in special prayer for specific needs, including the need in certain cases, as he felt, for conversion, deliverance, consecration, growth in the Christian life, an so on.
Back in those days (fifty years ago) we didn't...”
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“...for us ‘enemy aliens’ in Japanese-occupied territories. Chefoo School, like all enemy property, was claimed by the Imperial Japanese Army. Communication between Japanese-occupied China and other parts of China was virtually cut off. One year of ‘loose house arrest’ and three years in internment camps were about to begin. Some persons have testified that they, and the school, were better prepared for those trying years as a result of the events I have described above.
3. A third and perhaps crucial answer to the question of ‘why?’ of this revival should not be overlooked. A little band of God’s people - those I have named earlier, and others, living close to God and sensitive to the leading of His Holy Spirit, opted to ‘carry the battle to the gates’ by means of special and persistent intercession. They became the Lord’s remembrancers, as Isaiah said, taking no rest and giving the Lord no rest, so to speak, till He would make Chefoo a praise in the earth.
page 20...”
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“...minutes to rest’ in our gilded cage outside the town. The security personnel kept such close watch over us, we nick-named them Ihe Lin Yi Express; don’t leave home without them’.
We bicycled around Jinan, where Bob had taught for two years and found some of his old students anxious to learn about our faith.
During a visit to a second grade classroom, Roberta was asked what she valued most about America. When she replied “Freedom," she was told “Sorry, but I cannot translate that.”
In Yan Tai (Chefoo) where we children had gone to school, we found old school buildings, the hospital where ourtonsils had been removed, and one of our homes - all behind military walls. We also found six flights of stairs, where Ada left new footprints when the elevator’s electricity was cut off.
in Pungiai the old mission had been covered over by streets and concrete buildings; so we asked if anyone knew where it had been. The second old man we met grabbed Ada’s hand and exclaimed, “You were my teacher!” The...”
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