Joyce Symons

File:Cjoffice.jpgCatherine Joyce Symons CBE JP (née Anderson; 18 August 1918 – 11 June 2004) was an educator, former teacher of the Diocesan Girls' School the leading girls' school in Hong Kong and its headmistress for 32 years.

She was also a Member of the Urban Council, Hong Kong Legislative Council, and the Executive Council of Hong Kong.

Biography

File:Thefentons mama.jpgJoyce Anderson was born in Shanghai, China, daughter of Lucy Elanor Perry and Charles Graham (Carl) Anderson, and arrived in Hong Kong with her family at the age of 3. She began what was to become her lifelong involvement with the school in January 1926, when she joined the Diocesan Girls' School (DGS) as a student.

After graduating from the University of Hong Kong in 1939 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Geography, she joined DGS as a geography teacher. Symons became headmistress in 1953, and held that post until her retirement. Symons is credited with turning DGS into the leading girls' school it remains to this day: in particular pioneering all-round education to "nurture broader minds, with music, dancing, sports of all kinds".[http://laihiu.nicesoda.com/life/lived/musical-news02.html With a song in their hearts] Review of DGS Girl, South China Morning Post, 3 September 2005 Symons caused furore in 1967 when she introduced sex education into the school, which was condemned as "evil heresy", and provoked rebellion among conservative parents and ridicule from the wider community.

She was one of three women to be subject of the book Being Eurasian: Memories across Racial Divides, which centred on the difficulties faced by Eurasians growing up in Hong Kong in the 1920s and 1930s.[http://www.asianreviewofbooks.com/arb/article.php?article=490 Being Eurasian: Memories across Racial Divides by Vicky Lee] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120722174640/http://www.asianreviewofbooks.com/arb/article.php?article=490 |date= 22 July 2012 }}, John Walsh, Asian Review of Books, 29 December 2004

Symons was bestowed the title 'Justice of the Peace' (J.P.) by the Hong Kong Government in 1965, and was appointed OBE by HM Queen Elizabeth II 1971.

She was appointed to the Hong Kong Legislative Council in 1972 through 1976, and the first woman appointed to serve on the Executive Council of Hong Kong, in 1976.{{cite web

| title = But they pledge to do a good job

| date = 27 August 1976

| work = The Star

| url=http://sunzi1.lib.hku.hk/newspaper/view/09_01.01/93282.pdf

| accessdate = 23 February 2007 }} In 1977, she was appointed member of the oversight committee of the Independent Commission Against Corruption of Hong Kong.{{cite web

| title = Keeping tabs on ICAC

| date = 2 December 1977

| work = The Star

| url=http://sunzi1.lib.hku.hk/newspaper/view/09_11.01/88174.pdf

| accessdate = 23 February 2007 }}

She was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws (LL.D) by the Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong in 1978.[https://archive.today/20071020023300/http://www3.hku.hk/eroonweb/hongrads/person.php?mode=detail&id=131 Hong Kong University Citation: Cathering Joyce Symons] University of Hong Kong, 1978

She retired in 1985, and published her memoirs entitled Looking at the stars: Memoirs of Catherine Joyce Symons. She died in Surrey, England on 11 June 2004 at the age of 85.[http://www.hku.hk/convocat/newsletter/04summer/p44_45.pdf#search=%22%22Joyce%20SYmons%22%22 Obituaries], Milestones, University of Hong Kong, 2004

Published works

=Authored works=

Looking at the stars: Memoirs of Catherine Joyce Symons (1996 Pegasus) {{ISBN|962-8018-02-7}}

=As featured subject=

{{cite book |last=Lee |first=Vicky |author-link= |date=2004 |title=Being Eurasian: Memories Across Racial Divides |url= |location= |publisher=Hong Kong University Press |pages= |isbn=9789622096707}}