In Memory of Mr. Jimmy Lowcock
-- A Devoted Educator --
Mr. Jimmy Lowcock was not yet the principal when I was in DBS before the 1960s. He taught PE (Physical Education) when I was in Form II. It was customary in school to converse with the teachers in English, with the exception of the Chinese teacher. Before DBS, I had attended Salisan School 慈幼學校which was a typical Chinese Primary School where English was taught beginning in Primary 5. As a result, my English was handicapped. I had difficulty understanding his instructions during PE class. However, he still helped students like me feel comfortable, because he occasionally instructed us in Chinese. He was very knowledgeable and seemed to know every sport and their rules. His knowledge extended to science when he taught me Physics in Form IV. He knew so much about Physics and made it so simple to understand. This experience encouraged me to study Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at the Michigan Tech later.
As teenagers, we admired Mr. Lowcock. In those years, most of us were under-weight. Mr. Lowcock was tall and walked with good posture, but he still had a little pudgy tummy. My buddy and schoolmate, Willie Chow, thought the tummy was symbolic of someone who was prestigious and wealthy. He always said it would be wonderful if he could have the same feature. As a matter of fact, after he married, Willie achieved an even bigger tummy.
I did not keep in touch with Mr. Lowcock as often as Benny Fattedad. I do remember attending a birthday party for Mr. Lowcock over 10 years ago with Michael Chiu. Though he had changed quite a bit from how we remembered him, he was still pretty health and had a clear mind. That evening, 林子祥 sang a couple of songs for Mr. Lowcock. 林 was often too excited, and he lost his place in the lyrics in some songs. Some students, who were then in Form V, also sat at our dinner tables. They were very polite to both of us. They addressed us “uncle” all evening and poured us tea and served us food. Deep in our heart, we felt that DBS was indeed a good place to spend our high school days.
Well, Mr. Lowcock is in the good hands of God now. He can go anywhere he wants. He will always be with us. We will remember him through our memories and experiences, including his unforgettable Stalin-like mustache.
Cheung Mang Ho, Michael, Year ‘60 student
Senior Member of Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
Past Chairman of Society of Automotive Engineers, Hong Kong Chapter
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