A CENTURY OF THE OCTAGONAL TOWER
A hundred years of Tamkang
Dr Mackay landed at Tamsui, founded Oxford College and the Tamsui Girls' School, and from them grew the Tamkang of today. For more than a century the school has stood in Tamsui — the town that cradled it.
- 1872
- Mackay lands at Tamsui
- 1882
- Oxford College opens
- 1925
- The Octagonal Tower
- 403
- Photographs
The exhibition
Five zones, beginning with Dr Mackay's landing at Tamsui.
Dr Mackay
George Leslie Mackay arrived as Tamsui opened to trade, made it his home, and based his mission, medicine and schools here.
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Symbols
The emblem, the motto, the school song, and a chronology from 1844 to today.
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History
From Oxford College and the Tamsui Girls' School to the school of today, in five chapters.
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Archive
The traces of ordinary life and the memories that were kept.
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About
The gallery building: the Women's School, later Chen Lou, the oldest schoolhouse still standing.
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DR GEORGE LESLIE MACKAY
我衷心所愛的臺灣啊！我把有生之年全獻給妳 我的生趣在於此 我衷心難分難捨的臺灣啊！我把有生之年全獻給妳 我望穿雲霧，看見群山 我從雲中的隙口俯視大地 遠眺波濤大海，遠眺彼方─我好喜歡在此遠眺！ 誠願在我奉獻生涯終了時 在那大浪拍岸的聲響中 在那竹林搖曳的蔭影下 找到我的歸宿⋯⋯
Dr Mackay, \u201cMy Final Resting Place\u201d
Chronology
The full chronology1872
On 9 March, Rev. George Leslie Mackay landed at Tamsui from the British steamer Hailoong at three in the afternoon, and chose Tamsui as the base for his mission in Taiwan.
1882
On 26 July, Oxford College was completed and named in thanks to the people of Oxford County, Ontario. It opened on 14 September with eighteen students: the birthplace of modern education in Taiwan.
1884
On 3 March, the Tamsui Girls' School opened — the first school for girls in Taiwan, and the beginning of the school's girls' section.
1914
On 9 March the Japanese government granted the permit to found the school, the same date on which Mackay had landed at Tamsui 42 years earlier, and since then the school's anniversary. Tamsui Middle School opened at Oxford College on 1 April with George William Mackay as its first principal.
1925
The new school building, the Octagonal Tower, was completed; students moved in on 1 June and have studied there since.
1956
On 6 October the boys' and girls' schools formally merged as Tamkang Middle School, with Chen Su-ti as the first principal of the merged school.
1980
In May the school took its present name, Tamkang Senior High School.
2018
The Humanities and Social Sciences class opened: with care as the outlook, rooted locally, looking outward.
Visiting
A hundred years of change, and of carrying it on
Buildings of an older character
Looking back gives cause for wonder and for pride; looking back also gives cause for care and for confidence. Having entered the twenty-first century, Tamkang Senior High School will, on the foundation of a hundred years of schooling, meet again the challenges of a new age in Taiwanese education.
The gallery is in Chen Lou on the Tamkang campus. For opening times and guided tours, please contact the school.
Humanities and Social Sciences
Opened in 2018: with care as the outlook, rooted locally, looking outward.