Still teaching at 90
AT 90, most teachers have long retired from their jobs.
To Margaret Jennings of New Zealand, age was just another number as she continued to teach English to Chinese people.
“Even today, I am willing to help anyone who wants to learn English, even though it is quite a challenge at my age,” she said in The Fiji Times of April 23, 1974, as she celebrated her 90th birthday.
Ms Jennings had previously taught for 23 years in China where she joined the Church Missionary Society’s St Hilda’s School in Canton, southern China.
She said she had challenging times teaching English to Chinese children who never spoke a word of English.
“However, I was tolerant and gradually they learned my language and I learned theirs,” Miss Jennings said.
She also lived in Hong Kong for a while where she helped at the Anglican Church Missionary Society’s Victoria Home and Orphanage for 17 years.
She worked there during World War II before returning home “for a holiday after the war”.
“She has gained a broad knowledge of China, its people, their culture, interests and way of life while in that country and this was useful in Suva,” The Fiji Times noted.
After returning to New Zealand, she was invited to Fiji to take charge of the Fiji Chinese Primary School which needed a teacher who knew both English and Chinese.
She arrived in Fiji in 1946 and was principal of the school for 10 years before resigning.
However, she continued to hold private English classes at her home on Gordon St in Suva.
In 1971, Ms Jennings returned to China and was overwhelmed to see tremendous progress in every facet of life there.
She celebrated her 90th birthday with friends from the Anglican Cathedral in Suva.