Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 10
In Memory of Professor P. M. Roxby—From
the School of Geography of the University
of Liverpool
A telegram came this morning informing us of the sad news of Professor Roxby's
death yesterday in China.
Thus, Professor Roxby lowered his guiding hand!
His help to China has stopped!
May he rest in peace forever!
A great educator of geography, a real scholar in his fi eld and a true friend of
China during the hard time of her suffering!
I sincerely believe that when his death is announced in the news-papers, all
Chinese geographers, including my senior fellow workers, and especially those who
were his pupils, will mourn his untimely death. All those who knew him will
remember with grief the loss of a great personality.
I came to the School of Geography at the University of Liverpool drawn by his
academic fame and achievements and hoping to further my training under his
guidance, in the school established by him. I still remember my Chinese history
teacher, Professor William Hung of Yenching University summoning me to say, “It is
better to select a teacher than to select a school. But the most happy coincidence is
a superior and accomplished teacher in a better school.” Professor Roxby was
undoubtedly a teacher of utmost accomplishment in the fi eld of geographical educa-
tion. Unfortunately, by the time I arrived in England, he had already retired from the
university and departed for China as a representative of the British Council. In spite
of his advanced years, he accepted the responsibility of promoting Sino-British
cooperation in science and culture.
Professor Roxby has left behind the School he established and nurtured. He never
considered the possibility of dying in the far-off country which he sympathized with,
