History of the Chinese Society of Staten Island
In 1949 Margaret and Gilbert Marr moved to Staten Island. Gilbert was an engineer and Margaret a schoolteacher. Four years later, Thomas, another engineer, and Betty Marqueen came to Staten Island and quite serendipitously moved into the same housing project on Manor Road. The seed of the club was thus planted.
Being warm, kind and friendly couples with two and four boys respectively, they reached out to every Chinese they met in the stores, on the ferry and on the street. In 1955, the Marr bought a house and they soon turned it into a place to welcome the Chinese friends they made (they were Allan & Allison Lee, T.G. & Rupin Li, Young & Judy Eng, Felix & Henriette Tchang). In 1969 they already had regular organized activities like that of a club. By 1971 the families of Bernard Wu, David Yang, F.H. Lin, Francis Shek, K.H. Ta, Charles wang, Paul Hsu, M.S. Lee, Kee-In Chan Ruth Lin and Ellen Wu were volunteer teachers with seventeen joined and the Chinese American club of Staten Island was formerly formed and the Constitution drafted. Margaret Marr was elected the first and founding president and she served till 1975.
In 1972 The Chinese Language School was started with the help of Dr. Felix Tchang and Anthony Lee who secured the classrooms at St. Mary Catholic Church in Marina Harbor. Anthony Lee, Mrs. Peter Shek, Chin Hwa Ta, Ruth Lin and Ellen Wu were volunteer teachers with seventeen pupils. In 1973 Margaret Marr negotiated with her parish and moved the classrooms to St. John’s Lutheran Church on Manor Road, a more central and convenient location for all. The club also held all its activities and celebrations at Lutheran Church.
In 1974 the Club had grown substantially and gained wide recognition by the local community. The goal of the club had always been two folds: promoting friendship among Chinese descendants and spreading Chinese culture to our children and the local community. The President of Staten Island College, Dr. William Birenbaum invited us to present a “China Night” cultural event for the college. Dr. Birenbaum was among the first Americans to visit China during the Nixon era and held Chinese culture and people in utmost respect and importance.
In 1975 Rev. Stephen Shang and his family moved to Staten Island and the first Chinese Christian Church was formed sharing space with a church on Rose Ave. In the same year the Chinese School moved again to P.S. 29 which also became the meeting place for the Club. The Club, the School and the Church had always been intertwined as one big happy family.
Any disruptions buy viagra on line on the heart’s function will deprive the body of oxygen and blood. It can cause one to live alone without a partner because they may buy viagra wholesale be incapable of satisfying their partner. You have to put the viagra online appalachianmagazine.com pill under the tongue and left to dissolve instead of being ingested with water. Good link buy viagra for cheap popularity helps a site avail myriad benefits. In 1977, under the presidency of Dr. T.G. Li, the Chinese School was legally incorporated as a separate entity with it own board of directors and Dr. Li elected the first principal of the school. The school was the first Chinese school incorporated in the east coast.
On June 7, 1980, the most elaborate and professional version of “China Night” was orchestrated on the stage of Susan Wagner High School. The night unfolded with an array of arts and crafts show, slide show of beautiful scenery of China, sumptuous buffet dinner and a two hours stage performances, all for the price of $10, a good amount of money at the time. The school was jam packed from wall to wall making it a night hard to forget.
In the same year, the new president of Staten Island College Dr. Edmond Volpe instituted “International Festival” once a year in the Fall on the spacious ground of the Ocean Terrace Campus. The Chinese Community was the largest ethnic community then and put out the most colorful cultural show and made the most money with the “spring rolls” that we rolled out there and then. In the 80’s we were so blessed with a professional cultural chairperson Chin Hwa Chiang-Ta and her two friends, two super great musicians and artists named Mr. and Mrs Sui Hang Lai. We held five different Chinese musical instruments classes and a Chinese brush painting classes under Ben Shin Ku on a weekly basis at PS 29. The orchestra was 15 persons strong with with junior high and high school students and the painting lass was 10 to 12 large with eager parents and children. Mr. & Mrs. Lai gave their heart and soul every week, ever so patient with the different level of skill. They traveled from Queens once a week for more than five years. Ask Olive Goh, Wai Kong Chung, Fifi / Lolo Ta, Peter Lee etc, how much they loved Mr. & Mrs. Lai. The artists-teachers got reimbursed only for gas and toll on the bridge – nothing for their experience and time. They did it for the love of music and love for our children, thank you forever Mr. and Mrs. Lai!!
In 1983, to serve a large population of Chinese from Taiwan the Grace Christian Church was formed. In 1983 Dr. Lou Fu Ni was elected the 5th president of the club and Wai Kong Chung was also elected to the Board of Director. He was the youngest member of the board – still true as of record this date. Our involvement and leadership in the “International Festival” continued till the retirement of Dr. Volpe in 1999 and all made possible under the prosperous presidency of William Lee (two terms), Dr, Young Eng, Dr. L.F.Ni, Mary Chan (Two) terms), Fu Hai Lin, Chin Hwa Chiang Ta (two terms).
Life was really hectic for the Chinese community in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Chinese families seemed to immigrate to the USA in herds – the grandparents came bringing all the married children. People were very busy with their own extended families. The two churches and school also grew in size and responsibility. Most of the Club members are members in both groups and there was a tendency for members to gravitate toward the churches. It wasn’t until Dr. Bernard Wu took the office of president in 2003 and he preserved to present a third “China Night” for the island community on the campus of Staten Island College in the Fall of 2005. It was another great success and the Club continues to fulfill the Constitution and Goal and the Club – to foster friendship among the Chinese descendants, to preserve and advance our fine culture to our children and to the larger community of Staten Island.
Under the guidance of Mimi Wang (president 2005-2007) and Juliana Hsu (2007-2009) the Club continued to reach out to new comers to the island,. We are currently, as chaired by Julie Tam, part of the Mosaic Society of Wagner College.