The Wong’s Benevolent Association adapted this struc-ture in 1921 as the headquarters for the newly amalgam-ated association that was formed out of three existing orga-nizations. The original two-storey building was developed in 1908 by Loo Gee Wing, and the Wong Association later had the top floor removed and replaced with two new storeys designed by architects G.L. Southwell and J.A. Radford. The Mon Keang School was established on the second floor in 1925, teaching the Chinese language and customs to the tousang, or children born in Canada to Chinese parents. In 1947, after the repeal of the Chinese Immigration Act and the reunification of many families, the school began offering the first high-school level Chinese classes in Canada. Today, Saturday morning Cantonese classes are again offered in the school room. Look for the decorative stained glass window above the door.
-Courtesy the Vancouver Heritage Foundation
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