Late American educator Doris Brougham honored posthumously

Taipei, Sept. 20 (CNA) Late American educator Doris Brougham on Friday received a posthumous commendation from President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) for her contributions to English-language education in Taiwan.

Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) bestowed the honor upon Brougham on behalf of Lai at a concert that was held in Taipei in remembrance of the Studio Classroom founder.

Simon Hung (洪善群), chairman of Overseas Radio and Television (ORTV), and ORTV Executive Director Daniel Hsieh (謝光哲) received the written commendation on behalf of Brougham.

ORTV is the publisher of Studio Classroom, an English-language education magazine that Brougham launched in 1962.

Politicians from across party lines -- including former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and former Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) -- attended the event to pay their respects to Brougham.

In her speech, Tsai thanked Brougham for being a companion to many Taiwanese people in their journeys to master English, as well as for her missionary work and the positive impact she had on society.

Tsai also recalled handing Brougham her Taiwanese passport at Studio

Classroom's Taipei headquarters in June 2023 and how Brougham beamed upon hearing the words, "You are a bona fide Taiwanese now."

Sharing a quote from Brougham: "People often say, I used to; some say, I still do; but we need to say, I am going to keep on," Tsai encouraged people to follow Brougham's example and keep working to make Taiwan a better place.

Former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) also made an appearance in a pre-recorded video in which he praised Brougham's significant contributions to Taiwan's English-language education and said that he was deeply moved by Brougham's famous quote: "Where your heart is, is home. And my home is Taiwan."

At the concert, it was announced that the Y. L. Lin Hung Tai Education and Culture Charity Trust had donated NT$21 million (US$658,131) to Studio Classroom to help realize Brougham's vision of bridging the gap in English-language education between urban and rural areas.

The Heavenly Melody choir, joined by Studio Classroom staff, then staged the musical "The Journey of Love," which tells the story of Brougham's life.

Brougham died on Aug. 6 at the MacKay Memorial Hospital Tamsui Branch in New Taipei. She was 98 years old.

The acclaimed educator left her hometown Seattle 76 years ago and worked as a missionary in China. She arrived in Taiwan in 1951 to spread the Gospel in Hualien County.

In Taiwan, however, Brougham saw a pressing need to improve English education among the local population, which motivated her to publish Studio Classroom in 1962.

The publication started as a single-page lesson sheet with an accompanying radio program and was later expanded into a magazine.

In 1981, Brougham launched Let's Talk in English, a magazine designed to help learners improve their English conversation skills. Today, these two magazines are fixtures of Taiwan's collective memory, in part because teachers have used them as supplementary teaching materials.

In 1963, Brougham formed the Heavenly Melody Choir -- a choir consisting of Christian members -- beginning another important chapter of her career.

"We've been to 34 countries, and every time we go there, we represent Taiwan," Brougham told CNA in an interview last year.

For her many achievements in Taiwan, Brougham was given citizenship in May 2023, and then-President Tsai visited Brougham in person at ORTV's headquarters to present Brougham with her new passport.