Yau Tsit Law was one of the first two Chinese students to attend Mount Holyoke College. She was born in Canton in 1888, a fourth-generation Christian. She was one of the first women to receive a Boxer Indemnity Fund scholarship from the Canton government in 1912. Her mother, Sam Tsz Law, was the principal of the True Light Seminary, an institution dedicated to providing education to young women in China.
She returned to her home province with a degree in biblical literature and economics from Mount Holyoke College in 1916 and a degree in religious education from Columbia University in 1917. In her hometown of Canton Law taught at True Light Middle School and served as general secretary of the Canton Y.W.C.A. She also held leadership positions as dean of women at Lingnan University and principal of True Light Primary School in Canton. In 1921, during President Mary Woolley’s trip to China, Law served as a representative and explained China’s educational program to the Foreign Missions Conference of North America. In 1937, at the time of Mount Holyoke’s centennial celebration, the College awarded her an honorary degree for her contributions to education and public service in China.
“The education of girls is making speedy progress in China. It is true that the number of girl students in school is only 4.5 per cent of that of boys, yet it is a well-recognized fact that the girls must be educated. The Government is including girls in educational programs. Government normal schools for girls have been founded in all provinces. In primary schools as well as government colleges and universities we witnessed coeducation.”
Excerpts from an article by Yau Tsit Law, class of 1916, “A Record of Impressions From The Point Of View Of A Chinese,” 1916.
