Background
Mr. H. K. Kwong was born in Guangzhou, Guangdong province in 1892.
Mr. H. K. Kwong was born in Guangzhou, Guangdong province in 1892.
After securing his preliminary education in Guangzhou and Shanghai Mr. Kwong entered St. John’s University, Shanghai in 1907. In 1909 he obtained the government scholarship established with the returned indemnity fund, being second in the competitive examinations held for Chinese students to be sent to the United States.
Upon arriving in America in September 1909 he entered Andover Academy and stayed there for one year. Mr. Kwong was admitted to Princeton University in 1910 and received his degree of Litt. B. in 1914.
While in college Mr. Kwong was popular and was identified with many college activities. He served on the Daily Princetonian as an editor from 1912 to 1914, being the first foreigner ever appointed on the editorial board of the paper. From 1912 to 1914, he was a member of the Key and Seal Club, which was a substitute for Greek letter fraternities in Princeton, the latter being prohibited. In 1913 he was a member of the Municipal Club.
During his junior year, Mr. Kwong was also on the staff of the Springfield Republican. He attended the Columbia University Graduate School during 1914-1915, specialising in economics. He was editor-in-chief of the Chinese Students’ Monthly the official organ of the Chinese students in North America. In 1915 he served as Chinese delegate to the International Press Conference held in connection with the Panama Exhibition.
In the fall of the same year, Mr. Kwong entered the Columbia School of Journalism, receiving his degree in 1916. During this period he was president of the Chinese Students’ Alliance.
In August 1916, Mr. Kwong returned to China, and became assistant editor of the Peking Gazette. At the same time he was correspondent of the New York Evening Post. After a year he accepted a professorship of English and later was lecturer on International Law at Tsinghua College.
In 1918 Mr. Kwong returned to Shanghai and was appointed secretary of the Kiangnan Dock and Engineering Works. In February 1922 he joined the Ministry of Communications, Peking as assistant chief of the assets section of the railway department. The next month he received an appointment as expert of the Commission on Communications Questions called by the Ministry in connection with the redemption of Shantung. Since 1923, Mr. Kwong was in Harbin connected with the Chinese Eastern Railway.