American Taiwanese Doris Brougham, the founder of Studio Classroom (空中英語教室), who spent more than seven decades in Taiwan teaching English to three generations of local students, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 98. On Wednesday, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), and former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) all paid tributes to Brougham for her contribution and influence to Taiwan.
Born in Seattle in 1926, Doris Brougham came to Taiwan in 1951 with a group of Christian missionaries and chose to serve in Hualien. That year, she produced Taiwan’s first evangelical program. Brougham quickly integrated into local society, joining a basketball team, teaching Sunday school, and visiting remote mountain tribes. In 1962, Brougham started recording the Studio Classroom English teaching radio program. She eventually developed the program into different levels of English magazines: Let’s Talk in English, Studio Classroom, and Advanced. The contents are popularized on television, radio, and the Internet. Her dedication to English teaching earned her the title of “Godmother of English education” in Taiwan.
Doris Brougham, known in Taiwan as Peng Meng-hui (彭蒙惠), received numerous prestigious awards for her works. Among them are the Golden Tripod Award for outstanding contribution to education in the R.O.C. in 1989, the Honorable Citizen Award from the Mayor of Taipei in 1996, and the Order of the Brilliant Star with Violet Grand Cordon by the Presidential Office in 2002.
President Lai expressed his admiration for Brougham’s lifelong dedication to Taiwan and her role as an esteemed educator. President Lai thanked Brougham for her advocacy for Taiwan on the international stage and the positive influence she brought to society. The Studio Classroom program founded by Brougham has become a shared memory for generations of Taiwanese, said Lai.
Premier Cho praised Brougham as not just a pioneer in English education but also a cultural ambassador, connecting Taiwan and the world. Cho emphasized Brougham’s dedication to rural education, bringing English resources to every corner of Taiwan’s society. Many Taiwanese have been inspired by Brougham on their English learning journey, said Cho.
On Facebook, former President Tsai recalled when she personally handed Brougham her Taiwanese passport in June last year, welcoming her to officially become a Taiwanese citizen. Tsai appreciated Brougham’s warmth and support during the challenging times. Quoting Brougham’s words, “Home is where the heart is, and my heart is here, so Taiwan is my home”, Tsai assured that Taiwan will always be Doris Brougham’s home.