One Saturday afternoon, psychology undergraduates Lee Chao-in and Chen Hsueh-hui, entered one of the many western-style restaurants which have sprung up in Taipei's Hsimenting entertainment district. As they stepped in, a wave of raucous pop music swept over them. When Lee saw two junior high school students sitting at a table smoking, she frowned. After exchanging looks, the two sat down at the same table as the teenagers, ordered drinks and observed them quietly. Young and pretty, but old hands at smoking, the two girls chatted and laughed noisily and arrogantly. When a pack of playing cards was placed on the table in front of the girls, Lee decided the time had come to interrupt. "Would you lend us the cards?" She asked. "With pleasure" came the reply, and Lee and Chen started to play. After the teenagers had watched the game with interest for some time, Chen invited them to join in. "Thank you. We are bored to death," one of the girls replied. After they learned that Lee and Chen were college students, the two teenagers, Lu Wan-li and Yeo Hsiu-feng, expressed great admiration for their achievements. "You must be free as birds at university. Nobody cares whether you attend classes or not," Lu conjectured earnestly. "True. But you are free because you are more mentally and physically mature, and can judge right from wrong. But in your case, if you skip classes, you will be the ones to lose," Lee patiently observed. Although they parted after this exchange, the four met again on many occasions, and all felt enriched by the contacts.

Under the persistent but gentle guidance of Lee and Chen, the two teenagers gradually quit smoking and achieved better grades at school. Although the teenagers never realized it, both Lee and Chen were members of the "street corner" volunteer corps under the "Teacher Chang" service sponsored by the China Youth Corps (CYC) to help wayward juveniles in Taipei to find maturity and a better life. The Teacher Chang youth counseling center was established by the CYC on Nov. 11, 1969 to study the problems that face youths nationwide, and assist them to lead more fulfilling lives. CYC director Soong Shih-hsuan judged that the switch of the social infrastructure from an agricultural to an industrial and urban base would bring a conflict between old and new values, and cause tensions among youth at the most important stage of their development. Soong therefore decided to bring together experts and scholars in psychology, sociology and education to initiate a telephone advice service, to be known as Teacher Chang. Since the service started, a great many youths have appealed for help from Teacher Chang, either by telephone or by mail. At present, there are Teacher Chang services in 13 counties with a 70-member advisory committee responsible for policy making and counseling, 22 full-time employees, and 522 part-time voluntary counselors majoring in all related fields, to handle about 1,500 cases a month. Those helped by the service provide the most eloquent testimony to its success. Chen Che-jen, a student of the department of sociology of the National Chung-hsing University recalls: "I used to be a trouble-maker and petty criminal. When I really began to need help, Teacher Chang provided timely guidance for me to return to a normal life. To show my heartfelt gratitude for the interest shown in me, I decided to share my personal experiences with youths who were about to make the same mistakes I made, and direct them to a more worthwhile life." The Teacher Chang service has expanded its counseling from indoors to outdoors, from the personal to the vocational and educational level, and from a passive role to an active one. Its workers have visited families, schools, factories, communities and other social units to find out the problems lurking in every corner of the city, and held panel discussions to attract public attention to youth problems through the mass media. In perhaps their most significant step, Teacher Chang workers started to go out into the streets to seek out distressed and despondent youths for themselves. The social workers usually go out in two-to three-member groups and maintain close contact with the local police station. In addition, a "Teacher Chang Home" has been set up in Taipei to enable youths who need temporary residence to escape from what might be an unhealthy environment. As a result of these efforts, "Teacher Chang" has become a symbol of love in society. More than 100,000 youths have been helped by the service in the past nine years. When Christmas comes, thousands of greeting cards from every corner of the world pile up on desks at the youth counseling center. "Dear Teacher Chang: You have probably forgotten me. But about six months ago, under your encouragement and guidance, I was able to solve my problems and settle down to work for the benefit of our society. Your love, patience, and concern will always be treasured in my heart...." The good deeds of Teacher Chang workers, like a fresh breeze in the springtime, help to reinvigorate the family of man.