By KHT Staff. AI image for illustration only.
PINGTUNG — A pedestrian crossing signal outside National Pingtung Girls’ Senior High School (國立屏東女子高級中學) is drawing attention for an unusual feature: when pedestrians press the button to cross the street, the traffic signal plays the school’s official song.
UDN reports that the school sits along Ren’ai Road (仁愛路) in central Pingtung City (屏東市), where traffic volumes can be heavy, especially during school hours. However, it took several years of requests before a signalized crossing was installed outside the school gate in 2021.
Under an upgraded system, when pedestrians press the button to cross, the signal changes, and the melody of the school song plays while the green walk signal is active.
The song was composed by the school’s first principal, Li Chih-chuan (李志傳), 1902-1975, a Pingtung native who studied music in Japan before returning to teach. Li later moved to Taipei, where he played an important role in Taiwan’s early music education system and helped organize teacher choirs and orchestras — including a group that later evolved into what is now the Taipei Symphony Orchestra (台北市立交響樂團).
Teachers say the crossing signal has turned a routine walk across the street into a moment of nostalgia for many alumni, who are often surprised to hear the familiar melody playing outside their former school.
