In November 1966, Headmaster of our school, the late cikgu Osman Ali, announced the result of 1966 common entrance examination which we sat earlier.None of us were selected to study in government secondary school.I was the only student from Pulo District Council School selected to repeat my study in Primary six for another year in another Primary school in the town. I could still remember the speech made by the Headmaster that morning.
Cikgu Othman said " I wish to announce here that only one of our primary six students has been selected to repeat his study in Primary six. The name of the student that has made the school proud is...." The praise that I still remember till today.
But in January 1967 I did not go back to primary six as announced earlier. The new headmaster of Pulo District Council School informed me of the two choices that was given to me ie either to repeat in another Primary School or to further my study to Form one at St Thomas's Secondary School. I liked the idea of studying at St. Thomas's School but there is a condition attached to it. I needed to pay school fees at the rate of private secondary school for one year. If my performance is good only than I would be allowed to pay the normal rate of aided school.
At first my father disagreed but after detailed explanation by the headmaster my father accepted my choice. And so begins my life in St Thomas's School, one of the best secondary school during the time.
I stayed in St. Thomas's School for five years (from 1967 to 1971).The time spent in the school were memorable one. I met many friends and teachers. It has been quite sometime I did not meet my friends.
After thirty six years since I left school, there's so many thing that has happened in life. Some are good and memorable while some are sadness . If I could rewind the time, I would like to restart my life in School again.One thing I could always be proud of my school is our school motto "AIM HIGHER". For all these years that same motto kept me moving on and faced the challenges in life.
Hail to the Thomian!
3 comments:
Bang, in 1966 i was just born...
MG, 1966 is one of the sweetest year of my life
pharmy,
I'll remain Salak, until an opportune time when I can throw off my psuedonym and be what I really am. But as you might remember ..."What's in a name?"
The memories of school days are dear, precious, endearing and make you wishful and youthful all over again.
My father took me out of Sekolah Che Buyong in 1956 when I was in Primary 3. I was a terrible student! I could read but couldn't do simple sums! Got caned by one draconian Rithmetic teacher by the name of Cikgu Repan (see if some reader might remember the dumb Cikgu! :) ) I spent most of rithmetic lessons picking garbage in the school compound, standing out in the hot sun or holding out my palms to be whacked! Don't try to wonder why we couldn't do our sums! In those days, teachers were dumber than students, so we can forgive them in sympathy.
So my father sent me to St Thom and there they put me back to Primary 2!!! Couldn't understand English, couldn't do my sums! You can understand the difficult early years I had there!!!
But as I went on to 3 to 5, I was winning prizes annually!!! I alternated between 1st to 3rd annually. I remember not grabbing any annual prize in Primary 6 but I do recall getting something for being a Prefect probably and a teachers pet! :)
There was an old Chinese teacher Mrs Ee who taught us, wala wala, geometry in Primary 5 and 6! And she was my source of income - everytime I got all geometry questions correct, she'd give RM1.00 (old currency). Those days that was something like RM7-10 now!!! Man! Imagine!
Morning Show at Rex Theatre was only 30 sen!!! I think RM1.00 was 1st Class Seats!!!
So you can imagine why I remembered Mrs Ee so fondly!
On another occasion that I remember, as Prefect, I had to take care of some naughty wounded boy whose shirt was splattered with blood from a wound. I didn't like the sight of red blood on the boy's shirt so I took it to the toilet and washed it clean. Then I gave it to Mrs Ee! She was so impressed, she gave a RM1.00. I think she knew I spent her money gifts for Morning Show at Rex! Can you see a movie in a cineplex for RM10.00 now? Maybe more like RM12 !!!
Anyway, pharmy, that was 1958-1962!!! I went on to form 1 in 1963! What a time!
Those years must stay as memories---sweet, fun, exhilirating, memorial, unforgettable. But memories they must remain to make us stay human, I guess! :)
I never did understand why we must "Aim Higher"! When we were in Lower 6, Father Wellington coined it as "Excellence"!
Nantilah pharmy bila I ingat cerita lain I kembali dan catitkan di sini !!! Hehe! Geli hatilah!!!
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