RIFLE RANGE BOY

31.1.2010 Prize award ceremony @ SKTC Today, Danny received his Std 3 awards. He managed to grab the award for being first in Std 3, best in Mathematics and best in Moral Studies. The whole ceremony was a mundane affair, a far cry from the razzmatazz and pomp of the yesteryears. At least I can tell from my experience in Hutchings and PFS. I remember in Std 1, I was chosen by Mr GS Reutens to partake in a Mexican dance. 5 “couples” were chosen and it was an all-boys school, I was dressed up as a Mexican girl. I remember somebody (one of my classmates) called out, “hey, mummy, see black girl!” Now who says that Malaysia was utopia and land of milk and honey then? Racial stereotyping and discrimination was very much alive then as it is now. Anyway during the dance, my head scarf got loose and fell off, much to the amusement of crowd. In one of the later years in Hutchings, my seniors (with the help of Ustaz Sheikh Muhammad) managed to put up a brilliant puppet show. I cannot re...

28.1.2010 Reminiscing Form 1 Just the other day, Koay Tian Soo shared his Form 1 A class photo shoot (above). I am the third one sitting from the left end. KTS is on my left. Boy did it rekindle old memories. Memories of Rifle Range, Hutchings School and subsequent progression to PFS reignited certain electrical transmissions in some glial cells in the hypothalamus and the limbic system. This subsequently sparked some twigs in the cerebral cortex which in turn sent impulses down the central and peripheral nervous systems! I think I will start with the first few days in PFS. In the 70’s, the primary school assessment test was done in Standard 5. We were tested on Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathematics, Science and Kajian Tempatan. (I think). Incidentally, we were the guinea pigs in 1970 that started the curricula in Bahasa Malaysia (or Bahasa Melayu as it is referred to now). In that year 1974 Primary School Assessment Examinations, only Syed Abutahir obtained 5As. Aqbal Sin...

I studied in Hutchings between 1970 and 1975, after which I went to Penang Free School. My batch mates were Syed Abutahir (Head Prefect), Aqbal Singh (a child prodigy by my standards), Lim Eng Seng (my class competitor), Ahamed Kameel (professor at IIU), Thazlin Ghouse, Eddie Lee Boon Teik ( who introduced me to CCR the band ), Hang Tuah, etc. I remember my teachers - Cik Aishah ABd Rahman Std 1, Mr Khoo Cheow Hin with story telling skills & girlfriends & Ms Tan Geok Kee Std 2, Mr Lee Seong Teik with his VW -Std 3, Ms Olive de Mello & the pretty Ms Yeoh Std 4, Mr Ever Smiling Cheah Yong Chee Std 5 and Mr Chan Teik Huat Std 6. I also remember Mr Paul Ng.... I wonder where all these people are!