Teachers:Mr. Chan Hon Yew, Mr. Wong Kee Fah, Mr. Chan Khin Seng, Rev. Bro. Pius (Director), Mr. Gomez, Rev. Bro. Lewis Bertrand, Mr. Louis Liau, Che’gu Kamaruddin Ismail.
Bottom Row:(unidentified), Lim Boon San, Ray Chong Mun Seng, (unidentified), Ng Keng Hoong, Lee Chai, Michael Peh, Michael Chong, (unidentified), Yew Check Chong, Derrick Addis, Adnan Idris, Soon Kok Wah, Kim Kok Wee
Middle Row :: Lee Yee Fong, Chan Fook Siew, (unidentified), Foo Siang Teck, Thoo Khai Wan, (unidentified), Foong Meng Chak, Lee Soon Nam, (unidentified), Tham Fook Sin, (unidentified),(unidentified),(unidentified).
Top Row : Philip, Chan Tuck Yoon?, Yeoh Keng Pheng?, Lau Seng Kiong, Leong Chee Keong, Ng Toh Yun, Lee Kah Meng, M S Maniam, Lim Keng Guan?, Ng Seng Heng?, Wong Chu Wai, Yeoh Kim How?, Leong Sau Choong,Tan Yew Kee.
Che’gu Kamaruddin Ismail, Mr. Chan Hon Yew, Mr. Wong Kee Fah, Rev. Bro. Pius (Director), Mr. Philip Low, Mr. Chan Khin Seng, Mr. Louis Liau, Rev. Bro. Patrick
Bottom Row: Lim Peng Keong , Lim Jit Yong, Cheah Siew Weng, Kwan Kok Siew, Philip Vytialingam, Chan Choe Onn, Choong Mun Khoon, Choong Sin Chong, Michael Yoong, Lai Kok Peng, Wong Yat Sen, Lee Chow Hoe ,Leong Tuck Nam, Choy Kam Yoong.
Middle Row: Lee Chin Peng, Liew Vui Lin, Fan Sin Tuck, Cheah Kok Wah, Chong Chee Wah, Sin Ka Lam, Hoy Soon Yeong, Teh Gim Leong, Khaw Eng Aun, G.Sivapragasam, Chee Keng Choong, Chong Fah Shin, Oh Teck Keng, Leow Yoong Seong, Lawrence Chai Tuck Onn.
Top Row:
Sivakumaran, Ng Teng Hin, Chee Ee Lay, Mohd.Osman, William Joseph, Lee Kam Weng, Tan Kok Theam, (unidentified), Teoh Boon Jee, Teh Hing Teong, Chin Kong Kiew, Khoo Hock Poo, Francis Fernandes, Cho Sip Seng
Form 5 Science: (from Left to Right)
Teachers:Mr. Julianoes, Mr. Ooi Eu Chong, Mr. Lim Kean Hooi, Rev. Bro Pius (Director), Rev. Bro. Patrick, Mr. Choong Kui Lum, Mr. Louis Liau, Che’gu Kamaruddin Ismail.
Bottom Row : Chong Min Sin, Chan Chee Yan, Tan Choo Jow ,Loong Kwan Chuen, Yoon Kwok Leong, Wong Nye Lon, Cheong Soon Cheong, ? Sin San, Lee Wai Fong, Chew Lian Teck, Ng Soh Har,Ong Keng Ming,
Loke Kok Pow
Middle Row ; Arjun Mall, Yip Chong Kit, Siew Kam Mei, Chin Min Kong, Chong Tuck Chee, Ooi Eng Aun, Lam Sit Yin, Teh Chin Leng, Chong Sun Nee, Chu Sin Sang, Tan Eng Chew, Soo Kung Cheong, ? Yong Shin, Soo Kam Chiew Top Row:(unidentified), Ong Eng Leong, Wong Kok Wah, Tang Kee, Chong Kew Chai, Chui Kwong Sang, Quah Soon Cheang, Khoo Chee Meng, Yeoh Ah Bheng, Leong Wing Kean, Khoo Lim Choo, Tong Tik Kin, Chan Voon Loong
From the 4 classes of Form1 (1956) we had automatic promotion to Form 2; but were reallocated into 5 classes under these Form teachers:
Form 2 A - Bro. Lewis Bertrand
Form 2 B - Master Cheah Hoong Onn/ Master Oh Teik Toh
Form 2 C - Master Yeap Poey Chong
Form 2 D - Master John Lee
Form 2 E - Master Tang Tsang Chiew (Note: Hope I got his name correctly).
Many of my classmates from Form 1D were put together with me in Form 2 D. Master John Lee, our Form teacher taught us Geography and P.E. Our geography text book was "The Southern Continents" by Dr. G.E.D. Lewis. Often we were given homework to draw maps of the places we learned and failure to hand in the homework could result in perhaps a pinch in the tummy and punishment in having to draw the map concerned 10-30 times.
P.E. lessons were held in the school hall. I have to confess I disliked P.E. as I had difficulty in doing some of the exercises e.g. "forward roll", "bench vaulting", etc.
Those days we did not have free education; so every month a student would have to pay $2.50 school fees (if I rememeber the amount correctly).
I remember at that time the school had a "Milk for the Poor" programme. Students in every class were urged to donate tins of condensed milk regularly. The total number of tins collected by each class were written in chalk on the class "black-board" and updated daily. Even though no prizes were given to the classes with the highest collections, yet there was somehow a sense of competition to out do one another. To this day I am still wondering how the poor could consume so much sweetened condensed milk!
On 31st August that year our country Malaya declared Independence.. Shouts of "Merdeka" echoed throughout the land. For many of us the significance of that day did not sink into our minds till much later but a few things took effect immediately:- we had to learn and sing our National Anthem "Negara Ku"; Bahasa Melayu was now our Bahasa Kebangsaan and many especially civil servants. teachers and students began to study it in earnest.
Now after more than 50 years perhaps we are entitled to stake a claim to be "A Class that grew up with the Nation"! Merdeka!
25-9- 2010 - Old Michaelian’s Reunion Dinner – Red Crescent Hall – 7.00pm
26-9-2010 – Memory Walk – St Michael’s Institution – 10.00am
26-9-2010 – Class of ’60 Reunion Dinner – 7.00pm
27-9-2010 – Depart for Pangkor – 10.00am
29-9-2010 – Lunch in Sitiawan – 1.30pm
25-9-10
1.00 pm Check-In at Syuen Hotel
Collect Tote Bags, T-Shirts, name tags & program
(Only members of the Class of ’60 will be issued with Tote bags, T-Shirts, Badges etc. Guests who wish to collect them as souvenirs may purchase them from Soon Cheong)
RELAX
6.00pm Proceed to Red Crescent Hall wearing SMI ’60 T-shirt, badge and name tags.
(Those requiring transport please inform Soon Cheong by 2.00 pm and those able to offer transport also please inform Soon Cheong)
Distribution of remaining tote bags with T-shirts, badges, name tags (Poh Kuan)
(10 tables have been reserved for our class – seats have been allocated for all those attending – list will be displayed at the entrance – names will be on the tables - Timothy will get prefects to usher)
Please note that members of the Class of ’60 are required to wear their T-Shirts at this function. Please cooperate. Those who had forgotten to do this will be required to buy a T-Shirt at RM20.00 and change.
Only beer will be served at the function. Any other form of liquor could be brought to the hall by participants without payment of corkage.
8.00pm Dinner followed by Speeches
Presentation of Certificates.
11.00pm Return to Penthouse - Gathering. ------------------------------------------------------------
26-9-10
8.00am Attend Church (those going to Church please have breakfast before church)
8.30am Buffet Breakfast at Syuen (for those staying in Syuen)
9.30am Proceed to School for Memory Walk Event
(Those requiring transport please inform Soon Cheong on 25-9-10 and those able to provide transport also please inform Soon Cheong)
10.00am Arrive at School – participants welcomed with lion dance and school band
10.15am Proceed to school hall
Chinese orchestra recital
Speech by Principal and Response by Chairman Org Committee
Sharing of memories by Lawrence, Arjun, Francis F. and Jio (Soon Yeong)
Presentation of memento to Phoon – Chairman Org Committee
Presentation of RM 1,000 cheque to School Band - Foo Wan Kian
Presentation of RM 1,000 cheque to Orchestra– Andy Ho
Presentation of RM 1,000 cheque to Peter Kiew for Heritage Centre – Peter Loke
School tour and visit to the Heritage gallery – signing visitor’s book.
Witness affixing of plaque to commemorate visit.
Adjourn for lunch at school food court
3.00pm Back to Syuen & Relax
7.00pm Arrive at Silver Boat Restaurant
Cocktail – soft drinks. (Liquor may be brought in - no corkage charges)
Liquor and wine contributions will be appreciated. Especially cherished will be duty free single malt whisky.
7.30pm James (MC) invites guests to be seated
(Seating has been arranged – list will be at entrance)
7.30pm Welcome speech by Chairman Org Com
7.45pm Response by Bro Vincent (or representative if Bro Vincent is unable to attend)
8.00pm Dinner is served
9.00pm Video presentation (Soon Yeong)
Presentation of souvenirs to teachers and Bro Vincent (presentation will be by members of the Class - Fah Shin to organise)
Presentation of Old School Badges by Cheong Soon Cheong to OMA (Adrian) for sale at SMI Centenary celebration.
10.30pm Cake cutting ceremony – Members of the Committee. (Soon Cheong)
7.00am Morning Exercise, Stretching Exercises Chi Gong (James)
8.00am Breakfast
10.00am Round Island Trip & stop-over at Factory, Fort and Town visit. (Khaw Eng Aun)
This is an optional activity and there will be costs to be shared by those participating. Those interested please indicate your interest early. If the response is encouraging Fah Shin and Eng Aun will make the necessary arrangements.
(Phillip Tinkler has agreed to take some of us sailing)
*Please note that those participating in these activities do it at their own risk.
1.00pm Lunch at Sea View
3.00pm Water-polo & Games
7.30pm Dinner
9.00pm Reminiscing old days and sharing their life history.
Jio Lim gave me the news that Master Yeap Poey Chong who taught me Science in Forms 2 & passed away in August. I found the following posting in Peter Khiew's blog:
"St Michael's former teacher Mr Yeap Poay Chong, was a highly regarded Form 3 Science teacher for many, many years. Many of his past students will have affectionate memories of him, as he was very friendly and devoted to their welfare
He passed away on 21 August 2010, but many still have not got the news.
Mr Yeap was a brother-in-law to Mr Chan Khin Seng.
I am attaching his photo taken from a past issue of the MICHAELIAN. It is the best I can get, but many will recognise him.
It was something totally unplanned and unexpected that I had my secondary education at SMI Ipoh. At the end of Std. 6 in 1955 at the Govt. English School Tronoh, my classmates and I had to sit for the public examination (precursor of present-day UPSR) that was introduced for the first time by the government. The boys who passed the exam. were directed by the Perak State Education Dept. to enroll at SMI Ipoh. (Note: I think the girls were sent to study in Batu Gajah.) This was a surprise because in the past parents had the discretion to apply to any school of their choice which was usually Anderson School Ipoh for boys or Sultan Yusof School Batu Gajah.
So in January 1956 I joined SMI with Cheah Weng Hay, Choong Mun Khoon, Ho Yin Sum, Ho Yuen Pun, Lau Seng Kiong, Loh Kong Poi, Ng Har, Soo Kung Cheong and Tham Ah Kow (as far as I can remember).
I was put in Form 1 D while my other Tronoh boys were in A, B or C classes. I must confess initially it was a bit demoralizing to be in the “D” class, as generally in most schools the best students were streamed for the “A” or “B” classes. Anyway I soon got used to it and made many friends such as Soo Kam Chiew, Lee Yee Fong, Ooi Eng Aun, Arjun Mall and others.
The Form 1 “C” and “D” classes were in the wooden shed behind the mosque, with the school canteen there as well. My Form teacher was Master Chan Soo Kean who taught nearly all the subjects including Moral. Bro. Michael taught us Hygiene while Master Kee Ying Wah taught Science.
Coming from a small town govt. school it was something like a minor cultural shock and I had to adjust quickly to the new environment at this missionary school. For the first time in my life I saw the La Salle Brothers as teachers in white robes. Lessons began every morning with Moral (a.k.a Catechism) when we had to memorise a set of Questions & Answers from the Catechism book and recite them if and when called up by the teacher, failing which the student will be meted out with a punishment (a.k.a. penance) to write the particular Q & A a set number of times (usually 20 – 30 ).
Another thing new to me was the Weekly Report Card. Every week the Form teacher would record the grade of the student’s conduct and the test marks of any subject(s) held during that week. It would be given to the student on Friday for his parent/guardian to sign and then return it the following Monday. Once in a while the Bro. Director would come and inspect the cards randomly and students with poor grades (red marks) would be hauled up and even caned sometimes.
During that year the government announced that Bahasa Melayu would soon be a compulsory subject to be taught in all schools although it was not compulsory yet till some years later. Poor me! I had never learned Malay before and could hardly speak even simple bazaar Malay. We were offered Malay tuition by a private tutor once a week in the afternoon in school. I can remember the embarrassment I felt when the young “Che’gu” asked me “Apa nama kamu?” and I did not know how to answer at that time. After that I decided that I had to work hard to study Malay so as not to be left behind. I did that by buying some Malay books and an English-Malay/ Malay-English by R.O. Winsteadt and studied on my own frequently referring to the dictionary..
