ACS Ipoh – A brief history
In response to a request herewith our version of the history of ACS Ipoh. If you believe we have made any mistakes please let us know.
“The Anglo-Chinese Boys School Ipoh was the first English school, as well as the first Christian mission school, in Kinta. It was established by the Methodist Episcopal Mission in 1895, ten years after the founding of the Methodist Mission in Singapore. The first attempt to found the school in Ipoh was in November 1894 when Rev TW Stagg was sent by the Methodist Episcopal Mission in Singapore to Ipoh to make the appropriate arrangements. The school was to be opened on the 1st day of 1895 and pupils were to be charged $3 per month. The fee was not affordable for the local people and the school closed down in June that year.
The task of re-starting and, in reality, founding the school was then given to the Reverend W.E. Horley, a young Englishman who had arrived in Ipoh on 31st July 1895. He played an influential role in the educational and spiritual development of the youth in this country.
Just 5 days after his arrival, on 5th August 1895, Rev. Horley opened the Anglo-Chinese School in a small attap-roofed Malay house rented from Datoh Panglima Kinta in Ipoh at Changkat. The land was adjoining the Police barracks, just behind the first Land Office. This was later demolished to provide space for a new mosque. It was Mr. W. Cowan, who came from Taiping, to take over the duties of Chinese Protectorate from Mr. Barnes, who encouraged Horley to go ahead with the plan. Hence, the lower part of the Datoh’s house was enclosed to become the schoolroom.
It is said that Sir George Maxwell, who in one of his letters described the new school house as being “painted a rich blue with yellow shutters” and legend has it that this is reason why blue and gold were chosen as the School`s colours in the 1920s.
Initially, four boys turned up- two Malays and two Chinese; one of them was Che Wan, who became Datoh Panglima Kinta. Another of the first students, Khong Tak Nam, became one of the first two students to pass the Senior Cambridge Examination in 1902, and went to England to study medicine at St. John’s College, Cambridge.
Very quickly the enrolment increased to 60 boys and in 1895, Horley’s application of a four acres land for school and church purposes, was granted by Kinta District Officer, Mr. R.D. Hewett. The land was situated at Lahat Road. Money was donated by the local European, Chinese and Tamil communities, to support the construction of the school.
The first building of the Anglo-Chinese School, a double-storey timber structure with a central tower, was completed at Lahat Road, in May 1896, it was known as Horley Hall. It remains standing today (2007) and houses the school museum. This, the oldest Methodist building in Peninsula Malaysia, doubled as a school from Mondays to Fridays and a church on Sundays. The school numbers increased rapidly, with another timber building being erected in 1898, which became the Primary school.
As the school’s enrolment grew to 200, facilities were erected for boarders. The first batch of boarders moved in in 1901. In the same year the first Cambridge Class was started by Mr. S.H. Wood. 2 years later, towkays Foo Choo Choon and Loke Yew donated the Commercial School (now used as classrooms) to the school. Incidentally a large part of the expansion and upgrades to the school were funded through the generosity of Ipoh’s local wealthy tin miners while the government only contributed a token sum.
The number of students continued to increase and by the time there were 250, 60 coming from Batu Gajah by train. Other buildings followed in 1904, 1914 and 1918.
The main building, a landmark, Edwardian-style, building, standing parallel to Lahat Road, with its prominent quoining, was erected and opened in 1914. It cost a total of $93 000 and was designed by Mr. C.H. Le Brooy. Rev. Horley obtained a grant of $25 000 from the government to assist in the completion of the building. Subsequent additions from 1938 were made in the same style. It was C.H. Labrooy, who also designed the Ipoh Railway Station and Ipoh Town Hall. The formal opening of this building was on 30th March 1914 by His Excellency Sir Arthur Young. Further buildings followed.
The next few decades were marked by many firsts. The first annual ACS school play – a tradition that has remained until today – was staged in 1915. Rev. L. Proebstel helmed the production of ‘Julius Caesar’ that year. In 1921 the second scout troop in the state of Perak (and the first in Ipoh) was formed in the school by Mr. A.B. Samuels. This led to one of the school’s historic moments when a rally was held at the school, in 1934, to welcome Lord Baden-Powell, the first Chief Scout.
‘The Voyager’, ACS’s annual school magazine, was first launched in 1926 and in 1936, Mr. P.B. Bell launched the construction the first science laboratory among Perak schools. The new block, also consisting of a carpentry workshop, was officially opened in 1938.
With the onset of the Pacific War, the British Army requisitioned the front portion of the school as their Ipoh headquarters. When the British troops withdrew in 1941, the school was taken over by the Japanese until their defeat in 1945. The school reopened its doors on the 26th of September 1945 under the first local principal, Mr. Aw Boon Jin.
In the decade that followed, the curriculum was expanded to include various languages, more science subjects and woodwork up to School Certificate Level. In 1949, ACS was the first school in Perak to offer post-Senior classes, the equivalent of today’s Form 6. In 1956, Mr. Teerath Ram took over the administration of the school. He was a visionary leader who instigated many changes including the separation of the primary and secondary sections of the school, the construction of several new blocks housing classrooms, a teachers’ lounge, a lecture theatre, an improved library and a new canteen. He was also responsible for the construction of the recreation centre and the swimming pool – the pride of the school of which the school teachers contributed $32 000 of the $140 000 building cost – as well as the $250 000 indoor stadium, named “Teerath Ram Hall” in his honour.
Several upgrades to the school were undertaken in subsequent years, including the building of an Audio Visual Aids (AVA) Room, the setting up of the School Band, and under Principal Thomas Kok Hee Fatt, the modernising of the school saw the set up a Computer Room and four additional AVA rooms. He saw the significance of sports and of creating a comfortable and pleasant environment in which the students could excel, doing his part to make the school greener. He also introduced the Eagle as the school mascot in 1999.
ACS has in its alumni several prolific sportsmen including the badminton players Mr. Teoh Seng Khoon (Thomas Cup 1949 and All-England 1949) and Mr. Cheah Soon Kit (Thomas Cup 1992); Malaysian Olympic representatives Professor Thong Saw Pak (weightlifting, Helsinki 1952), Mr. Philip Sankey (hockey, Melbourne 1956 and Tokyo 1964), Mr. Chet Singh a/l Sarmukh Singh (hockey, Tokyo 1964) and Dato Poon Fook Loke (hockey captain, Montreal 1976 and Los Angeles 1984). The school also produced top national swimmers Allan Ong and Anthony Ang.”
The article is usefull for me. I’ll be coming back to your blog.
I spent my time in ACS Ipoh from 1953 to 1964, attended both Primary and Secondary schooling…. your article left out both Rev. Kesselring who was the School Principal before Mr. Teerath Ram, and Mrs. Tong, who was the Primary School Headmistress during my tenure there then. Perhaps someone can contribute the Principals’ roll of honour, which I believe can be obtained from the School itself..
Hi S Yee Lee,
Thanks for the comment.
The above is only a summary of what we have on our main archive database at http://www.ipohworld.org.
For example Ralph Kesselring is featured at http://www.ipohworld.org/search8/result.asp?strid=3178 and linked to the school there. This is just one of 4000 items on the database. Do please browse some of it when you can find time.
However we do not have anything, photo or words, about Mrs Tong. We would welcome whatever you or any other reader can provide.
Similarly if you have any photos from your time at ACS or before or after then we shall be pleased to feature them. Heritage and History belong to everyone!
I look forward to hearing from you again.
A very interesting item,but then I find the whole site interesting
when is the school reopen day for form 6 students who just got the spm result?
Hi Stephanie. Maybe you could try calling the school to find out.
This is the ACS school song:
Not so very long ago,
More than 100 years or so,
Horley dauntless hero came,
Founded our beloved school,
Ipoh Ango-Chinese school,
And that was new in name,
But the banners stand unfurled,
Now its known throughout the world,
ACS, ACS your country can depend on you,
Years we spent in your classrooms,
(I forgot this part)
And we’re proud we’re students of the A-C-S
Congratulations on the well maintained site. Keep up the good work.
To Daniel’s posting:
Not so very long ago,
More than hundred years ago,
(this line is updated every decade!!)
Horley dauntless hero came.
Founded our beloved school,
Ipoh Anglo-Chinese School,
Though it then was new in name.
But the banners then unfurled,
Now it’s known, thoughout the world.
ACS, ACS, your country can depend on you
Years we spend in your classrooms
Will help to make us brave and true.
ACS, ACS, to do the right we’re not afraid
And we’re proud we’re students of the ACS.
In addition to the sportsmen roll: We have Tan Jin Eong (badminton – Thomas Cup), Cheah Tong Kim (Swimming – Olympic Games)
The composer of the school song was by Vincent Daniel, who was the music teacher in the ACS.
I was at ACS Ipoh 1956 to 1964 Mrs Tong a matronly and lovely lady in ‘cheong sam’ she resided in Cowan Street (please correct me if I’m wrong). Mrs Tong came to school in a chauffeur driven car. My first day in school was in a wooden 2 storey building. My first school friend was Chin See Yoong (he became a successful professional in KL), then there were others, Chong Chee Tut, David Teh, Foong Yeng Sek, Dennis Yeoh, Ng Siew Kee through the 6 years in primary school, Lam Woon Kon (who is still in contact, whenever I travel through Singapore) sadly lost touch with others because of time and distance. Maybe someone has broken my primary school Long Jump record!
Tomorrow, 25 Sep 2010, some former pupils and teachers will have a reunion in Ipoh. All the best and have a jolly good time.
Hi , ika ,
Perhaps you would like to contact Mr Cheng Sai Lak , Principal of ACS Ipoh . I know that they keep an adequately maintained archive which should have most of the past issues of the ” Voyager ” and hopefully , some interesting photos . I have seen an article with a photo on Ms. Grace Thong in the Centennial Publication (1995 .
I am a “pendatang” (catch phrase of the day) who enrolled into ACS Ipoh to commence my secondary education some years ago .
Anyone knows why the school magazine is called ” Voyager ” and why the Principal’s Address is captioned ” From the Bridge ” ? I mean , why were the nautical terms adopted ? I have no objection whatsoever though .
Thanks for a write up on the ACS. As the present President of the ACS Alumni, I am, of course, very pleased with the article. I will try to get some photos and put in the blog. All you ex students can get in touch with me. We have annual dinners and just had one on 25.9.10. I was in the ACS from 1951 to 1963 (Form 6). At the annual dinners, the former teachers and principals are invited and they do turn up. At the latest dinner, Miss Chong Nyuk Mooi was present. Mr. Brian Fernander was there and so was Mr. and Mrs. Lee Hoo Keat. Dr. Chai Hon Chan, who is still a part time consultant with the World Bank could not make it. We are at present trying to raise money for the needy and outstanding children. Right now we give annual awards for the best Form 5 and Form 6 students and also for the best all rounder for Std 6. In addition we give an annual award for the best English student (the Foo Nyuk Yong Award), the best Mathematics student named after Mr. Ramalingam, the best Literary and Oratory student Award named after the late Tye Soh Sim, the best Economics student award named after the late Raveendran. We also had a former student who choose to be anonymous who donated RM10,000 to be put in FD with the interest to be used to buy spectacles for needy students in the Primary who could not afford them. In addition, we have a generous donation of 1,000 CD and books for English for the Primary student. We will be having an award soon for student/s who may not be able to complete Form 5 or Form 6 due to poverty. Our intention is to set up a Foundation, hopefully in the not so distant future, to cater for the needs of the poor students to provide them with fees, text books, allowances and scholarships even to the Universities. So, hopefully, all you former students and other members of the public may contribute.
In reply to LMS136, I believe the Voyager was so named as we journey through life in the school. The Principal is the captain and that is why he is standing in the bridge. Right now we have a very good principal in Mr. Cheng Sai Lak. For the Primary, we have Mr. Lim Kwan Wah.
SY Lee ,
Thanks . Ipoh being some way off the coast , there must have been compelling reasons to use maritime references .
But I must say that irrespective of how the decision to choose these terms was made , the decision was a good one . A lot of us from ACS were infected by wanderlust and throughout history , on balance , most of the those travels to countries afar were made by sea , including voyages of discovery . Storms and perils were inevitable . Mankind prevails .
Hi S.Y. Lee ,
I am delighted with the statement of intent articulated by you and on behalf of your Committee .
This is refreshing and demonstrates a new commitment to take on a full-fledged initiative , very
much needed in the present circumstances .
It is heartening to see that we now have a more respectable range of Prize Awards . But very importantly , these Awards must always be determined on the basis of meritocracy . The Awards should always go to the clear-cut winners irrespective of the financial and social background of their parents .
A second type of Awards should go to students from poor / humble background but who demonstrate a will to succeed , be it in terms of sports and / or academic achievements although they may not rank amongst the very top few in their fields of achievement . These Awards should benefit a number of students in each form each year .
The purpose is to inspire the financially poor students , bolster their confidence and affirm to them that they are on the right track . Each Award can be of a reasonable sum . Very often , giving them more money is not the answer . How much is enough ? How much resources do the Alumni have to extend its role to doing charity ? The Alumni should also consider providing some mentoring and support services to point the way forward to them . There is no reason why they can’t take on some part-time work even as students , to alleviate their financial situation . In short , we should seek to teach them to fish rather than provide them with fish every day . Even education aids should be given out as loans rather than on a gratis basis .
The primary aim must be to inculcate in both the ablest as well as the financially poor students a responsibility for themselves and for others . It will be very gratifying if we can see one day that eventually when they succeed , they would on their accord seek out our Alma Mater and in turn do their part for the students of the succeeding generations .
Mr. Chew Swee Kwee , the then Minister of Education , Singapore was reported to have suggested in 1955 that ACS should stand for ” Answer your Conscience with Service ” . How appropriate ! This suggestion was uttered way before our time but it rings true .
I know that I have been more than candid but it is all well intentioned and is in the interest of seeing the Alumni play its meaningful role .
This is an off-the-cuff response but going forward , we will of course communicate directly with the Alumni .
Please be assured that I am one of your many well wishers in this enterprise , and I would very much like to be counted as one of your most ardent supporters .
Gentleman, What an interesting set of blogs all in one day. Thank you for them and I must say I heartily applaud what the Alumni are doing and planning to do. If we had more people thinking along the same lines, the world, particularly Ipoh, would be a better place.
Regarding photos from the Voyager, my problem is that there is only Felicia (full time) and myself (part time) as staff members and we do all of this ipohworld site, the database, the blog, the new book etc. on our own. Currently as well as what you see, we have dozens of email queries, meetings with heritage people, film Directors, the Press and more, all arising from our several thousand readers. It would therefore be a great help if more of our readers could scan photographs and captions at high resolution (600dpi or thereabouts), like those in the Voyager and email them to us at info@ipohworld.org. If there are stories to go with them then send those too.
I look forward to some more emails.
It is called Teerath Ram Hall. Not Teetath Ham Hall.
Sorry Mun we will correct that. Thanks for spotting the typos.
Yes please Mun we would love some more photographs. Please email to us at info@ipohworld.org. High resolution scans at 600dpi are preferred if possible. If that is a problem then please let us know and we will sort something out.
I have been actively researching the history of ACS Ipoh and find your article here to be historically accurate, womething that we do not get in Malaysian History. With the exceptions of leaving out vital details that may offend some people and calling our great principal Mr.Ram a ‘Ham’, I am really pleased with what you have put up for ACS Ipoh.
Being and ‘Old Salt’ (term use for alumnus because of the ‘Voyager’ scenario)and also an ex-Principal of the school, an active member of the Alumni Association since its revival in 1995 when we celebrated its 100th Anniversary until recently and someone who is always part of ACS Ipoh, I am about to launch a series of articles for this blog on schooling in Ipoh and its surroundings and ACS Ipoh will be highlighted with tales from classrooms, toilets, etc.
Those with materials to contribute may do so by posting it here as I go along.
Thanks.
Hi ika
Just wanted to add to the ACS list of Who’s Who. The former Chief Police Officer of Perak that was assassinated in front of the GH, Ashby Road – The late Tan Sri Koo Chong Kong.
I am an old salt too. Anyone remembered the ACS Head prefect of 1970 or 71, Leong Wai Mun? The poor guy got killed in a traffic accident in Singapore while out jogging one day in 2002. He was in his late 40s then.
Hi, Lee Seong Yan,
I had the honour of being your classmate 1951-1961). Just to add one more personality: Cheah Tong Kin a swimmer who represented Malaysia in at least SEA Games.
Mahan SIngh Gill
Dear Mahan, What a pleasant surprise to hear from you. Do you still meet up with our former class mates Lee Wai Yin, M. Shanmugam, Oei Peng Eong and the others? Do come for the Alumni dinners one of this days so that we can meet up. Please let me have your email address. Mine is sylee@gmail.com
Mahan, sorry I gave the wrong email address. it is sylee44@gmail.com
Seong Yan, yes we meet up every now and then. The others in addition are Teoh Hoon Thye, Peter Shanta, Tang Liong Choy, Chong Tai Sun, Lau yew Keong(lives in Johor ). Do not meet Lim Siew Sun that often but have his number. Ramakrishnan is in Kuala Lumpur too though have not seen him.
Can contact me at mahangill@yahoo.co.uk
Hallo there. Am a current student in the school. Finishing my Upper Six actually. Had 4 granduncles who went to ACS before me. Have in my possession a 1956 staff photograph. Can scan and mail if anybody’s interested.
Thank you for being part of the school’s history. The school has made me what I am today. ACS Ipoh.
Hi Joshua, Welcome to our world.
We are always pleased to receive old photographs and will be delighted if you could scan the one you have, at high resolution, (600dpi is perfect) and email it to info@ipohworld.org.
Thank you for the offer and we look forward to receiving it.
Come back to ipohWorld soon.
Hi Joshua ,
It is gratifying to note the pride you have in ACS , and it is quite remarkable that 4 of your granduncles studied in our alma mater at one time or the other . When were they there ?
I was in ACS from 1964 to 1969. Two other famous teachers from ACS were Datuk Yogeswaran and Mr. Sarjit Singh( Kecik Bayee) for hockey.
I am forever indebted for ACS, what I am today was mainly because of ACS and all those Kirby and Brinsford teachers.
ika – Thank you for your welcoming gesture. It always thrills me to be in the presence of those who have walked through the doors of ACS Ipoh.
I’ve extracted the photograph from my album and together with it are two more. A ’74 staff photo and another (of a club presumably) which I fail to identify. Will get to work in producing scanned copies of these as soon I can.
And yes, I’ll be sure to frequent this site. Thank you.
LMS 136 – ACS Ipoh is an institution well worthy of its reputation. When walking through the empty corridors or simply standing in front the main building, staring at it, I can’t help but imagine those who have been in similar positions over the decades before me. How different things were when she was at her prime. Things may have changed over time, be they norms, fashion and character among others, but one thing we have in common is definitely our love and gratitude for the school.
The four of them were brothers among nine children of a Mr. Ebenezer Peters who was in the employment of the British administration. They who moved to Ipoh just before the Japanese Occupation. The eldest, a Mr. Samson Reynold Jeyasingh Peters (1937-1962) was enrolled after the war when the school resumed its operation. The youngest, a Mr. David Navaraj Peters (1949-2008) would have left school after his MCE in 1967.
The other two who are still around are Mr. George Rajasingh Peters (born 1939) and Mr. Abraham Charles Devasingh Peters (born 1942) They too attended the school within the span of 1945-1963.
Hi Joshua ,
Thanks for your very informative write-up on your 4 granduncles, and the time period when they attended school in ACS . The elder 3 would have all been under ACS’s roof at one particular stage , perhaps we should call them the Three Musketeers , but if they were particularly mischievous , The Unholy Trio might be an amusing appellation .
Your great granduncle worked for the British Administration . One wonders why he did not send his 4 sons to Anderson School instead .
I congratulate you on the very positive sentiments that you have for ACS . I hope our alma mater has made a positive impact on your life and prepared you well for the future .
Your reference to ACS’s “prime days” has given me an inspiration . Perhaps we can have a healthy debate on the ACS blog . In backing up their claims , the various proponents may give us very interesting insights into ACS and her achievement at various periods of time . UV@Valiant Knight , what say you ?
I have encountered a few rare instances of some younger Alumni being not particularly interested in ACS now that they had left school . Perhaps , ACS and / or the Alumni should think of creating a database containing the email / contact addresses of students about to leave ACS , and devise a means to keep them apprised of ACS and the Alumni’s activities as well as to track the ongoing progress and whereabouts of the graduating students .
LMS136, yes it is a good idea for ‘old salts’ to write about what they think was the greatest achievements of ACS during their duration as students there.
I think I was one of those fortunate ones that spent my time when ACS achieved various firsts in Malaya/Malaysia. Under the capable leadership of Mr. Teerath Ram, we had the first air-conditioned library. We also had the swimming pool (I think we were not the first in Malaya/Malaysia but at least the first few to ahve one), the first school to have an indoor badminton and basketball (more like a multi-purpose indoor stadium) hall, aptly named Dewan Teerath Ram. We were also noted for our annual production of plays both drama (Shakespear) and musical (Broadway). I was involved in two Shakespearean Plays (Mecbeth and Julia Caesar) and in musicals I was in Brigadoon and even when I left school I was involved in Carousel and South Pacific. Later as Principal, I produced Joseph and the Technicolor Cloak.
The ACS Choir under Mr. Chin Yoong Kim was the top choir for many years and our debating team with Mr. M.S. Manogran and company won many top awards.
Of course during my time, Mr. Cheah Tong Kim was most famous for representing Malaysia in swimming in SEA Games, Asian Games and the Olympics, too. We also had footballers that qualified for the Olympics in Moscow but Malaysia boycotted it and they did not get to play. Later the most famous badminton player was the doubles player Cheah Soon Kit (suddenly could not recall his name for a moment, but I finally did). Our Form Six girl Ong Mei Lin also represented Malaysia in swimming in the Olympics (if I am not mistaken). So the swimming pool and the badminton hall paid off. Actually ACS had an indoor badminton court from the very early 1930s in the gymnasium at the back of Wesley Church.
Will tell you more later.
Hi UV@ Valiant Knight ,
You cover the entire ’60s decade and beyond ! Hahaha ! Buying insurance ? So which years were the prime years or golden years .
On the ’60s decade , one can also add that in 1966 ,ACS Ipoh won the Perak Inter-School Hoistory Quiz beating ASI , SMI , STAR and MCKK . One of the ACS participants was in Lower Sixth . Lee Hong Kuan , the ASI School Captain before Onn Eng Hock exhibited gentlemanly qualities and exceptional sportsmanship when he came over at the bicycle park in ASI to congratulate members of the ACS team for a good job done .
Lee Hong Kuan , who met with an untimely death at a young age , will always command our
highest regards .Unfortunately , “heroes die young” !
In 1967 , 2 boys and a girl from ACS Ipoh won the Yong Su Hian Shield for the Perak Inter-School Economics Quiz beating all the other premier schools in the State. Due to a lack of financial support and work commitments , they were unable to attend the Nationwide Economics Quiz at the Dewan Tuanku Chancellor in the University of Malaya to battle against competitors like Victoria Institution and the other premier schools .
The ACS Ipoh hockey team also displayed a sterling performance at competition levels for many years . Thanks to Mr Brian Foenander and his players !
The Science and Arts streams results held out well against the other schools in Perak for a good number of years .
ACS Ipoh was a highly successful non-government school and in many ways proved that it was as good if not better than the fully sponsored government schools .
Hail ACS Ipoh !
LMS 136 – Simple! They were strongly Methodist by faith. The boys went to ACS and the girls to MGS. Folks those days..
Hi! UV@Valiant Knight
If I’m not mistaken, you must be Mr Victor Chew. Correct me if I’m wrong!
Joshua ,
Thanks . Actually , I thought so but felt that it was better to get an affirmation .
Their surname suggests that they have embraced Christianity but there’s no clue as
to which denomination they belong to .
I do not recall a Veronica Woo but if you let me know your Chinese name in full, I may know you as a student in MGS or ACS.
Yes LMS136, I did cover a period that is rather extensive as I was in ACS up to 1964 (Upper Six) but had plenty of contacts with the school although I did not teach there till I became Principal in 2000. So a contact from the 1950s till 2001 is half a century! Wow, that’s a long long time, right.
I am writing off the cuff, no reference to my notes, etc. here, so I cannot provide full details. What I put down here are the things that stuck me most.
Just for fun, can you people out there remember the most serious form of punishment you are your friends received while in school?
I was ONLY caned once by Mr.Moriera (mass caning for the whole class) but Mr. Aw Boon Jin, my primary school English teacher regularly caned me for the slightest English mistakes (like spelling, wrong tenses, etc.). I thank him for that as it made me able to write well in the secondary school and even now. Mr. Aw was also the Primary Supervisor then.
However, the worst punishment I saw was a public caning of a Form 5 student in front of the whole school. He was given SIX of the BEST from the Principal, Mr. Ram! This boy was from my house (OLDHAM) and he was a great javelin and shot putt thrower! I couldn’t recall what he did to deserve that punishment!
In my Form Six days, as a Prefect, I used to sit in the Prefects’ Room that was next to Mr. Moriera’s room and hear his cane whisking and the loud splattering sound as it landed on a boy’s bottom! It was rather horrible and from time to time I could hear the victim cry out in pain. This must have hardened me to coporal punishment and I must say, as a Senior Assistant and Principal as well as an Afternoon Supervisor I did my share of caning of recalcitrant boys too! It could be effective for some (note: NOT ALL can be ‘saved’ by caning!) Eventually, when I became a Principal, I found that it was better to confront such pupils with severe discipline problems and give them a series of counselling. This is so for older boys in upper secondary school.
Any form of coporal punishemet must be followed by a session of counselling! This was neglected, unfortunately in most schools, even in ACS. When I headed ACS Ipoh, I insisted that this be done and it wasn’t accepted by those who were still using the ‘traditional’ method of punishment (which also included expelling or sending students to other schools)!
Let’s hear your comments on punishment!
YC, I’m also an ACS student from 1956-1963. The names you mentioned such as Chong Chee Tut and Foong Yeng Sek both of them are my classmates. I’ve lost touch with many of my former classmates namely Loh Kim Fee, Leong Keong Siew, Lee Kok Fai (teacher Lee Kok Koon’s brother)except Mah Keng Lum still keeping touch with me. This guy Darshan Singh (Tan Sri) ever met him once when he was the magistrate in Ipoh ages ago. I’ve migrated to Sabah in 1967 and sometimes I come back to visit my hometown Ipoh.
I wonder all our former primary school teachers are still around such as Ng Ah Fook, Lim Jeow Ngiam, Mr. Foo Choy Wan and Miss. Chong and those secondary school teachers Moreira, Brain, Chet Singh, Gurchan Singh, Miss. Tai? Even there are around should be very old already by now. I really missed all those good old days in school. Hope to meet up with you guys if ever there’s an opportunity!
Lee Chee Lee,
For your information, Tan Sri Darshan Singh is a practising lawyer in Ipoh.
I understand that the teachers, Ng Ah Fook (who was also my teacher), Mr. Foo Choy Wan and Mr. Moreira have passed away. I have not heard of Mr. Lim Jeow Ngiam. If by Miss Chong you refer to Miss Chong who taught in Form 6, she is still around though she attended our Alumni dinner and had difficulty in walking. She needed a wheel chair but I do not know whether she used it. Mr. Brian also attended this year’s Alumni dinner and made a very, very long speech. I know Mr. Chet Singh but do not know of his present whereabouts. If by Miss Tai, you mean Miss Tye Soh Sim, she passed away and some of her former students contributed to an award for the best oratory and literary award to the best student. Why not turn up at our next Alumni dinner and meet some of your friends and former teacher. You can contact me with your email address or better still, join our ACS Alumni
Sadden to hear some of the primary class teachers have passed away. I was taught by the late Ng Ah Fook in 1961, Std 6C, and he was well remembered for his off-target flying shoe missile if any student couldn’t work out an answer to a sum given on the blackboard. Without him pushing us to come back for extra classes on Saturdays, I think many of us wouldn’t make the marks in the Primary 6 government examination. By the way, when is the next Alumni dinner to be held? I’ll be delighted to join the ACS Alumni and please advise me how to apply. Thank you.
Hi Chee Lee ,
The ACS Alumni Annual Dinner is traditionally held on a Saturday in the month of August to coincide as closely as possible to the anniversary date of the founding of ACS Ipoh.
This year it was moved to September to accommodate our Muslim alumni as they fasted in August.
If you care to pass your mobile no. or email address to ika/felicia at IpohWorld for them to relay to me , I will be happy to pass it onto my classmate, Chooi Choong Yin , Hon Treasurer of the ACS Alumni Association, for him to keep you informed. I can get him to send you a form to join the Alumni Association .
Chee Tut’s sister , Chee Lin , was my classmate in Form 6.
Mr. Lee Chee Lee,
The next ACS Alumni dinner will be held on 6th August 2011 tentatively at the New Shelaiton Restaurant (the old one was Helaiton Restaurant). We decided to fix it early so that the old boy (or former pupils as some would object to being called “old”) can plan for the dinner. Do make a point to come with your former class mate and friends. You can apply to join the Peratuan Alumni Sekolah Anglo-Chinese Ipoh (1967) Malaysia. You can contact the present secretary, Mr. Abtar Singh (a teacher in the ACS Ipoh) at SMK Methodist (ACS), Jalan Lahat, 30200 Ipoh. Mr. Abtar’s h/p is 017-5755511 or you can send me an email at sylee44@gmail.com so that I can forward to you the application form. You can also contact Mr. Chooi Choong Yin, our present Treasurer at 0163845120. I am the current President of the Alumni. The fees is RM100 for a life membership. This is a one-off payment. We have only one category for members (Life Membership) for former pupils. The other category is for Associate Members (those who are not former students).
Teachers come, teachers go, the school remains forever. Likewise, students come, students go!
Memories remain forever (unless you are afflicted by some brain disease). However, some people remember better than others and some people choose to forget somethings. I make it a point to put into words on paper (now computer) whenever I remember something that cropped up suddenly in my mind. Like for example, if I read some of your comments and my memory is jerked alive on that event, I would pen/type it down.
Come to think of it now, Veronica Woo could be Woo Kok Leong’s sister. (Are you, Veronica?) Woo Kok Leong hails from Menglembu. He was rather stout, dark in complexion and was one year my junior but being members of the Boys’ Brigade, we were alwaays moving around together and we went to University Malaya (he a year later and thus was a freshie that had to cling to me for protection during the orientation days when he joined. He is now a successful business man in KL (most likely retired). Another close friend of ours (same year with Woo)is Leong Kiu Kong (last heard of in Penang). If you know them and know where they are of have their contact (phone or email) please let me know via this blog. Thanks.
Wasn’t the younger brother of Chin Yoong Kim, Yoong Fee, a school swimmer and “Bluntschli” in George Bernard Shaw’s play, Arms and the Man back in the ’60s? I believe the late Mr. Ng Ah Fook’s daughter, Stella, was school swimmer for MGS too. So good to reflect and recall. Thanks ipohWorld, for the memories!
you’re welcome, Old Salts and Mermaids. and welcome to our Blog
Why is it that when we talk about swimmers from ACS we forget Cheah Tong Kim? He represented Malaysia in the Asian and Olympics. He was my classmate and we still meet ever so often during Alumni Committee meetings (when I was still in it) and Annual Reunion Dinners. A true SALT. He is still a bachelor Boy! Anyone interested in a fine senior gentleman? LOL.
The ‘old’ swimmers annually come together for the Old Pupils – Present Pupils Games. (Hey SY Lee, what happened to 2010′s Games?)
Do keep up the Alumni Association’s traditions!
Thank you very much LMS136 and S.Y.Lee for informing me on the date of the next ACS Alumni Dinner and the procedure to join ACS Alumni Association.
My cell phone number is 012-8112128 and e-mail address ;please forward the application form to me so that I can apply to become a Life Member.
Once again thank you, and I wish all of you a very joyful New Year 2011.
Sorry, the e-mail address failed to appear on the posting despite having inserted. Here it is “chile383@hotmail.com”
Dear UV@Valiant Knight,
The golf tournament was poorly supported by the old boys. Apparently the response was not too good for the swimming too. Perhaps you can organise next year’s games. Here’s giving you ample notice since the dinner will be on the first Saturday of August.
Lee Chee Lee,
Could not send email to you at the mentioned address
Hi S.Y. Lee,
It’s indeed strange you cannot send me e-mail using the msn hotmail account provided. Anyway, you can try this “chile383@yahoo.com” another e-mail account of mine. Appreciate if you’ll give another try.
Thank you.
Lee Chee Lee,
the email sent to you in both the email addresses were returned undelivered. Please send an email to me at my email address as stated in the note to Mahan Singh
What a pleasant surprise to happen on this site and read all the blogs. Greetings from California where I have been since I left ACS 6th form in 1970. This brings back memories, and I recall a few of the names mentioned (as someone said, the gals went to MGS and we were at ACS for only 2 years).
I don’t swim anymore. Won’t bore you all, but just wanted to say Hi. A fun day I recall is when Teerath Ram declared a 1/2 day off for the whole school when I won the SportsGirl of The Year (or the SportsWoman of the Year). I had won both, so not sure which got the recognition. I must say I made the most friends in the hallways that day. Thanks to everyone for making this trip down memory lane come alive.
Hi Mei-lin and welcome to our world, all the way from Sunny California. It is good to hear from you and I am sure the many ACS readers we have will welcome you as well.
What we need now is a photo (or photos) of you as Sportswoman / Sports Girl of the Year in high resolution (say 600dpi) and emailed to info@ipohworld.org.
Can?
Good to hear from you Mei Lin after all these years. You may not recognise my nickname here but I taught you in MGS when you were there. If you recall a ateacher with the name starting with ‘V’ you will know who I am.
Great to hear from Ong Mei Lin. On Thursday 9th July 1970 it was announced in school by late Mr Jamit Singh that she won the national Sportswoman of the year award. I was so proud of her & made this note in my diary.I always remembered spotting chlorine bleached short hair & green/white striped Speedos. I was quite active in the ACS swimming fraternity but not in the same league as her. No matter how hard I tried I could not make the swimming team.I once did swam for Tagore House in a freestyle relay & we won the gold. Chin Yoong Fee was the anchor man. Later I ‘downgraded’ to life saving under Mr Yip Yat Loong & became a lifeguard & life saving instructor. The only swimmer I was close to is Ronny Ng who was a classmate of mine. He is now in Oz & once worked in the same office as my sister there.
Chin Yoong Fee was an ex-Adun in Perak. After he fell from favour for supporting the wrong horse in the MCA struggle for leadership between Tan Koon Suan and Neo Yee Pan, he left for Australia and is now in Adelaide.
The Chin family is an icon of ACS too. Chin Yoong Kim the famous choir master, musical producer for ACS and song conductor during all the assemblies is still around as ‘young’ as ever. Eddy Chin, the record holder of long jump for many many years, singer and who married the laate Tye Soh Sim (his teacher) is now in Kuala Lumpur, still singing classical songs, Chin Yoong Thai or Tommy is still kicking around and drinking coffee with me in KL and Chin Yoong Foh, my classmate is still around playing his guitar! The eldest Chin brother, Yoong Sun is in Bukit Rahman Putra, Sg. Buluh, KL. He is a lawyer (maybe retired now). Do you all recall them coming to school in the white Opel, his father, driving the car with his cork hat (brown or kahki in colour)? They have two sisters, Fee Lan and Mei Ling. Fee Lan is now in Florida and Mei Ling is still in Ipoh. I understand Fee Lan is coming back next week to Malaysia for a visit.
Hi Mahan, are you still as skinny as you were back in 61?
I remember how you got incensed when we pronounced your name with a soft G as opposed to the hard G that you insisted it was.
I bump into S Y Lee now and then in New Town and met Chin Wah Onn in PJ when Cheah Tong Giin came back from Toronto to work for a year or so back in the 80s. Tong’s in town just now.
Did you know that Hoon Thye’s elder brother Hoon Cheng, also ex-ACS, died sometime 2010? As I understood from a drama aficionado, Hoon Cheng nobly worked to support his younger siblings through university.
I heard a few years ago Chan Lup Keong died in Hong Kong where he apparently practised medicine while Dr Thong Kok Loon died in Canada both cases related by Tong Kim IIRC. You may remember Alan Yeoh Kok Hean who, I was told by younger brother Ronnie, is no longer with us. And Tan Siew Heng’s memorial in the local paper caught my eye several years ago.
I met the following (except for the Yins) at Tong Kim’s mum’s wake and funeral late June 2010.
Colombo Plan scholar M Shanmugam’s somewhere in KL-PJ with his Chinese wife that Bobby Yin (Jimmy’s younger brother) introduced back in the 70s. BTW I was recently told that Bobby may be back ‘for good’ having been in such diverse countries as Papua New Guinea, Qatar and Somalia.
S Jeyapalan was also at the wake with his better half, AFAIK he’s still at Maxwell Kenion, S Y Lee should be able to confirm that.
M Manogaran (or Mano Maniam as he’s known nowadays) looked resplendent in botak, with a palpable aura I can only describe as ‘self-actualized’ to use Abraham Maslow’s term.
Kwok Pui Ling is busy with Canning Garden Methodist Church, and Chin Yoong Kim led a choir at the Fatimah Hospital chapel and YMCA last Xmas.
Hey if you want to look at digital pix or have old axes to grind, drop me a line at mangalasutra@yahoo.com
OMG, so many who are just a few years my senior have passed on! Thong Kok Cheong (Kok Loon’s brother) and Manogaran (Mano Manaim) were classmates so too Bobby Yin. Hoon Ching was my brother’s best friend in school and my brother Keong Hoe passed on in 2009 in Singapore but his children and wife brought his ashes back to Ipoh. Did not hear of Tong Kim’s mother passing away! Thanks for the up-date shaoming.
Hey Shaoming I knew some of the people you mentioned that have passed on such as Alan Yeoh. Also knew Ronnie, Wah Onn, Mano, and UV. I am curious as to who you are. Thanks for your postings. They have refreshed a lot of my memories of Ipoh ACS, the teachers, and the Methodist Church on the school campus.
hwUS,
UV is of course Victor Chew.
Shaoming,
Shaoming sounds like Vong Siew Ming. Am I right? Thanks for informing us that Chan Lup Keong has died. The last I saw him was in the University of Singapore. Wong Ah Chin studied there too. I understand from Ah Chin’s brother that Ah Chin has retired but still give lectures. I did not know that Tan Siew Heng has died. She, Loh Siew Ying and Tye Pei Pin were the first girls admitted by the ACS to Form 5. Before that, ACS was strictly a boys’ school up to Form 5.
For the others who studied with me in Form 6 Arts, Ruth Fok Lok Teck is around in Singapre or Japan. She sent me some photos of Voon Hean Lim, Lean Pek Ling, Chong Yoon King and Leonie Foo (whom I have not met but heard of). My God, so many grandmothers. Guess I am the only one who is still young (at 66)
How amusing to exchange memories online! The trouble is that it gets to be a great time killer and before I know it, 2 hours would have passed.
when Mrs Cheah became “free of pain and suffering and free of me” I tried to contact former HM P Subramaniam to tell him of her passing but no one answered the house phone over a couple of days. Weeks after wife Eunice’s passing late last year, he told me that he had been tending to her final moments in KL with doctor son Paul.
I can’t place Tye Pei Pin but teacher Loh Swee Kee’s daughter Loh Siew Ying married Lau Yew Keong. Hey S Y Lee, do you recall another classmate pint sized Lam Woon Woon? I may have seen her at Dataran Merdeka decades ago but wasn’t sure.
As for Wong Ah Chin I was once on the same bus from KL but wasn’t quite sure until he ordered some food whereupon his voice gave him away.
As for the other Form 5 classes, Loh Wah Chai is related by marriage to the proprietor of 1 of the gas stations in Canning Garden, where I also met Siew Kok Wah walking a couple of weeks ago not to mention elsewhere in Ipoh.
Then there’s Liew Fah Chong who has not changed a bit since ’61, sitting on 1 of the benches in Kinta City. Chan Boon Chin runs the family business that handles wedding photos (Chan Sam Lock, Brewster Road). Leong Ah Onn still hangs around Ipoh and I spoke to him once.
Wang Shaoming is the pinyin spelling rendered by an artist when I wrote my name in Chinese characters, I had met him just once in Kampar mid 90s. IIRC hanyu pinyin was in the local news then and I thought it amusing to use it. Apparently some characters do not look neat when rendered in pinyin but it’s all relative as lawyer Chew Gi Boo my Pri 2A classmate might say?
Yes Vong Shaoming, I remember you but more so your sister whom I taught in MGS. Is she still around in Ipoh?
Shaoming,
I thingk HM P Subramaniam’s son Paul is a lawyer and not a doctor.
I cannot remoember Lam Woon Woon. Loh wah Chai’s father in lawy is the proprietor of a tyre shop in Fair Park, probably the biggest in the locality – you cn’t miss it – its on the main road. Chan Boon chin does not run the Chan Sam Lock’s photostudio. He just sits there. the hard work is done by others. Chew Gi Boo is no longer practising as a lawyer. Story goes that he runs a coffee shop. More lucrative.
Shao Ming,
Sorry, I got Tye Pei Pin’s name mixed up. She was my class mate in Form 6 Arts. the third girl in our class was Sue Lyn. Can’t remember her surname.
Sy Lee, Sue Lyn’s surname could be Chung or Chang. The family used to stay in Canning Garden. She has a younger siter, too. Oi Lyn!
Why did they end up in ACS Ipoh? Million dollar question only Mr. Ram would know and could answer. Anyone out there with the answer? I am guessing – they were thrown out of their girls’ school for some ‘dreadful’ SIN! I repeat, this is merely guess work!!!!!! I apologize first before I end up being sued!
UV@Valiant Knight
Apologising won’t help you being sued. Anyway, let’s not speculate on the reason whey they were in the ACS Ipoh. This is history. All of us make mistakes in life. Looking back, I probably made numerous. “There, but for the grace of God, go I.”
Thanks for pointing out Sue Lyn’s surname. I think it was Chang.
I attended ACS since std 1 to form 5. Was never the smartest because I choose to play instead of studying. I left after failing badly in my form 5..(all borderline passes)
I was lucky move overseas and is where I am….
I reveal little but thats the fun of it…LOL
Certainly knows who cheah tong kim is as we play waterpolo at KSC.
Lee, there were so many ex-ACS boys who did not perform academically and still led a very successful adult life.
So many names, so few neurons of mine, all ageing fast!
First, a series of errata:
Bobby Yin has been to Sudan and not as stated above. P Subramaniam’s wife’s name is Esme and his doctor son is Pete. Apologies to anyone who may have been offended, no offence was intended.
UV@Valiant Knight: As for my sisters in MGS, there were 2 of them plus a half-sister from my dad’s common-law union with a raving beauty. In any case the first 2 are in KL while the youngest and prettiest is likely still in NZ where she settled down with her programer hubby since the 80s.
S.Y. Lee: Shortly after my previous post, I recalled a relatively tall girl with smiling baby-face looks. She could be Sue Lyn.
I could be entirely wrong but Chew Gi Boo runs a small legal practice with an office behind Toong Koo Teng AKA Gourmet Square in Ipoh Garden. I often bump into him at nearby Kum Hor coffed shop where he regularly hangs out mornings. Is that what you meant?
On occasion a woman clerk would come up with documents for his signature. But just 2 days ago he did mentioned his interest in starting an upmarket coffee shop “for friends of his” if I heard him correctly.
UV@Valiant Knight: In 1 of your other posts you mentioned “Mr. Chan Tuck Wah (Industrial Arts teacher)”. AFAIR he was in charge of Woodworking class, as did Chin Ah Koon, down in 1 of the ‘basements’ but see below.
All this chit-chat made me look up Justus Havelock in ipohWorld but I was not able to find any reference to him or his Industrial Arts workshop late 50s that taught students how to made electric guitars. Someone I met in town suggested he might be in the US, perhaps 1 of you may know someone who knows where he is?
There are many Havelocks on Facebook, but none by the name of Justus. Anyone of you who is a member of Facebook may check it out with some of the members, his wife’s name was Rennie Wulf though I can’t be sure of the spelling.
Shamming,
Thanks for the news about your sisters. Yes, I know all three of them and I think I taught the younger two (yes I remember the “raving beauty” more like cute then but could turn into a “raving beauty” now!).
Mrs. Havelock has a sister who taught in MGS Ipoh, Mrs. Katherine Hor. If she is around still, she will be staying somewhere in Canning Garden. Many MGS alumni would remember her and could let you contact her to find out about the Havelocks. Yes, Justus, brother of Titus (National Hockey player) started the Industrial Art Class and I remembered him teaching us how to make electric guitars and craftwork from copper sheets (copper tooling)and aluminium sheets (I made an elephant [a real white-elephant]). The basement is the one below the Science Block (built around 1935) that had similar architecture as the Main Building but which was built much earlier. Next to this basement is the infamous toilet I wrote about in ‘Schooling in Ipoh – Episode 2′!
If I am not mistaken it is now a Prefects’ Room and the Band Room [it was when I was Principal there].
Here’re a couple of names of students who no longer walk among us
Dr Raj Kumar who died 2002 as did Foo Kai Yan, both classmates of mine in Form 5, the latter since Std 6.
Sam Tak Ming 1 or 2 years my junior. IIRC Tong Kim told me about it perhaps mid ’90s.
Which reminds me, I met Dr Nga Toong Sze once in Ipoh yonks. He was back from France and may still be doing either heart or cancer research.
Shaoming,
Glad that you remember Justus and Renny. Both are well and residing in Canberra, Australia. They are very close with our group of Class of 64 (Fifth formers, ASC Ipoh). Renny can be contacted at Facebook under Renny Wulff Havelock. You will not miss her through the profile image.
Please be informed that a fraternity group from Class of 1964 (Fifth Former, ASC Ipoh) was established 2 years ago and to-date we have manged to trace slightly more than 100 of our classmates from the five classes we have and they are from all over the world. Some teachers like Ms. Nornie Wong (Toronto), Ms. Kim Sook May (Sydney) and Mr./Mrs. Justus/Renny Havelock (Canberra). For those who are not with us, please contact me through this blog.
@PT
LOL. I have done well personally and been blessed (I think)
I left Malaysia 34+ years ago, graduated with a Bachelor degree in Accountancy. Went on to obtained accounting designations.
So I cant say things are not well. How could I?
Education in the west and asia is very different. In Asia we are forced to learn things we do not enjoy. I do not think I was a bad student as I used to be in either the “A” or “B” class when in primary school and the same when on until form 3. I did fairly well in the Form 3 exams, but then did not enjoyed the science stream and really hated alot of the subjects.
I have never really kept in touch with anyone while in Canada…
I did however been to KL twice for business the past 34 years. Been to Singapore a few times (and johor) since it was just crossing the border. The surprising part is I have never been back to Ipoh.
@Lee
You are another of the many success stories that I have come across.
I quite agree that during the primary/secondary school days many students did not pay attention or study hard due to circumstances beyond their control. However, many such students later in years excelled in their field of studies or in business. You are one!
My cousin (lim Kean hea), upper 6 back in the mid 60s lives in Vancouver. After graduating from acs, he went on to university of malaya and graduated with a bachelor degree. He works for the bank of malaysia for a number of years in malaysia and hong kong. he then moved to vancouver and has been there since the 80s.
Not sure any of the ‘old salt’ would remember him.
Lim Kean Hea was my one year junior, Class of 65 (5th Form). I would lnow him if he was in the aquatics sport or in the scout movement. Btw, lee. what is your full name.
@KM Leong
Replied your question privately.
@PT
I do not think it is a success story. I think if given the chance, anyone can and will succeed if they were all given the opportunity.
Thanks K M Leong for the heads-up about old teachers especially the very good looking Justus Havelock. You may write me at:
mangalasutra@yahoo.com.
I definitely remember the reasoning behind the typewriting classes taught by petite, fiesty Nornie wong 58-59, and can even hear the starting bell and the male instructor’s voice “Begin!” ringing out from the record player: “A, S, D, F, G, F, D” etc.
We used a ring-bound notebook about A4 size that could be made to stand vertically, you get the idea.
IIRC Teerath Ram told us that if any of us failed to get through the School Certificate exam, he could at least be a clerk and / or petition writer. What a visionary, to whom I owe my basic skills in Pitman’s Touch Typing course.
More power to Class of 1964 (Fifth Former, ASC Ipoh)!
When Miss Wong left us (I think for MGS Ipoh) where she became an Art Teacher (like her father) a Charlotte Loh (hope I got the surname right) took over! Wow! She was like ‘Desprate Dan’s’ – the female version. (Sorry, I am rather crude when I recall things at times! LOL). I think we did not enjoy her classes aas much as we did Miss Wong’s (she in her cheongsam)! Well, at least I have my Pitman’s Certificate in Typewriting. That’s why I can still type fast on my computer keyboard! Thanks to ACS Ipoh. How many of you still remember the brand of the typewriters we used? (I do, do you?)
I believe it was olivetti typewriters.
Hi UV@Valiant Knight,
You were right about Miss Charlotte Loh being very stern and a hard taskmaster. She “pioneered” Book-keeping/Principles of Accounts in ACS Ipoh. Her students not only sat for the paper in the Cambridge School Certificate Examinations but also attempted the Pitman’s Book-keeping examinations attaining fairly good grades. She conducted Saturday classes to prepare her students for the latter examinations which were taken when they were in Form Four.
The Pitman qualifications enabled some of her students to secure jobs either as book-keepers or storekeepers in some of the then British-owned mines. It also provided a good exposure to those others who went on to study accounting subjects at tertiary level.
I remember the typewriting classes in ACS. Up to today, the music rings in my ears. Then the carriage return following by the cling sound. this is to teach us rhythm which is so important in typing. Much later, I learnt that the keyboard was what is known as the qwerty keyboard. Though I did not get a job as a clerk, in these days when computer is useful, knowing where the alphabets are is still useful. We used the five finger system instead of the many who resorted to the two finger system (or the Columbus system – search and land). It was probably due to the foresight of Mr. Teerath Ram to introduce typewriting classes to students. At least I got my Pitman’s Certificage, useful in case I need a job as a typist.
I also remember Miss Nonny Wong (or was it naughty Wong, as referred to by the students). She taught commercial subjects and used to teach for the FEC (Further Education Classes) at night as set up by the government (wonder why they stop them) for people from all walks of life to learn at a nominal fee. The class had to have at least 30 pupils and sometimes they fall short and the class had to close. She “recruited” some of us when we were in Form 3 to learn shorthand. Payment of our fees where contributed by the female students to make the class up to 30. Up to today I can still remember the pronounciation of “debt” as “det”. For the peasants who did not attend shorthand classes “debt” is always pronounced as “deb-t”. I heard Miss Nonny Wong later got a job with the United Nations. Anyone can confirm?
@SY Lee : The name is Nornie Wong and not Nonny. She is now retired in Toronto and involved with spreading the message of the One above. She used to be working for the Judiciary Dept. of Canada and not UN. She is close with us, the Co64 and if you guys are interest to get in touch with her, you can always lock on to her Facebook under her name, Nornie Wong.
@lee : I preferred the Underwood tywriter than the Olevetti..newer machine, I presumed.
KM Leong,
Your preference of the Underwood typewriter is 30 to 40 years too late. It is difficult to buy a manual typewriter now. The Olympia is not too bad. I remember the manual typewriters. Then came the electric and later the electronic typewriter before the introduction of computers.
For all the old boys, please refer to Facebook under the name of ACS Ipoh Alumni. I welcome your photos and comments too.
Yes, all of you named the correct brands of typewriters we used int he class but most of them were Royal!
ACS has always been forward looking and is still so today. However, the Mininisry of Education do not acknowledge this and did not include it into their Cluster School system nor the newer system then are now introducing. Why? Bias as it is still a Mission school!
I understand St. Jospeh of Kuching has gone private! Maybe it is time ACS Ipoh think along that line!
Do they still sing the school song at the school assembley?
Goh Kooi,
They still do and so do we at the annual reunion dinner. The song has been updated to “more than hundred years or so”.
Thanks. Is it in English or Bahasa Malaysia? I heard that CHIJ one is in Bahasa Malaysia.
Sincere apologies Lee Chee Lee, I read your posting only moments ago! I sent you an email via your hotmail address, please keep in touch
YC
hi im a former form 6 student at acs from 1978-1979.acted in school drama carousel. am the only Malay student involved in the drama.
Hi Rogayah,
It’s good to know that you were an ex-ACSian and you were active on the ACS Ipoh stage. There were 3 Malay girls in our Sixth Form Arts class in my days. I am sure that they enjoyed a very pleasant 2 years of studies with us.
A great number of us have since left Ipoh and over the years we lost touch with some of our classmates. It will be good if you and the others can join our Alumni activities to celebrate the shared times we had in ACS Ipoh, if you have not already done so.
i spent 14 years (1965-1979) in ACS, starting from wesley kindergarten onto primary school and finishing off in upper six science C. teachers who made an impact during my time there: mrs khoo (kindergarten), mr lee (std1B), mrs chong (std3A), mr lim (std5A), mr chin (4SA1), mr michael lee (art), mr das p sharma (sejarah), mrs yin (eng), mrs liew (library), miss ong (eng), mr lee hoo keat (math) and of course mr foenander (discipline!) i recently took my son back to the old campus. the main block (with the theatre) still looks great but the security fencing around everything really spoilt the view.
ECKL: LOL Nice to see you around. You would never remember me as I was a rebel in school.
I remembered in those days you used to catch me for coming into school late and I would end up at Brian’s office and then sent out to pick garbage around the school. I recently discovered that I was working with someone for many years without knowing he was a year my senior and I know him brother very well. And he did mention you are with SP.
ECKL: we were in the same class for 2 years….
1b in 67 and 2a in 68. I think I stayed in B class for the balance of my primary school after 2a.
ECKL, its remarkable of u to remember your class teachers. I was in ACS from 1964 – 1969, I lost all my voyager ACS magazines due to my shifting of places. I can’t recall many of their name in full. Mine was Mrs.Cheah (Std 1), Ms.Teh (Std 2), Mr.Hong (Std 3), Mr.Joseph Raj (Std 4), Ms.Toh (Std 5) and Mr.Gurunathan (Std 6). My headmasters were Mr. Low Choo Beng and Mr.Ng Ah Fook. And my favourite teacher was Mrs.Mah Kok Wah. I use to hitch a ride form Mr.Mah Kok Wah’s first car, the first Toyota model in 1967. They were living at the back of my home at Jalan Nerhu, Birch Gardens.
ACS Ipoh from 1956-64, some names surface, Goh Foo Min (his Mother ran a chinese school next to ACS Ipoh and his sister taught at ACS Ipoh, Lam Kok Meng (his Father ran a chinese school in Falim), Dennis Yeow Chin Hock (his brother Mr Yeow taught at ACS Ipoh) Cheong Kwan Fatt (he was at Rasa Sayang Penang), Ng Siew Kee (met him briefly at Canning Gdn Methodist Church), Yeap Chee Seong, Madiazhagan others may surface in time!
S. Sundralingam and others who are interested in the past issues of the Voyager. I understand from the HM Mr. Cheng, that for the later issues, they also keep a digital copy. For the earlier copies, I am informed that you can obtain a photostat copy. They are also trying to scan and produce digital copies. I do not know to what stage they have done this. They are prepared to let old boys have copies in return of a small donation to defray the costs.
Mr.S.Y.Lee, thank you so much for the valuable information. For those who wants to contact Mr. Cheng Sai Lak, he can be reach at ACS 05-2549336.
hey LEE; i need more clues. but i am not with SP……….
EKCL:
LOL.. you wont get alot of clues.
I certainly remembered you when I saw those letters…it just came to my mind. the following letters should mean something to you…. e.n.n.g. to confirm I know it is you. As this is a public forum, I would not say things that would disclose private information unless it was already in the public.
As for SP, I may have heard it wrong. But I am sure I can and will get it right if I make a call and ask.
If you have those old school year book, that should isolate to no more than about a handful of kids. 1b, 2a, 3b.
I am unsure what clues I can leave you…as I dont have a legacy like you… I dont remember alot of my ACS life since leaving in either 76 or 77.I am having a hard time trying to recall things that may make a mark as to who I am. LOL. I dont think we cross path much in school. Lets take our conversation private.
I will sent IKA an email to get your email address if that is ok.
Hi,
Just got this site by accident.
I would like to contact those students
in Five Arts A, year 1970.
Hi UV. I’m ex MGS/ACS Ipoh. You taught my class geography in MGS in 1968. The MGS fifth formers of ’68 are having a reunion in Ipoh in April and are inviting our former teachers. Could you contact me at lmlam51@gmail.com please? Thanks to the wonder of the internet, it was Ong Mei Lin, a schoolmate since primary school days, who led me to this blog! It’s like getting to Ipoh by way of California! Hope to hear from you soon.
SY Lee:
I am surprised that ACS Ipoh do not have an official website nor a email address. I believe in this day and age, it is a must. I do hope you propose this to the school.
Dear Lee,
At various times the ACS tried and in fact succeeded in having a website but students come and go and eventually, it did not function. Dr. Leong did try to set up a webpage and succeeded but due to lack of assistance, it ceased. Perhaps you can contact the headmaster and help them set up another one. The greater difficulty is to maintain it.
Dear All,
I accidentally stumbled upon this page on ACS Ipoh and a flood of greeat memories came back again!!!
I was a student from 1970 to 1980 and my teachers in the primary school were Mr Wong Tian Kong, Mr Rajasivam, Mr Khoo Ui Cheang and the headmaster then was Ng Ah Fook. In secondary was Mr Rasathurai(maths), Mr Chandrakasam(english), Chegu Malik(Bahasa) and the Principal was Mr Subramaniam.
I have been away from the country for more than 11 years, being in Thailand and now Vietnam and am in the hospitality industry, leaving for good to Australia by the end of the year. I do hope to be in touch in this forum and would like to attend any of the reunion dinners organised.
Wherever i go, life in ACS will always be close to my heart.To all of you out there who were in my batch or know me , please kindly stay in touch and also all fellow ACS comrades would be great to here from you all
Regards
Gurdip Jessy
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
g_jessy@hotmail.com
Mr SY Lee
My take on the website
Alumni address, phone numbers, etc are an intangible asset to the school. In USA and Canada, schools raised millions from Alumni.
The school should think of the website as an investment.
Students should not be allowed to have access to those personal information.
Failing a website, the school can start a Official social network…ie facebook or Linkedin, etc.
Just a word for those advocating an ACS website. You may not realise just how much effort goes into something like this. For example to run ipohWorld blog and database we employ Felicia full time, another temporary young lady full time (for the moment), an “as required” IT specialist and myself part time, but often more like 7 days a week. As an example, between us Felicia and I access thes site at least 5 times every day of the week, – often more than that.
Consequently you have to find a dedicated teacher or “old boy” to manage the site for continuity and also stiudents and teachers to provide and input the data. That is why many schools do not have successfull websites.
I wish you luck in finding the right people to set up and run your site.
Pertaining to my comments on the 9th march,apologies my email is g_jessey@hotmail.com
Gurdip Jessy
Thanks ika for pointing this out. Most of us are doing it as a hobby. If there is no interest, the webpage dies off very fast. Speaking for myself, I really appreciate your running this especially on a non-profit basis. Even to have a page in facebook is difficult enough.
Further, Lee, it is easy to suggest contributions. When it comes to money, many shy away. Even for the annual dinner for our old boys, people complain about the cost. They still think we should charge RM30 when the cost per table is in the region of RM400 per table (more this year). They ignore the guests and the organising expenses including the entertainment, like the MC and other acts. We were lucky to get some contributions from old boys for some awards. How many do you think will contribute RM1,000 let alone RM10,000-RM15,000 to generate RM300 to RM500 per award on a permanent basis? There are a lot of well to do old boys but when it comes to contributions or donations it is another thing altogether. Many think that it is the duty of the school, the principals and teachers to teach. They do not give anything in return even though they can afford it.
Reference to the last line of your article, “The school also produced top national swimmers Allan Ong and Anthony Ang”
Actually you’d want to correct this.
Allen Ong (spelt with an ‘e’ but wont matter as you read on) is not from ACS. He’s from Sam Tet.
Anthony Ang was not produced by ACS per se. He was in ACS for 3 years or 4, then left ACS. He’s a national champ of his age group before and after his time in ACS.
If you’d want to credit swimming though, Mr Foo Yoke Meng who’s the swimming coach. (Both Allen Ong & Anthony started with him since a young age)
Hi KC, thanks for the correction. We always welcome our mistakes being pointed out so that we may put them right on our database archive. Do come back often. There’s always plenty to see.
since we have started making corrections to the article, I too may contribute to straighten the records. if you want a true ACS top swimmer, he is none other than Cheah Tong Kim. Ong Mei Lin came to ACS Form Six also should be listed here.
The Band (Bagpipes) was started by Deniel Chan.
Thanks UV. I do not plan to change the original blog above as people will read all the comments anyway, but the information will certainly be put right on the database, which is a long term project for the future Perakeans to savour.
Please be informed that the Class of 64 ACS Ipoh (Ipoh and KL Chapter) meet up with our beloved Arts teacher, Miss Kim Sook May (Mrs. Leong Kong Mun)after 45 years, in Ipoh and KL respectively late April, 2011. It was a great.
khuanmun, That’s class of 64 Form Five! Great!
Yes, I remember Miss Kim Sook May although she did not teach me. I met Ng Kong Wah of your year in Melbourne just last week when I was visiting there. He is a doctor and specialized in skin problems! He is looking very prosperous (if you know what I mean) but very healthy.
UV. yes Kong Wah is with the group and a regular in our Facebook forum
If you wish to give credit to the person who contributed to the swimming achievement of ACS, it should be Mr.Oh Boon Lian. In 1957, he formed and organised the first water-polo and swimming team and annual swimming meet. He helped to train the swimmers at the KSC’pool while other schools just watch and lament that they have no swimming pools and hence no swimming and water-polo teams. All his activities was done after school hours and at his own free time in the afternoon and night. It was due to his close relationship with the KSC management that he managed to make use of the pool for his swimmers. He did managed to produce many good swimmers. Without his work, ACS would never have thought of building a swimming pool for its students.
To Lee, who suggested the idea and to the other former pupils who are interested, we now have a blog at acsalumnipoh.blogsport.com. Perhaps you all can also contribute and give suggestions
http://acsalumnipoh.blogspot.com/
Thanks SY Lee. I am checking it out now.
Hi Old Salts
There is an authoritative history book written by Dr Ho Tak Ming called “Ipoh, when Tin was king”. In Chapter 13, p107 to p112, under the title “Educationists”, the main subject matter was the history of ACS Ipoh. It would make good reading to all those interested. The book is published by Perak Academy (41 Jalan Leong Sin Nam) and the ISBN 978-983-42500-2-7. My nephew, another old ACS boy, gave me the book whilst I was visiting Ipoh in 2010.
Allen Ong might have attended ACS Ipoh briefly. I should know, but I don’t – I am his aunt.
Wow…..I stumbled into this website and have enjoyed reading the contents. Memories of ACS days, teachers and friends(classmates) keep flashing alive…..some vaguely. I completed Form 5 Science A in 1965, so not that far off. As I will be making a trip to Ipoh in the later part of November 2011, it will rekindle lost time. I was into lots of sporting events but never able to reach the top…..very competitive and I tried and enjoyed it. Tennis was my strongest event when it was introduced in the school curriculum…..because I joined in at the very beginning. One of my frequent and best partner was David Wilkins. I am trying to find him and appreciate your help. Incidentally, after I left Ipoh, I medical schooled in Dublin, Ireland. Trained in Honolulu Hawaii and worked/residing in Canada/USA. At present, I am in Paradise, California. Thank you for the cherished memories and the effort you all have put into this. I have “favourite” this site. David Ding
Welcome to our world, ipohWorld, David Ding. We hope that this blog will help you to catch up with your old ACS friends – of which we have many.
If you are on Facebook then please ‘like’ us on that as well and tell all your friends about this site. The more readers we get the more fun we have.
By the way, do you have any photos from your days here in Ipoh please?
Thanks again ika…..are you Ian who emailed MS Lean’s mail ? That is so nice of you…..and a very good start to ‘find’ friends. I will also recommend your site in facebook. As to photos…..I will try to find some oldies. Perhaps you may be able to get photos through the annual school year book from the school library: the class photos as well as School Tennis Team.
David, Yes ika and Ian are one and the same. My last visit to the school library drew a blank – they really do not have much that is useful and in general the old magazines do not scan well as the print quality is poor. So whatever you have for us will be better than I got from them. Where possible we like scans to be high resolution, say 600dpi. Then they can also be used for exhibitions. Look forward to hearing from you.
Ian…..WE CONNECTED via MS Lean through your diligent effort. Thank you so so much. David Wilkins is in UK and was trying to find me too!!! We had a good long chat and will meet up in person next year, after attending the 40th Year Medical School Reunion in Dublin, Ireland in August 2012. I have marked down the 200th Anniversay of ACS in 2015 and will keep you posted from time to time. MS Lean has a long contact list of our friends to gather when I return in November.
Your home page 2nd picture has lasting memories for me. It is on Laxamana Road. And across the street is the 3 storey building which housed Sam Chai Chinese School. My Dad was the Headmaster and my Mom teached too. We lived on the end of this floor facing this iconic building for many years. On most Saturday nights….the sweet music permeated out and visually from my window, I saw people dancing. That ususally ended past midnight.
The ground floor was a Cafe…..English version. It served delicious sandwiches, cakes, tea, coffee and ice-cream and other menus. It was my Dad’s favourite spot of coffee & toast when he reads his newspaper or meeting with his friends. When I spotted my Dad in this Cafe, I ran down the stairs, crossed the heavily traffic street and sit with him. For that I was ‘rewarded’ with my favourite cake or a scoup of ice-cream. Hmmmmm….delicious.
Hi
Glad that I stumbled upon this website while searching for info.
First I wish to congratulate S.Y.Lee for being the president of the association.
Mrs. Grace Thong lived at Lau Ek Cheng Street, a street north of Cowan Street,(not sure of spelling) and street that runs east of Ruby Theatre and south of Anderson Rd.
UV@Valiant Knight
I did not become an Art Teacher like my father.
S.Y Lee
Did not work for United Nations but worked for the Provincial Govt. of Ontario (Provincial Courts)as secretary to Provincial Judges (90% of crime).
Am sorry to hear of Tye Soh Sim’s death. Spoke to her through phone no. given by Olivia Yeoh (Teoh). Taught in ACS for 5 years same time as Tye Soh Sim.
Am now an internet writer (3 years for HubPages.com – 210,000 authors, 18 million readers).
Would very much like to get members to join me in Facebook, Twitter etc.
Facebook – 5000 max. Friends, 2nd A/c 1198 Friends
Twitter – 1515 followers
Subjects mostly on Christianity,food and cancer, etc.
Published 132 articles
http://hubpages.com/profile/einron
I shall answer any comments made on my articles (hubs).
All are welcome.
Dear Nornie,
I remember you have 2 younger sisters, one of which was my classmate in Form 6 arts 64-65, her name is Winnie, may I know where is she now .
I was in ACS from primary school till form 6 , joined primary 1 in 1953 that’s the year that Queen Elizabeth was crowned. Lived in Cowan Street /Brewster Road area. Saw the wrath of the uprising of the MCP durning those early childhood years when the Kwilohs were killed in Mayfare Hotel. Trying to understand the reasons so many Chinese families were sending their sons back to china. In later years watching the many skilled mechanics and electricians jumped from the planes in search of greener pasture in other parts of Asia and USA when the government of the day destroyed the Tin Industry of Kinta due to their avarice.
These are some of the reasons that so many of us have departed from Malaysia and some have sent their children away. While it’s a positive to think of getting ACS to become a private school but also think about the less fortunate who can’t afford to pay hefty fees.
Ms Nornie Wong, Can always remember you (and other teachers) as the teacher who introduced us to typewriting. Very useful in this age of computers. Also remember you as the one who “enrolled” me and the other classmates of mine to the Shorthand classes of the FEC (Further Education Classes run by the Govt.) Shorthand does not help us in this present day when we use recorders though. It was nice to meet my fellow students (the ladies, I mean, though they were older). Hope you are doing well in the US and hopefully visit us one day. At our recent Alumni dinner, the only teachers around your time who were present were Mr. Maniam, Mr. & Mrs. Lee Hoo Keat.
Ms Ong Su-ming was at the dinner. Was she not an ACS teacher at one time as well as a thespian?
Hi Cheesl63 – I was in Std IB in 1953 the year of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. We had the union jacks criss crossing the classroom. My teacher was Ms Ling. The 4 class rooms (2 levels)were located at the lower campus of ACS near the Hostel. Thee was a wooden slip dip opposite the class room. What class were you in?
In regards to many youths leaving in the 1950s to China, I have met a number of them in China, and some of them ended up in Indo-China. The Chinese dislike their sons joining any uniform branches, viz. armed forces, police or even scouts. To avoid being conscripted many youths, prior to 1957, were sent to China. There was also a brief period of unrest in Chinese high schools during 1957-1958; and some went for fear of arrest.
From 1960s onwards, the great Malaysian Brain drain started with many skilled tradesman and tertiary educated people. All my siblings are living overseas.
Hi AP,
It is interesting that you met up with some of those who left for China rather than remained behind lest they were inducted into the national service scheme. Were they happy with their decision? Did they have any regrets? Did they adapt well in that environment in moving away from a capitalist / colonial system to a rigidly communist system? It must have been a big decision to make in retracing the migratory steps of their forefathers. Were they mainly from the Chinese schools?
On the other hand a significantly large number remained and joined the 3 branches of the Armed Forces and the Police. See the composition of the “Templar ‘s 12″ and even up to the ’80s, this ethnic community formed a significant percentage of the officers corps in the uniformed service branches. Most of them are from the English schools. We know of individuals who were in school our seniors, our contemporaries and our juniors who answered the “Call of Duty”.
Hi LMS: Most of them who took off in early 1950s are now in their late 70s. One particular person I know, went to China and studied in Guangzhou. He later left for Laos in the late 50s, did some business (buying & selling) during the Vietnam war and flying with Air America ( cargo planes, nicknamed CIA airlines). He also carried a gun with him during flight. If the plane was in trouble the crew might toss him and his goods out to lighten the plane but with a gun, he felt quite safe. He became a refugee after the war and was accepted in a Western country. He was Chinese educated and very much pro-China (but not a communist) and he drives a Mercedes Benz. He had no regrets and he told me that a group of school mates went together, via HK. He also told me that some of them remained in China and became high ranking officials. He had kept in touch with them. I personally known an old guy (in his 80s)who rose to the rank just below a Minister; another one who became a diplomat of the Chinese overseas post.I believe they made a conscious decision to leave Malaya, and none of them ever admitted to me that they had regrets.
In the 1940s, I had 2 uncles who left for China. My father’s brother volunteered his service with the Red Army to fight the Japanese and he was killed in action. My mother’s brother who went to look for a wife, got conscripted by the KMT army in 1949. He served in Formosa Islands (Quemoy Islands – continuous artillery bombardment daily from sunrise to sunset) for 5 years and later in Taiwan. He was repatriated to Malaysia and settled in Singapore.
Similarly, Chinese in Indonesia also went back en mass. I met a several of them in the Overseas Chinese Office in China.
LMS, you are right. Those in English schools were more likely to serve the uniform branch. I remember Teoh Hoot Aun (Ex ACS, a year or two my senior)became a Captain in the Malaysian Army.
In Australia, I met up with an Australian born Chinese in his late 80s. He took off to China and joined the KMT air force and became a fighter pilot and was involved in with the Flying Tigers (US based airforce in Chungking). After 1949, he remained in China and decided to join the Red Airforce flying MIGs. He flew missions during the Korean War and he was shot down 3 times. He lost a finger during the third time and was captured by the Americans. He was a prisoner of war in Taiwan. He managed to escape to HK because he spoke excellent English and he then made his way back to Australia.
LMS I have been trying to find information and photographs about the Templer’s 12 ever since somebody showed me part of a cutting about them. There is a small photo and a little info in an old Star issue on the net and a list of the names on Wikipedia, but nothing much more.Any ideas where I can look please?
Hi iks,
I have been trying for some time to locate the very same information and material that you are looking for, and will continue my efforts.
I will let you know when I hit some “pay dirt” . Cheers.
Ian, Yes but Ms Ong Su Ming was a bit after our time (during Ms. Nornie Wong’s time).
Dear Nornie Wong, thanks for correcting me about your not teaching art like your father. Must be an old man’s mind mixing you up with another pretty lady.
All the best in your new interest and hope to come across your work on the Internet from time to time.
I would like to comment on what LMS and AP wrote about Chinese joining warious armed forces during the 2nd World War and the Emergency. My father served in the FMSVF during the Japanese Invasion of Malaysia and retreated all the way to Singapore where he was told to disband and made his way home. Later during the Emergency he joined the Kinta Valley Home Guards and was stationed in Batu Gajah and later at Keroh (Pengkalang Hulu now) and Baling Kedah.
I would love to hear from anyone who had relatives involved in these two branches of the armed forces.
UV, Do you have any more history about your father, either in the VF or Home Guard?
Hi, David Ding. If my memory is correct, I had a classmate named Ding Teck Chai whom I have lost contact after Form 5 in 1966. He had a brother with the same name as you. The old salts in Form 5, Yr 66 are active and we are trying to locate our old class/school mates to enlarge our network. If Teck Chai is your brother, please let us have his email address and we will like to make contact with him. Thanks.
Hi Sake Hoe,
Teck Chai is my brother. He retired from the Department of Foresty after a lengthly medical problem. He is residing in a special care home in Johor Bharu…..no email address. David
Hi AP,LMS,UV. The upcoming book “Patriots & Pretenders” by KuaKiaSoong to be released by mid September may shatter the Malayan history that we learnt in school and the propaganda that we have been fed these years especially those of us who were English educated. The reasons of why the skilled Chinese left in the 2 waves of 1948 -1955 and 1969-1975 to other countries are clearly discernible in this book .The current wave which is still cresting …we are living in the history of it’s making. It’s far from simple explanations that had been paraded & duly sold to the “hoi poloi” as Ms Tye SohSim puts it in our history & GP classes. BTW I am not trying to promote the aforesaid book and I don’t have any financial interest in it.:just that someone has taken the interests and trouble to research the subject and eloquently written his opinion of the events.
Hi Cheesl63,
Thanks for the cue.
You seem to have had the privilge of a preview of the book. Who is the publisher? Where do
we go to get a copy of the book?
Yes, Ms Tye Soh Sim would have put it that way. Refreshingly crisp and critical.
Ika,
I was trying to find out more about my father’s service in the FMSVF during the 2nd World War with the official groups we find in the Internet but hit a blank wall after one or two leads. I’ll write about him later in some new Episodes.
Many years ago, I stated on a book about ACS – I didn’t want it to be like a non-fiction type of book with facts and historical accounts of ACS, but more from a personal point of perspective but including lots of facts, too. I’ve decided to write it finally from a third person’s perspective, a fictional character (but based on someone in real life) going back to the school as a Principal and looking at every nook and corner of the school, meeting people and recalling the past!
I hope to complete this in a year!
Any help with interesting stories by Old Salts, teachers, etc. of ACS could be sent here as snippets for me to absorb into the book or they could contact me directly via Ipohworld. I will weave your stories into the book seamlessly! Your name will not be mentioned unless you want me to!
Best of luck UV. I plan to recover from “Ipoh, My Home Town” for a while before embarking on anything new.
Hi UV,
You would be able to find more facts and records of their deeds durning the ww2 in the UK Colonial office archives, these records have been released. Whereas I don’t think any of the members of FMSVF would have voluntarily revealed themselves as they might have feared to be linked to the CTs . Personally I have known people who were in the Kinta Valley Home Guards . They were more of a supporting group for the police in checking for CTs especially in the new villages. Therefore depending who writes the history they are patriots to the govt of the day and villains to the opposing forces. The took part in the night raids and assisted the police in the counter insurgent propaganda . thus moles and running dogs to some and govt supporters to others. Many of whom later became involved in the political parties in the early 1950s. A few of them became businessman owning tin mines and rubber estates……spoils of war or crumbs off the British guans table??
Just happened to log on to this page. Surprised to know that the vivacious Kim Sook May is now in Sydney. She was my art teacher sometime around the early 60s(?), and was a great inspiration to me – a wayward boy from a somewhat disfunctional family. I left ACS after Form 3, but later sat for my Cambridge High School Certificate as a private candidate, after which I applied and was selected for teacher training. I continued painting – occasionally – even after I resigned from teaching and went to the states for tertiary education. After college, I taught English for some decades, and upon retirement began to pick up painting seriously again (for self-satisfaction, not commercial reasons).
I think Ms Kim would remember the boy who often talked about the Impressionists, and who painted the stage-prop for Twelfth Night. She was one of the three teachers I respected and loved (other than a primary school teacher named Tan Jit Chay and another lady teacher called Julia Wong Suet Lan).
Hi Teck Loong,
Thanks for the information on Teck Chai. I am sorry to hear that he has a medical problem. If he is able to receive visitors, please email his addresss to me at sakeho@hotmail.com. I will circulate his address to all his classmates who are in my email loop and perhaps some of us can pay him a visit when we pass by JB. Some of us are living nearby in Singapore.
Hi Larry N post#153: Ms Wong Suet Lan was my Form I class teacher in 1958 (Julia – was not used then). She is the daughter of Mr Wong Wye Lam, the ACS afternoon school Principal. She parked her Ford Anglia adjacent to the north side of the Main Building. A UK teacher college trained, she played the organ well and a good choir conductor for the Wesley Church at ACS. I joined her choir. As a kid, I was almost a teacher’s pet because I always smile at her.(Big Crush!). I hope she is still with us today.
To UV; Count me in your book. Get the info out before my dementia sets in.
Anyone recalled the Indian ice chendoi man coming to ACS on Lahat Road near the Carpentry Room after school? Best chendoi and I was told the earth worms wrapped in a bundle at the bottom of the pot was to keep the chendoi from getting rancid, some say flavor. I am not so sure about the latter.
Hi AP@Ipohbornkid: Yes, I do know about Ms Wong’s family background – the ACS Afternoon School was renamed Methodist English School, if I remember rightly. She was my Form 2 class teacher, I think (it was so long ago). I was also in her choir and had to wear the rather effeminate crimson gown during Easter presentations. She was exactly what a teacher should be: diligent, and a mentor not only in studies but also in social behavior. Most of all, she seldom talked down to the class but WITH the class. Her faith in our capabilities was refreshing: for example, when reading about musicians, we were asked to go to the library to listen to the music of the composer of our choice and write short bios of the composer. I remember a scoutmaster (Yeoh Eng Soon?)who asked what we were doing in the library in the late afternoon, and one of my classmates answered “research.”
“Research!” he gasped, shaking his head. He couldn’t believe small kids like us were given that kind of assignments.
Because of her, when studying the French Revolution, I would read books like Scaramouche and Les Miserables, though the latter dealt with events many decades after the Revolution. That enterprise led to books on Marx and Adam Smith and so on. Once a librarian noticed that I (then in lower secondary) was reading books recommended for Form 6 students and asked: “do you really read them?”
Besides the heavy stuff, I also indulged in light reading. I was a voracious reader of detective stories, having been introduced to the genre in Standard 5 by Tan Jit Chay (the number one teacher in my life). Knowing my taste, Ms Wong lent me an armful of Agatha Christie books, enough to fill all my spare time during term breaks. When I returned them, she inquired what I thought of the books, and I said something like “the author likes to mislead readers with unnecessary diversions – there’s really not much detection required in the stories.” She looked at me quizzically, and asked “why don’t you write your own stories.” That was how I started to write short detective stories starring “The Eagle,” mostly for myself though, at times, I did share them with some close friends. Thirty years later one visited me in the American Midwest, and I was surprised that he asked was whether I’d published my stories! He remembered the stuff! I never kept them – not even the short dramas I wrote for my students during the late 60s/early 70s, when I was teaching in the Klang valley. Writing and painting were and still are mere hobbies, not something to be taken seriously.
Like you, I do hope Ms Wong’s still around today. Would be great to see her, and Ms Kim too (the latter encouraged me to submit works for the Ipoh Local Artists Exhibition at the YMCA, and that event led to some patrons who helped me survive what must be called my lean years). I was about 14 years old then.
Can’t remember the chendoi seller, but I recall mostly the kangkong/cuttlefish hawker who made the best yau yee oong choi I’d ever tasted in my life. And yes, I do remember the carpentry room where we created hell for Chan Tuck Wah (things were better when Mr. Welch returned from the US).
Noticed a typo:
“I was surprised that he asked was whether I’d published my stories!”
Should be, of course, “I was surprised that he asked whether I’d published my stories!”
Hope to talk more about the school later – it was not all sugar and spice.
Khuanmun, like to see if the 1964 form five Facebook forum is from my year. I left acs in 1964. How do I Jo
In the forum
Liew – your father was probably an MCA man – the lawyer who endorsed my teacher training application (I think). He’d an office somewhere at Hale Street, if I’m not mistaken.
Liew Ching Hsien, please message me at khuanmun@gmail.com with regrds to your status in CO64
Larry – he is and his office is at 9 hale st. Glad he help you
Since my last post, I spoke to my 77 year old friend who departed from Malaya in 1950. He clarified a few things for me. He said about 1,000 youth from Malaya went to Singapore and they boarded a Dutch ship and sailed to Hong Kong. TRe cost was about $100 then. Those who cannot afford the ticket was given the money from a pool. He strongly asserted that he was no communist and the reason they went was the British Army conscription in Malaya. Some parents flew to Hong Kong and retrieved their sons. Others without money could not do it. They travel to Guangzhou with Malayan Passport (as British subject). In Guangzhou they were discriminated when they tried to get a University education and despite their better exam results than locals, they were denied entry. He went to Beijing to study. My friend after finishing his tertiary education in Beijing was offered a teaching post in Indochina and he took it and left China in 1959. He was not happy in China and took the opportunity to seek a living elsewhere. He said a lot of them remained behind as they could not get a job outside of China.
I thought I should share the story with you and the important message he wanted to tell us – he is no communist & he drives a mercedes benz.
AP,
Thanks for this interesting piece. Do you know precisely why those who went on the ship were against the military conscription practice of the British Colonial Government? Were they merely Conscience Objectors? Or were there more powerful reasons driving them from a better life in Malaya?
It is interesting to note that they emphasized that they were not Communist sympathisers or adherents. Perhaps it was for that reason that they were discriminated against in China.
That at least one of them now drives a Mercedes Benz is a good testimony to their resilience and never-give-up spirit.
Wow! being away from Ipoh for 42 years, since 1969, coming across this site brings back great memories of the Wongs’ schooling in ACS. I had six brothers who all attended ACS Ipoh. I am in the Ong Mei-Lin’s era. for those who may remember, there was Stella Ng, Chan Bee Lee and Cheah Soon Fong, all ex MGS. The blogs from Mei-Lin certainly prompted the deep recesses of my sub-conscious memory of my youth in ACS Ipoh. I was at one time the Treasurer of the Life Saving Society in ACS and obviously a lifeguard. I do recall being on duty at the pool. With Mei-Lin, Bee Lee, Stella and Soon Fong, there were my mates Ooi Aun Chye, Chong Beng Hwang, Law Siak Hong al hanging around the pool which we spent an inordinate amount of time. Those were the days.
I now reside in beautiful Sydney and have four other siblings here. I have recently through Facebook came in contact with Ooi Aun Chye, Sum Hoy Tuck and Wan Chew Yoong. I would enjoy an alumni night if time permits and I can get in touch with alma maters in Form 5, 1968. I left for Sydney in January 1969.
I hope my participation in this can trigger an avalanche of old boys from my ilk to reignite the flickering amber in our hearts for a reconnection of our past. If anyone sees Mr.Foenander, please say hi! He was my class teacher in Form 2.
I will certainly visit this site regularly. If you read this, Mei-Lin, a big cheerio! Where is Bee Lee, Stella and Soon Fong?
One last blast. Swimmers in ACS Ipoh that I know were, Colin Clarke, of course Tong Kim, Tsang Hing Chau, Victor Lau, and the guy who used to date Colin Clarke’ sister, name escapes me. They were pretty good mob!
Cheers and thanks for some good reading. Most bloggers are more senior to me. keep it up Mei-Lin.
Ivan Wong
Hi Ivan – there is a drive to form the ACS Ipoh Alumni (Australian Chapter) in Sydney. I am also aware of a number of ACS Ipoh old boys/girls and teachers living in Australia (particularly in Sydney). Anyone interested in the project?
A bid ipohWorld welcome to Wong Tuck Pooi. We are pleased to see you here. Do come back often.
Hi, AP and Ika,
Where are you?
I would certainly be interested to reconnect with part of my history from the beautiful town of Ipoh.
If you know where these ex-ACS people are, I will only be too happy to correspond and maybe meet. Who in Sydney is making a drive to form an Australian Alumni?
Cheers,
Ivan
Hi Ivan – Please contact me on acsipohalumniatoz@gmail.com I reside in Sydney. Your telephone contact number would be appreciated.
Ex ACS old salts and teachers, resident in Australia, are welcomed to contact me at this email address. We can start the ball rolling by organising ourselves.
Hello Ivan Wong Tuck Pooi,
Both Stella and Soon Fong were my classmates. If you can advise of your email address, I’ll try to cyber-connect you all. Kindly have Capt. Ian (IKA) provide to you my email address for contact.
Cheers!
Hello Old Salts & Mermaids,
My email is itwong@bigpond.com. It would be great if I can reconnect with Stella & Soon Fong. What about Chan Bee Lee and Ong Mei Lin?
Can IKA please provide the email address of Old Salts & Mermaids to me please?
Where do you reside? It might just be wonderful if one day we can all meet somewhere, depending on where everyone is. I have not attended any Alumni function in Ipoh but I have been back to Ipoh for family functions a number of times.
Would be great to hear from you again. It is really nostalgic to be blogging with a sense of times past, over 40 years!
Wow!
Ivan
Dear IKA,
Since Ivan has provided his email add. we will contact him directly. This cyber-connect, like all other renewal of friendships is like a fragrance that lingers, warming up the hearts and souls who remember well. Granted there will not be some memories that bring up delightful fragrances, those we can consciously delete. Such is the beauty of choice, a consious decision. Let us plant our gardens with friendships, like flowers, that will provide us the fragrance of life, for the time we have left in this existence. We are all so very blessed, with technology of today, to have this second shot! Cheers All.
Tuck Pooi,
I recall your name, but not your face – my apologies. It’s been a while. Chan Bee Lee has passed on (in KL, several years back), but I really don’t have all the details. May she be at peace. I check this site occasionally and like everyone else, enjoy the reminiscing by everyone, although I recognize only a few names. Someone up in this blog had asked for a photo – I do have 1 with Tong Kim, Allen Ong (my nephew) and myself – taken just a few years back on a rare visit to Ipoh not under the best of circumstances. It is a precious pic as it is captures 3 generations of Olympians from ACS Ipoh. Allen and I attended ACS briefly, but I suppose it still counts. I will need to get it scanned. Alternatively, think I might have sent it to UV, and/or get from Tong Kim directly? Greetings to everyone.
Mei-Lin,
Mei-lin, I am so saddened by the knowledge of Bee Lee’s passing. I can quite vividly remember her swimming her butterfly up and down the pool. Wherever she may be, please be at peace.
No surprise that you cannot place me. The memories that I have of the ACS Pool being the first and all of the swimmers like yourself, Tong Kim, Tsang Hing Chau gives me a great sense of what was good about ACS Ipoh. Having been a dinky-di Aussie for many moons I still have very very fond memories of my teen in Ipoh. The fact that I am reconnecting with you, Soon Fong and hopefully more of the old mates will be very exciting. By the way, do you remember Ooi Aun Chye and his brother Aun Chuan? I got in touch with Aun Chye recently.
Well, please send me an email and we can then reacquaint and perhaps get more ex ACS boys and girls online.
Cheers,
What about Victor Lau? Know where he is? Oh! I bumped into Mr. Lee Chong Lay, many years ago in Sydney. He was a swimming teacher.
Mei-
Yes, I do recall Aun Chye and Aun Chuan. Just emailed you.
Being the youngest son of Mr P.Subramaniam who is spending time with me here in Adelaide, I have lived and breathed ACS Ipoh all my life. My father, who turns 83 this year, is a repository of knowledge about the pre war years (when he attended Horley Hall at 8 years of age) and post war years when he completed his senior schooling, returning to teach after heading to University of Malaya in Singapore.
As a child, we did the tour of methodist schools as my father moved from Ipoh to head schools in Parit Buntar and Teluk Anson then returning to Ipoh in 1975 when my father took over from the enigmatic Teerath Ram who oversaw so many developments. I recognize most of names on this blog although perhaps a little before my years at ACS. My memories of school, cricket, the Voyager, prefectship, dodging Brian
Foenander and enduring the interminable first day lectures from form teachers reassuring me that I would not be treated any differently even if my father was the Principal etc etc are very happy memories. Receiving the
school flag at the end of year assembly as head boy remains a proud moment (even if my hugely more popular brother Paul got there first a few years before!) But ACS Ipoh has been more than what was achievable but what we learnt about ourselves and our capacities for adult life. My own boys go to Saint Peters Boys here in Adelaide but through me, their uncle Paul and their grandfather PS Sr. – a little bit of ACS Ipoh lives on in them.
My dear late mother Esme would always say that my father’s spirits lifted when he met an old teacher colleague or an ex student. As always, she was right. PS sometimes doesn’t always recall names these days , but he always always recognizes members of the ACS Ipoh family. And yes , it still makes him smile.
Hi Mei Lin, I came across this site recently and saw a few familiar names. I was in Lower Arts A in 1969. I left ACS in 1970 for Melbourne for futher studies and have remained there since. I am curious to know whether you were my clasmate then. Certainly some of names mentioned in this forum seemed to suggest this to be the case. I was informed about the sad passing away of our classmate “Beel” by a classmate of ours.
It’s great reading about the old days of ACS Ipoh. If anyone who has a class photo of Lower Arts A in 1969 and wish to share this with me, I would be most grateful.
Hoy Tuck
Hi David Ding,
David Wilkins and I used to be great mates when we were in primary and lower secondary school at ACS Ipoh. I would very much like to get into contact with David and was wondering if you can pass on this message to him ? Thanks.
Hoy Tuck
UV@Valiant Knight: Are you Victor Chew Keong Seng, the skinny guy in our class?
Hi Mun Leong,
Good to see you in this page. Would like to know where are you now. We were fellow scouts and used to spend a lots of time in the Industrial Arts Club. I am from the CO64 (Form 5). Justus Havelocks is also looking for you.
Hi Khuan Mun
I am currently residing in Auckland, but I am in KL the next two month on a small project.
Yes, fellow scouts and Industrial artists. Justus Havelock was a nice friend and teacher. I remember doing the swimming lanes for the pool and had the previlage of one of the firsts into the new pool then.
Cheers.
MunLeong, I can be contacted at khuanmun@gmail.com
Hello Sum Hoy Tuck,
Would you be from Buntong? I had a friend by this name who left for Melbourne to complete an accounting course in 1970. I left in 1971 for Sydney and has been here since.
Hello Sum Hoy Tuck,
Great to see your name in this blog. Since we connected through Facebook,I have been a little quiet knowing that you are just in Bleak City. My nephew from Ottawa tells me that there is an Alumni Dinner in Ipoh on 4 August 2012. I will be in Ipoh for my sister’s 80th birthday. Since my nephew mentioned the Alumni Dinner, I am overtaken by a sense of nostalgia and reminiscing my schooling at ACS since grade 1.
As a general appeal, to all those in Form 5, 1968 no matter which stream, I urge you to contact as many friends and foes in those years to attend the Alumni Dinner on 4 August 2012. I am pretty sure that I will be there. By the way, I left Ipoh in January 1969 and have lived and became an Aussie since. There is no country better, in my humble opinion.
For any Ex-ACS boys or girls, please reconnect and I want to meet you all.
Cheers and I hope to hear from you and hopefully, see you in person!
Regards to all.
Hey, Kam Ling,
I am in Sydney in The Shire, South. Where are you?
Ivan Wong,
The dinner is going to be a combined ACS/MGS dinner. Hope you all will attend. We expect 60-100 tables to be taken. It will be held at The Grand Valley Ballroom at Kinta Riverfront Hotel. Bring your former classmates to make the dinner a success.
Lee Seong Yan
President of the ACS Ipoh Alumni.
Ivan,
Do visit the ACS Alumni webpage at acsipohalumni.com. You will be able to retrieve the Voyager for 1968 (or for that matter most of the years except for a few missing ones) to see the photos of your classmates and others for that year.
Thank you, Mr SY Lee.
Yes , at this stage, I am quite certain that I will attend the Alumni dinner. Can you please send me the relevant paperwork etc in order that I register my attendance?
I truly look forward to this event after all these years.
By the way, I have had contact with Dr. Tony Pun in Sydney. He is very keen to start a Sydney chapter of the ACS Alumni in Sydney.
Cheers,
ivan
To Peter Subramaniam
I came across your posting regarding your father Mr. P S Maniam. My brother & I are old salts of ACS. We are currently visiting Ipoh and past by the house where we were told he used to live. We would like to know if he is currently visiting in Adelaide or has he migrated to Australia?
Thank you.
Soong Mun Leong
P.S. My brother’s name is Soong Mun Wai, in case he is still at your place.
Hello, Hoy Tuck. I used to be your classmate in Form 6. Had a lunch with Wai Chun and you (and kids?) when you came back on a visit umpteen years ago. Still hiding out in Australia?
Hi Lai Meng. Yes, I am still in Melbourne since 1970 and Down Under is as far away as one can get to. I remember that wonderful Yum Cha lunch that afternoon ( all thanks to Chun Kheong for organising it and sharing your company as well as Wai Chun plus a couple of others ). Spookily, I tried to contact you a few weeks ago via your Gmail address but was unsuccessful. Please place a message for me at http://www.finnessys.com so that I can fill you in with my news since we last met.
Greetings to all alumni of ACS Ipoh. I come from Ipoh and am looking for former students of Wesley Church Kindergarten (WCK), the kindy located on the same premises as ACS Ipoh, Jalan Lahat. WCK will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year and we are hoping to locate as many former students as possible to share their memories and experiences of their time here. Launch of celebrations takes place this Sunday 26th Feb 2012. There will be other events culminating with a Anniversary dinner in October 2012. Please contact clareen_becks@hotmail.com if you wish to know more.
Thank you.
Anyone born 1970 here? I was in ACS Ipoh from 1977 to 1985.
AVD
Although I was in ACS Ipoh for only one and a half years for Sixth Form, 1969 – 1970, some of the names that have popped up in this blog have triggered my memories. Some of the visitors to the blog are from my vintage too.
Nornie Wong – taught my Form 3 class typewriting in MGS Ipoh. That was my first introduction to the typewriter. She’s the reason why I can now type on the computer keyboard with both hands. Very impressed by her presence on the various internet platforms when so many seniors are still computer illiterate.
Late Mrs Grace Thong – she happened to be my mum’s teacher in KL (my mum’s now 85). My mum used to visit her in Lau Ek Ching Street.
Late Tye Soh Sim – magnificent teacher! Such a sharp tongue and even sharper wit. Sure do remember her favourite phrases – “hoi polloi” and “twist your neck three times clockwise and three times anti clockwise”. How could I forget a teacher who issued threats like that? By her wit she made English and History interesting.
Late Mrs Esme Subramaniam – my class teacher in 1959 when I was in Standard 2, MGS Primary.
David Wilkins – my year though not my classmate. Knew his sister Margaret who was my senior.Coincidentally, his wife Heng Yee and I happened to deliver our babies at the Ipoh Specialist Centre just one or two days apart in 1984. Wonder if Heng Yee still remembers that.
Wan Chew Yoong – my year in Form 6. Now in Australia?
Have reconnected with UV (Victor Chew) and Sum Hoy Tuck since through this blog.
Hello Lai Meng,
I do know David Wilkins from my ACS days. Would like to reconnect. Regarding Wan Chew Yoong, we have just corresponded. He is not in Oz. I am not at liberty to provide his detail. If you want me to forward your desire to connect, please let me know and I will do the appropriate thing.
cheers,
Thanks, Ivan. I may be contacted at lmlam51@gmail.com.
Hi I read the note that was written by Peter Subramaniam.I was in the Carousel musical drama n obviously I was the only Malay girl invovled.I was wondering whether he is the skinny guy who acted in the same drama. Mr Subramaniam was the principal during my days at acs.Ive got some photos of the drama.Kindly get in touch with me through my email.
I shall cerianly email you as we love getting new photos. Thank you for visiting ipohworld. Hopefully Subramaniam will respomd to you.
HI, I did my Form 6 at ACS 1974-1975. Hope to meet up with “old” friends at the ACS/MGS combined dinner on 4th August. For many of us whose children are grown up by now, it should be time to reconnect, so hope to see you then.
Soong Mun Leong, yes I am aka Chew Keong Seng. Hahahaha.
Hi Raja Rogayah – the skinny guy in carousel was my brother Paul who works and resides in KL. I was the littler skinny guy who did no more than paint the sets!
Hi Soong Mun Leong. My dad is still in Ipoh – at the same place he has been since 1975 when we returned to Ipoh from Teluk Intan. He (and my late mum, Esme) used to visit us in Australia quite often but never wanted to leave Ipoh. My dad still calls Ipoh home.
Hi Victor aka Valiant Knight@UV
Thanks for the clarification. I haven’t logged into this blog for some time until now. I will be attending the reunion in August. Our ‘gang’, initiated by Thong Kok Cheong with pointman Tan Seng Wha, has booked two tables. Would you be there and joining us?
Hi Peter Subramaniam
Glad to receive news of your dad. I would convey the same to my elder brother.
Mun Leong, yes, I’ll be at the Reunion on 4 August 2012! I won’t be joining you all as I have been invited by the organizers as a former Principal of ACS Ipoh. I hope to catch up with you fellas that night.
Yau Sook Fun
I look forward to meet up with ‘old’ friends’ hope some of your cousins are there, one of them a Miss Yau Hean Yoke. She came to UK early 1970s
Warm regards,
Y C Tan
Would like to get in touch with my friends that studied in ACS during Primary between 1964 to 1969. Hope to know whereabouts of Mrs Chai Ah Chee and Mr Lim Jeow Ngiam too.
Regards,
Meng Chee
Hi Meng Chee,
Your classmates/schoolmates in Ipoh ACS have a blog
Ipoh ACS (1963-1976) & NOW
Please also log into our Alumni Website to check whether you can link up with
your classmates who are following the Website
http://acsipohalumni.com
Thank you, LMS136.
Hi folks from ACS year 63 to 74, hope to get in touch after sooooooo looooong lol.
Hometown Falim.Pls contact thru email cybex88@gmail.com
I came upon this site and hv frequently returned to catch up. I was an ACS boy frm std 1 thro Lower 6, lvng for the states in 69. I do remember Mei Lin being in my lower 6 class. Ooi Aun Chye and David Wilkins probably were with me most of those ACS years. I am aware that Mei Lin is on the west coast (via Swee Imm)but have never reached out to her. So pls forward my email to her if she is okay with it. I can be reached at cyeow@comcast.net. Thanks for providing this convenience for all of us. PS, I now realize that IKA is ian anderson. Ian, I tried to email u regarding your book. Email was returned, so I sent a subsequent email to ipohworld. Wait to hear from you.
alan, I did reply saying that Iwas in Europe and will reply properly when I get home to Ipoh. Sorry if the reply did not get through. WIFI is not always good in the Romanian countryside, land of Dracula!
Anyone from my batch studying from this year 1973 (std 1) to 1983 (Form 3), please do come forward…hopefully there will be an alumni too?
Alan Yeow,
Are you the Alan Yeow with a brother who was a teacher at ACS? I too was in ACS from Std 1 to Form 5 Arts, 1968. I left for Sydney in January 1969 and have been in Sydney since. I am in contact with Mei Lin, Aun Chye but not David Wilkins. Like you, I was a primary to secondary school mates with David, Aun Chye a quite a few who were in Std 6A with Mr Lee Kok Koon, I think with the “Kandar” stick that he used to whack us.
If you are the same Alan Yeow, then, welcome to the cyber world that long lost childhood friends can be found across the globe.
Cheers and hope to catch up one day.
Ivan Wong
VALE
Wong Tuck Yeong (Tony)
My beloved brother Tony passed away peacefully on 18 October 2012. For all the “old salts” who may remember Tony, share a moment with Tony’s families for a quiet remembrance as he will be cremated on 5 November 2012 in Bedford, England.
Ivan
11-12-12
I am living in JB JOHOR. Contact me at my email aunchye@gmail.com. I was in ACS primary from Primary 4 till Upper Six in 1970. Iwent yo Uni of Malaya and graduated in 1974. Hope my classmates can catch up with me as at above. Cheers.
Thank you everybody for your kind thought. I managed to catch up with David Ding and Hoi Tuck the later via email. Lots of good memories. It’s a real coincidence, Lai Meng that we had babies only days apart. Heng Yee somewhat remembered the occasion. I am in contact with folks in Ipoh like Ng Kee Hup, Law Siak Hong and Kong Kai Tuck. I am in the UK and have been here for the past 23 years. Really miss my old friends especially those who were in upper science c 1970. Contacted by email: djwilkins@hotmail.co.uk. God bless you all.
Hi there. I have heard a lot of good comments for this school, does the school accepts expatriate children? Does it use English as medium of instruction? Please advice, we are new to Ipoh and my husband and I hope to seek a goos school for my child. Thank you very much.