MRS LIM: one of my math teachers

Monday, September 22, 2008

There from 1929 to 1978

I emailed Mrs Lim Chin Hun a list of questions and here's her reply. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I do. Best wishes to you and family, Mrs Lim! :-) Greetings from Sydney! Good on you and your friends for helping with the "TMGS Old Girls' Give Back" project and trying to give a 'face-lift' to the 'grand,old lady' who truly deserves it. She was born in the year of 1889 and will be 120 years old next year. That should call for a grand celebration when the time comes! As her dear children, we would all uphold her motto to 'Live Worthily' for she 'hast guided in right way" (as mentioned in the school song).

Now, it's time that I get to tell you about how I have spent 'the best years of my life' in TMGS as a former student and an ex-teacher from 1929 to 1978, including the 2nd World War Years when I was away from Taiping for about 4 years.

It was in Jan 1929 and at the early age of 6, my mother sent me off to the school known as Lady Treacher Girls' School (named after Lady Treacher, the wife of Mr William Treacher, the British Resident) together with my 2 bigger sisters. We all went in a rickshaw to and from school. In those early days the classes ranged from Primary One, Two, Standards from 1 - 7 followed by Junior Cambridge and Cambridge School Certificate (Senior Cambridge). I studied hard and managed to obtain 2 double promotions (from Standard 2 - 4 and then from Standard 4 - 6). School was fun because I enjoyed reading and singing with other girls. The late Miss Mable Poulier was one of my best teachers. I liked her for her patience and kindness. My best friend was and still is Mrs Delip Singh. She will always remind me 'great minds think alike' meaning 'the 2 of us' and we would keep on laughing about the thought.

Soon enough my school days came to an end and I had to start thinking of becoming a teacher and earn a living. I joined as a 'student-teacher' in my old school whose name was now changed to Treacher Methodist Girls' School (TMGS) in 1957. The 2nd World War which lasted 3 years and 8 mths interrupted my teachers' training as the school was first used by the Japanese forces as their barracks and later by the Indian army as headquarters. The school more or less did not seem to exist back then.

In 1941, after finishing the normal class Teacher training course held on Fridays and Saturdays for 3 years, I became a qualified teacher, trained as a General Purpose teacher. I taught all subjects in the timetable in the Lower Secondary department, namely Form 1 and 2. Soon I was chosen to be the afternoon Supervisor of the Lower Secondary for at least 10 years before retiring in 1978.

Time flies but I still have fond memories of my life as a teacher. I enjoyed being in the company of fellow teachers and getting to know them and their families as well. I liked my pupils too. They made me proud and happy when they worked hard to help themselves. There are 3 of my former pupils namely Sow Siew, Lye Ngoot and Cheng Heong, who are currently Committee Members of the Old Girls' Association in TMGS. They had all been working with me when I was once the Hon. Secretary of OGA for 12 memorable years from 1973-1985.

In Jan 1986 (8 years after my retirement in 1978) together with my family members we migrated to Sydney, Australia. I am now well settled here for 22 years and am enjoying the company of my eldest daughter and her family, some relatives and friends. I go to the Wesley Uniting Church and am keeping myself busy and happy with church activities, bible study cell group and seniors' luncheons in church.

At home I spend my time studying the bible, reading storybooks and newspapers, watching TV and having afternoon naps everyday. At my age, I have stopped sewing cross-stitch, doing much housework and gardening. My son and family will take me out at weekends either sight-seeing or shopping and also for lunch.

Yes, I truly admit that the photos on the web showing the school building in a deplorable condition do touches my heart. Having contributed RM300 the first time when the main building was constructed I feel it is my duty again to donate RM1000 to restore the old building to its former glory.

To me, TMGS is an icon in Taiping offering 'quality' education to its students population.

Once again, thank you for your effort in helping the school and please thank the school for posting me the receipt and letter. It is very nice of them to send me the letter.

Do your best and be blessed!

Mrs Lim Chin Hun

Posted by sweebin at 10:39 AM source: http://tmgsoldgirlsgiveback.blogspot.com/2008/09/from-mrs-lim-chin-hun.html

TMGS is a mission school; hence 'government aided' - CIPUT

A couple of days ago, I went to the library to check out some books on TMGS and the history of education in Malaysia. I found quite a number of books which talked about TMGS. One of the things that I found out is that TMGS is classified as a 'mission school' because she was founded by the Methodist missionaries a century ago. As a result of this, her status is different from schools like King Edward when it comes to government funding. KE is a fully aided by the government. TMGS only receives a 'token', OR in other words which all can and will understand 'CIPUT'. She is categorized as 'sekolah bantuan modal' (aided school - the term I found in one of the books I read). Now, I know why the Edwardians are so rich, and why the Treacherians (it seems this is the reference used by the younger OGs and the present Girlz) are so poor.

Yes, I am pissed now. Why is TMGS being discriminated when it comes to receiving financial help? FOR THE SAKE OF EDUCATION, help all schools fully irrespective of whether the school is a Methodist, a Catholic, a Protestant, or a MUSLIM. PLEEEEEZ....We are in the millennium that sees a Malaysian going to space (for how much???? ). The school is Methodist, but the girls come from all religious and racial background. Personally, I am thankful to ALLAH, Abah, and Mak for giving me the opportunity to go to TMGS. Or I would not be able to meet Lean See, Nita, Inah, Fiza, Ai Loon, Judy, Phoebe, Oi Mei, Fooi Lin, Poh Cheng, Poh Gaik, the two Fat(i)mas - Najla and Timah, Fooi Lin, Siti Salina, Ani Basri, Carol to name a few. If I were to go to a different , my friends might be Minah, Tipah, Siti, Leha, and no Swee Bin, Vasanthi, or Charlet, like what is happening to my nieces - Kak Long, Kak Ngah, Angah, and Adik.

Oops always digress.. Anyhow, will write and post a summary of our school history later..the lid of my eyes keep falling...what to say, history books almost always make me yawn. This could be the side effects of memorizing dates in all the tawarikh and sejarah books and jumbling and fumbling them up later during tests and exams... All I can recall now is how much alike Pn. Zaiton and Marina Chin, the former national athlete, when I looked at their face.. just like Lean See and Lin Chin Hsia...Or could be from the side effect waking for the whole night last night for worrying too much about Mak's tooth..

Helping and Reminiscing TMGS ..and A Plea for Her

Since I work here up north, I always travel back to Taiping. However, I never used the road leading to TMGS (Treacher Methodist Girls' School) to get to my house. That was until I received an email from Lean See. It was just plain sad for me to see what has happened physically to our beloved school. Academically, she is still as GREAT as ever... can't help it if I am a liiiitle bit bias here.

So, on May 13, 2008..what a coincidence, nasib baik tak Friday the 13th.., I went to check out the school. And I was lucky enough to be able to see Pn. Noriza, the principal herself, when I went to the office. Yup...Ms. Satwant's room, it was a no entry zone for me and most of my friends, at the time we were in there, except for perhaps Judy and Lean See. Even if we were allowed to enter this zone, I guess most of us would just make ourself scarce the minute we saw Ms. Satwant, no correct that, the minute we heard her footsteps. Till now, I am trying to figure out why were we so very afraid of the 'guru besar'. Looking at Ms Satwant, kecik je orangnya.

And Pn. Noriza was ever so willing to give me a tour of the school. The first place that we went after meeting the asst. principal was the former prefect's room at the science building. Memories of me cincanging the katak and testing our blood group for biology. During our time science was taught in Malay; so I only know katak, not frog.

The students at the time were sitting for their exam at the hall. The hall had this dark ambience. Not sure if it was physical or psychological on my part. I would strain my eyes trying to write down the answers, but that could also be because, as we get younger and younger (taboo to say the O-word), the eyes start to play tricks on the brain.

They were sitting on those plastic chairs like the ones at the ice kacang stall where we had ice kacang after netball, hockey, or athletics training. And the desks...I think if I were to search for my intricate and artful carvings, I would be able to find them. You can imagine how old the desks look like.

Then we went downstairs to the teachers' room. Boy, the room was dark..i mean really dark. Really felt like I was in an old gothic church...must be due to the influence of Enid Blyton's book. The blinders that are used to block the rain are so very pathetic. They are more suitable as historical collections at the museum next door.

The workshop we went in was hot. Pity the students who have to do their kemahiran hidup there. Unless we want to teach them how to mahir dalam hidup, mengharungi pelbagai cabaran dalam dunia yang penuh kepanasan, then the room is perfect. It was somewhere at the back of the home science room. T he room needs extra fan..unless we want the anak-anak to look like baked cookies.

Remember Ms. Satwant's house...it now houses a surau and a counselling room..Adoi...sad..so sad. again, dark..

Can't blame the current staff and students of TMGS - I too would do anything to save cost when I am on a budget, especially now with the price hike and all..

we need fans, chairs, chairs, ceilings etc etc etc etc to make TMGS live for at least another 100 years. And also ways to get rid of the monkeys and bats that have been invading the school compound regularly. The file that was distributed via email only showed a little of what actually has taken placed to the physical features of the school. I don't have a camera. So, I couldn't snap any pictures to show as proof..but we can all go to Swee Bin and Lean See's blog to see them. I must remind myself to get a camera...ada bajet tak ni...

And the field.. must mention the field. I realize that I miss the field very much, and Mr. Quah, Seong Chooi, Zarina (Zainuddin, the athlete, not the actress;-)), Ming Choo (also class of '80 head girl)..after a couple of decades and into this millenium, the field still looks like the way I left it in 1981. I am sure we can all do something to help our alma mater which has produced many successful and/or popular individuals..people like

• Asiah Abu Samah, now a Tan Sri (former DG of MOE)
• Hasmah Abdullah, now a Dato' (the current DG of LHDN)
• Saran Kaur, now a Prof (one of the DVCs at UKM)
• the Fenner's sisters (Zahrah and Juriah, I think they are either the mother or aunt of KRU respectively, have to get the facts right later)
• Junaidah Aman (former national athlete)
• Lum Sau Fong (former national hockey player)
• Ching Joo Lian (former national gymnast)
• Farawahida, the singer
• Anne and Geetha the radio hosts of HotFM and THR Raaga respectively
• Ariza Zainal Abidin, co-owner of Alya and Co
• Azura Zainal Ratin of TV3
• Fatma Najla, obygyn and medical columnist
• Hasnita Jalaluddin, business lady
• and all the mothers who bring up wonderful successful kidz, all the wives who sacrifice their lives for their husband, and all daughters who make their parents proud for being good citizens of the world

The one thing I have learned going back to TMGS is this - The staff and students are very upbeat despite the dilapidating condition of the school's building.. it could be because, compare to those who were hit by the earthquake in China and typhoon in Mynmmar, their life in the school is still fine..The school still stands.

Now, I think also I need to find some time to check out our primary school at the most beautiful lake garden in Malaysia ..I can bet she too needs our help.

I hope the state and the federal government will help missionary schools like TMGS, Convent, and St. George. Look at their contribution. Don't look at them as an entity that can be cast to the side in terms of financial aid because of the word 'Methodist', 'Convent' or 'Saint'. After all they are trying to educate the future generations of Malaysia and, in some cases, of other countries.