Welcome to the Amazon!

This poem was written and recited by 5 Arts 4 who won the Senior Choral Speaking Competition in 1987. They were conducted by Tomasina Oh, who has since gone on to earn a PhD in Linguistics from Cambridge University. The girls did superb rendition complete with sound effects, humour and all-round entertainment! Even as a losing finalist, I happily applauded 5A4's success that year as they clearly deserved to win the trophy.

(Sound Effects: Jungle Sounds)

The fleet of 21 canoes travelled down
The muddy waters of the Madeira
A prominent tributary of the immortal Amazon
42 unique individuals (that's us!)
All set to conquer the force that looms over
The mysterious Amazon

What lies beyond, we know not
As the curtain of mystery slowly unveils...
To reveal its awesome splendour
We behold with wonder the gigantic trees
Majestically guarding their territory
Snake-like creepers trailing from their boughs
Chattering monkeys protesting the intrusion
As our canoes disturbed the calm waters
"Fish!" Forty-two eager hands reached out...
"Piranha!" And our hands shot back at lightning speed

"I'm getting hungry"
"I'm frightened"
"I'm hungry"
"Besides, it's getting dark"
"I'm VERY hungry"
And so, we decided to camp
But that was easier said than done
The tents seemed to have minds of their own
They just refused to stay up!
Our dismal attempts at starting a fire
Ended up with
Frayed tempers
Red faces
Burnt hair...AND...
No fire.

UNGA, UNGA, UNGA
What's that? It can't be! But it is!

We've been beseiged by a horde of savages!
Immediately we turned to our martial arts expert
(She got her yellow belt just last week)
Unfortunately martial art does not really help
When you're surrounded by savages with long spears.

The battle has ended
(There wasn't even a struggle)
Soon forty-two wriggling forms
Were slung over the backs of savages
Curiosity got the better of us
We strained our necks to look at our captors
(Hoping they'd be as handsome as Tarzan)
But we didn't like what we saw,
Flat-flaring nostrils, Evil-looking eyes
Gggrrr.....grinding teeth
Waiting impatiently for our juicy, tender, human flesh

Then they stopped
And we were thrown into a dark and creepy pit
What would happen next?
Were we doomed to die at such a tender age?
Or was rescue at hand?

"Girls! Are you listening?"
The familiar voice of our Geography teacher
Brought us back to reality
"Do you have any idea how important this chapter
on the Amazon Jungle is for the exam?"
"Of course we do! But we think we'd be able
to handle this chapter pretty well;
...Don't you?

My Alma Mater

This poem was written by Ruth Hew (5 Science 4) and taken from the 1985 School Magazine. Ruth was Head of the Literary Department for the School Magazine that year, and I remember being in awe of her deportment and writing skills when she asked me to join the department. Reading this poem again today definitely brought a catch to my throat.

There are no high, cloistered halls,
no wide, bay windows,
no tall, stately buildings.

There are no towering spires,
no imposing gates,
no chiming bells.

There are no rolling lawns,
no immaculate courts,
no cobblestone roadways.

There are no stern professors,
no musty book lined rooms,
no hushed atmosphere.

There are no gowned students,
no teas of cheese and wine,
no muted whispers.

But there are sprawling colonial styled buildings,
scattered shrubs and trim grass,
majestic palm tree guardians.

There are strong, upright morals,
time-tried traditions
far more than book knowledge.

There are dedicated teachers,
gatekeepers of wisdom's portals,
lovingly nurturing young minds.

There are bright young girls,
chattering, giggling, irrepressible,
energetic, determined, fun loving.

There are binges in the canteen,
antics in the classrooms,
action on the playing fields.

There is a living, growing entity
pulsing, throbbing with life,
and the joy of living.

This is my alma mater
second home for 11 years,
surrogate mother, teacher, refuge, friend.

BBGS, I am proud to own thee,
thy name, traditions, principles
for my own.

NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA

Pre-Exam Jitters

This cartoon was published in the 1987 School Magazine.

90th Anniversary Message from Miss Mary Glasgow

As we enter the Merdeka week, let's pause to remember our school history. BBGS started as a missionary school, and we were led and taught by many teachers who left their home shores to come to Malaya, a British colony, to educate young girls. Many of them spent their entire adult lives teaching local girls, preparing them for nationhood - to become "loyal women with their race".

This message was sent by Miss Mary Glasgow (BBGS Principal, 1946 - 1957) who helmed BBGS until 1957 when she befittingly handed the baton of leadership to Miss Elena M Cooke, our first Malaysian headmistress. Miss Glasgow's message was read out during the BBGS Annual Speech Day in 1983, which commemorated the 90th anniversary of the school.


Dear pupils, staff and friends of the school,

It is a great privilege and pleasure to be able to speak to you today and give you my warmest greetings and congratulations on this auspicious occasion.

It reminds me of my first arrival in 1930 and the welcome I received. From then on, I have had the happiest possible memories of those 31 years with BBGS and I thank God for such a wonderful experience. You made teaching a real pleasure and you taught me more valuable lessons than I gave you. I shall never forget the sincerity and warmth of your approach and the help that was always available in any kind of need. Indeed, after 22 years of absence, I still find myself referring to Malaysia and BBGS as home.

Miss Glasgow (fourth from the right) with some of her former students

The 9oth anniversary! What a long way we have come from that little gathering I remember in the Fook Yam Tong on Davidson Road with your marvellous buildings and playing fields in BBGS today.

Then the pupils were rather shy and were accompanied to and from school, often by rickshaws. Many parents preferred to keep daughters at home. So numbers were small. However, time marches on and after the war, there was tremendous pressure to get girls admitted. The buildings could not rise fast enough and even yet I hear the enrollments continue to soar,

It is delightful to see how the school maintains its character and high standards. May it ever be so and continue to go from strength to strength in humility and trust in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.

Are we aware of Satan's greatest weapon. Self-pity? Never succumb to that or you are lost! Forget yourself, put others first, avoid hasty words and criticism, grumbling and complaining.

Dwell deep! There is a depth in life which is too seldom used. We live too much on the surface and do not dig down to the riches beneath. Let us take a look at a verse of Amy Carmichael:

From prayer that asks that I may be,
Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,
From fearing when I should aspire,
From faltering when I should climb higher,
From silken self, O Captain, free
Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

Give me the love that leads the way,
The faith that nothing can dismay,
The hope no disappointments tire,
The passion that will burn like fire,
Let me not sink to be a clod:
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

The Complexities of the English Language

This poem was written by Lim Poh Lian and recited by 5 Science 5 who emerged as Senior Choral Speaking Champions in 1986. It's another fine example of the superior grasp and love of the English Language inculcated by our amazing teachers at BBGS! A point to note though, this poem is much easier to appreciate in its oral rather than written form.

The English Language is a polyglot of French, German, Italian and what not,
But as far as we are concerned, English can go pot!
The subtleties of the English Language:
Awful pronunciation,
Tricky grammar,
Unfathomable ambiguities,
Misleading spellings!

Choose your words carefully when describing your hostess:
You can call her a kitten,
But not a cat.
Call her a mouse,
But not a rat.
Call her a chicken,
But not a hen,
Or, you will never be her caller again.
If she burns you up, say she sets you on fire,
And you'll be most welcome, you tricky little liar.

In most languages, pronunciation follows predictable rules,
But not in English!
Because of its peculiarities and idiosyncrasies, its easy to sound gibberish!
For example, words ending in INE are pronounced in several ways;
Long (i) as in ALKALINE, and short (i) as in HEROINE
What would happen if we say ALKALINE and HEROINE?

Likewise, CH can be "tsh" as in ARCHBISHOP
But "k" as in ARCHANGEL and ARCHAEOLOGY
It would be chaotic if we say, chaotic!

Ah, English! What a language!
Confusing, perplexing, exasperating
It spins the head, tires the tongue, boggles the mind, juggles the brain!
Consider the difficulties of a foreigner learning English.
The Indians, with the characteristic roll of the tongue, say,
"The ragged rascal runs over the rugged rock"
The Chinese just can't pronounce the 'r'
"Fried rice" becomes 'flied lice'
For the Malays, they end words with the classic 'lah' and 'dah'
For instance, they always say 'yeslah', 'nolah'

Certain words have double, triple, quadruple, multiple meanings,
But STOP,
Although we lament its irregularities and complexities,
English can also be clear, concise and simple!
We give up,
The English Language is madly paradoxical, irrational and capricious,
But sometimes, while frantically trying to puzzle out the verbs, grammar,
Syntax, pronunciation and spelling,
We fall under its bewitching, magical, utterly inexplicable spell
Our hearts are warmed, minds moved, senses stirred, spirits awakened!
Its very complexities make it unique.
Its very complexities make it beautiful.

In conclusion, we have this to say,
Dilemma that we are in, enigma as it seems,
This we confess, it's not as bad as we profess,
It can be very nonsensical, but the nonsensical can be musical.
The nonsnsical and musical make it comical,
Altogether, the nonsensical, musical, comical makes us positively HYSTERICAL!

Advice to Parents

Here's another Choral Speaking poem that holds a special place in my heart. It was performed by 2C1, who emerged as Junior Champions in 1986, and I had the pleasure of teaching and conducting a class for the very first time! Thanks to Mrs Abraham for giving me the opportunity and encouragement.


The most important thing we've learned,
As far as children are concerned,
Is never, never, NEVER let
Them near your television set -
Or better still, just don't install
The idiotic thing at all.

In almost every house we've been,
We've watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eye pop out.

They sit and stare and stare and sit,
Until they are hypnotised by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.

Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink-
But, did you ever stop to think
To wonder, just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?

IT ROTS THE SENSES IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK - HE ONLY SEES!

"All right!" you cry. "All right!" you say,
"But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!"

We'll answer this by asking you,
"What used the darling ones to do?
How used they to keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?"

Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow!

THEY...USED...TO...READ! They'd READ and READ,
And READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half of their lives was reading books!

The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!

Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales,
Of dragons, gypsies, queens and whales,
And treasure isles and distant shores
Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,
And pirates wearing purple pants,
And sailing ships and elephants,
And cannibals crouching round the pot,
Stirring away at something hot.

Oh, books, what books they used to know
Those children living long ago!
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.

And once they start - boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen,
They'll wonder what they'd ever seen,
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!

And later, each and every kid,
Will love you more for what you did.


This poem was published in the 1986 School Magazine.

Reminiscences

This article was written by Mrs Yeoh nee Chong Shing Choo (Class of 1961) and featured in the 1986 School Magazine.

Kua Siew Lian (left) and Chong Shing Choo (right) reunited at the BBGS Mega Reunion at the Pavilion in August 2009. Both of them served faithfully as teachers in BBGS Primary School for many years.

The year 1961 - twenty five years ago...

With an anxious glance, I looked back at my Alma Mater and my friends - the girls whom I had known for so long. What did the future hold for us? Goodbyes were quickly uttered, faces perhaps trying to hide a tear or two, we went each on our own way.

Since then, the girls of 1961 have not lost track of each other. Through the untiring efforts of Miss Kua Siew Lian, we have been meeting at least once a year. What is said? What is shared? If our spouses or children would care to listen to our conversation, what would they think? Fortunately or not, they usually do the vanishing act when the girls of 1961 get together!

Let me tell you what goes on in a get-together of the old girls. During our first tete-a-tete session which was held so long ago (so long ago that I cannot recall the date), the first question was on marital status. Several of us have chosen to remain single, while others were brave enough to take the plunge. Job experiences were exchanged, the whereabouts of other classmates and our experiences at BBGS were the hot topics. The girls of '61 are dispersed all over the globe!

I remember very well Miss Cooke and her Geography lessons. Oh, how she used to drum into us the many Geographical facts which I still remember till today. Speech Day..."BBGS, we pledge to thee..." We were not let off until we had sung it the way she wanted it to sound.

Many of us will not readily forget the late Miss Too Tong Mei. Her Art lessons were a time of testing the grit and nerve of all concerned. Will I forget the day she made us paint WITHOUT water - only to use dry powder paint on newsprint! This is an incident few of us forget, even after 25 years!

Other dear "grown-ups" we remember fondly are Miss Mary Glasgow, Mrs Isobel Wee and Catherine Angus. In more than one, these dear teachers have carved a niche in our lives.

Many of us are now either happy professional women or mothers. Whatever vocation we have chosen, we have done so to fulfill the verse of the School Song -

"When we are grown
And take our place
As loyal women with our race."

The girls of '61 are a cheerful lot, who have gone through much of life, which is not surprising as they are almost half a century old.

Children, husbands, work, funny episodes which take place from day to day are common topics when we get together. To me, the happiest time of my life is still the years I spent at BBGS. It was in this place, with the help of dedicated teachers who worked for the love of teaching and nurturing young minds that I have adopted many principles which I now hold dear in my role as a mother and teacher in a primary school.

To the new girls of BBGS, take this advice from an old girl, treasure your memories of your school days.

Though much has changed with time, you should still hold on steadfastly to the LIVING words of the School Song.

Be proud to have been a student of the School on the Starry Hill. I assure you that there is none that can compare.

Toilet Cleaning in BBGS

An article from the 1985 School Magazine by Yew Su Fong of 2S

"OK, Siew Ling and Shireen, it's your turn to clean the toilet."

Toilet cleaning is an everyday affair in BBGS and only the lucky prefects can escape this unpleasant task. Most of us groan and grumble when it's our turn to clean the toilet but there are some who say that they enjoy it. I for one do!

Toilet cleaning can be loads of fun. The first step is to collect lots of water. We have to wait for ages by the stand-pipe near Prouse Wing B because of the water shortage. The next step is to scrub and scrub the pink mosaic floor and the toilet bowl until it is sparkling clean. This part can be quite dangerous because if you are not careful, you can find yourself sitting down on the floor as it is quite slippery. Lastly, start flooding the toilet. Watch out or else you'll get wet! Also don't forget to clean the bin.

Now comes the nice part. Take a step back and see what a good job you have done. You probably feel hot and bothered but it is worth it. It's even better when your class wins the Toilet Cleanliness shield.

Toilet cleaning isn't that bad really.

Memories of Food Sales

This article was written by Valerie Kuan/4 Sc5 and published in the 1985 School Magazine.

"Oh! Here he comes, at last! Hey, the ice-cream man is heeerrree...". Screams of delight pierced the morning silence. Girls in school T-shirts started to bustle here and there. The canteen was in a mess. Biscuits, packets of mee, nasi lemak were arranged on the tables. Suddenly, a bell rang, destroying the quiet hum of the day. Just as suddenly as before, girls appeared here, there and everywhere. They rushed for the food-strewn table. A million noises seemed to fill the air, the chink of coins, the shrill laughter of girls, the splashing of water. Another typical BBGS foodsale had begun.

Foodsales were introduced over 30 years ago (1950s) by Miss E. Cooke, a former headmistress. Foodsales were begun not only to collect money, but also or a much more meaningful purpose. Foodsales, back then, were organised by the girls, teachers as well as the canteen people. Foodsales were to, little by little, forge a bond between the girls and the teachers, a bond of love and trust, an eternal bond.

Funfairs were also held way back in the "old days". It used to be day-long affairs, from about noon to six in the evening. Funfairs were also to promote the tie between student and teacher. They used to collect about RM40,000 a day. Sad to say, BBGS did not continue that tradition for very long.

Funfairs and foodsales alike made bundles of profits. These profits were achieved by the willingness of BBGS girls to work. The teachers' generous nature also insisted they helped in any way possible. Some of the proceeds from the foodsales and funfairs helped support BBGS financially. The rest went into a fund known as the Building Fund. It was from this fund, we built the Science Laboratory D and the staff-room. After 7 long years, we can now boast a gymnasium and a junior library. Our old school hall was renovated to become the School Library.

Unfortunately, funfairs are but fond memories now. Memories embedded in the age-old history of this school. True, foodsales lost some of their glitter through the years. BBGSians became less enthusiastic as they aged. Teachers are now burdened with heavier work loads. But the banning of foodsales has affected all of us in one way or the other.

Following the announcement of the ban, opinionated arguments arose. The pros and cons were weighed. Sound reasons were sought. Finally, BBGS girls reached a verdict. We want our foodsales back!

Limericks for English lessons

Now, we didn't just write poems for Choral Speaking, we wrote limericks during English class too! Here are some written by my classmates, and published in the 1984 school magazine.

There was once a dog from Liverpool
Who loved to swim in the mining pool
One day he jumped in
Thinking he could find tin
But he nearly lost his life, poor fool

- Ling Hua Peng /2C1


There was an old lady from KL
Who one day for no reason fell
When helped to her feet
She got back on her seat
Why she fell, she never would tell

- Chen May Yee / 2S


In the Himalayas there once was a guru
Who by nature was a proper dungu
It was his karma
To live with a Llama
And spend his days, making bubu after bubu.

- Mok Mei Ling/2C1



There was an owl called Toot
Who lived in a very old boot
But sad to say
He cried everyday
For he didn't know how to toot.

- Mas Aryani Mohd Khalil / 2S


There was a man who came from China
He got lost in the jungles of Africa
He was caught in a trap
By the cannibal's net
And was stewed in the pot for supper

- Tan Lu Meng / 2C1

World of Women Drivers

I'm having so much fun discovering original poems composed by our clever BBGSians for the annual Choral Speaking Competitions! Here's another gem by Five Science Three, who took home the shield for the Senior Category in 1984. This poem is taken from the 1984 School Magazine.


Five Science Three Explores the World of Women Drivers

Women drivers can be found everywhere!

Everywhere!!

Up the curb!

In the ditch!

Up the tree!

In the lake! Tsk...tsk...

According to men,
Women drivers are atrocious!
Not so!
Inconsiderate and incompetent!
Debatable!
But, according to women,
Lady motorists are cautious, civic-minded and skilled!
"I mean, it's not easy driving up a tree, you know!"

After a minor mishap,
You can hear the famous last words of an enraged husband:
"How can you do such a thing! It's impossible!"
"You're just jealous because you can't do it!"
Informs his wife coolly
The car, sorry to say, is a total wreck,
Its wheels move in a crab-like motion,
And the vehicle is transformed
From a stately sedan
To a sports convertible...without the roof.

Ad we approach the age of seventeen,
Most of us crave for a driving license.
Driving instructors cringe,
When they see GIRLS at the driving office,
They cling desperately to the handbrakes when the lesson is in progress
---just in case.
Our monitor's first driving lesson.
"Let me guess, she drove into the drain!"
"Don't be so mean. I only hit the traffic lights. That's all!!"

Our wisdom bringers in BBGS
Comprise of a skilled lot.
See Miss Yeap gliding gracefully into the school compound,
Screeching to an abrupt halt
Missing the palm tree by centimetres. Phew.
We have the ideal woman driver, right here in BBGS.
Our very own Mrs Cheong,
Who swerves right, left, back and front,
Barely missing Mrs Thanen's pride and joy
Every single morning.
Hear the laughter upstairs in 5 Sc 3,
And the screams in 5 Sc 2,
Whenever Mrs Choe Ling
Laboriously manoeuvres her faithful Ford through the school gate.
Monday mornings can be hazardous to one's health.
For instance,
"Mrs Choe Ling, look out for that, BANG, CRASH, CHOKE........tree."

Adventurous women on race tracks,
Have caused sensations in newspapers.
Adventurous women on roads,
Have also been a source of headlines.
"Lack of trees in the city....fault of women drivers!"
Accident rates increse...women drivers on the prowl!"
Typical remarks of chauvinistic men.
These ignorant ones ind it astounding
How women change a tiny Volkswagen
Into a power-charged sports car!
If we drive slow
They sit seething with discontent, muttering imprecations, tinged with annoyance.

Yet, think of how uneventful
The world would be without us
Lovely, innocent, wonderful,
Charming, witty, enchanting,
And last but not least....modest women drivers,
Who add a little spice to your lives.
Looking gorgeous in an expensive Porsche.
A delightful sight for sore eyes,
Driving with awareness,
Every molecule in their body filled with confidence
Eeeeeet......BANG!
Oh..oh...

Courtship through our very own eyes

If your idea of a typical BBGSian is that of a strait-laced Victorian schoolma'm, think again. Here's a delightful original poem presented by 5 Arts 3, who emerged as Choral Speaking Champions for the Senior section in 1983. This poem was taken from the 1983 School Magazine.


5A3's presentation of Courtship Through Our Very Own Eyes


Courtship has played an important role in mankind for many, many years
And if 5A3 has it her way
it will continue to do so for many, many more years to come
Courtship has all the ingredients of a potential bestseller,
It has adventure, intrigue,
Humour, freshness
and not forgetting the most important ingredient of all
ROMANCE.
Besides, what is a marriage without courtship?
Nothing, AB-SO-LUTE-LY nothing.

Courtship is the period for memories to be cherished,
The days of red roses,
And gaily, coloured gifts.
Of opening of car doors
and candlelight dinners
Of posh hotels and smart restaurants
.....or perhaps
A walk int he thunderstorm in his best suit
and her best shoes.
A French menu that sounds Greek, exorbitant bills
And of getting up late for work the next morning.

According to the Oxford dictionary,
Courtship is the period during which
A person tries to win the affection of another
In view of marriage,
But, according to 5A3,
Courtship is the period for his bank balance to sink drastically
And her wardrobe to increase dramatically,
In view of a longer engagement.

The concept
of tall, dark and handsome men and their fair, petite counterparts
Is still predominant,
Unfortunately, there's a little snag to this,
You see,
"We aren't fair", "He isn't tall enough"
But as they say
Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder
So there's hope for us yet.

On a more serious note, ladies and gentlemen,
Courtship is not just the time for fun and lavish attention
It is like a bed of roses
A bed of roses with many thorns
It is the period when not only the virtues
But the faults surface.
It is the perfect opportunity for jealousy to rear its ugly head
For discontentment to set in,
For frayed tempers
And for settling differences once and for all.

Courtship can bring happiness
or....tragedy
Let us take the case of modern day Romeo and Juliet
Happiness is when Juliet says
"Romeo, Romeo
Wherefore art thou?"
But tragedy when Romeo replies,
"I am here, you silly cow!"

Let us now deal with the before and after effects of courtship.
Before, she'll say
"Yes, dear
"Anything you say dear"
After, she'll say
"Do it yourself. I'm going back to mother's!"
Before, he'll say
"You look lovely tonight"
After,
"Amazing what a woman looks like without her warpaint"
Before, she'll say,
"Oh, Thank you for the lovely flowers but you really shouldn't"
After,
"You don't bring me flowers, anymore"
So much for happily-ever-after endings.

A slight twist to that famous Shakespeare phrase
More or less sums up the situation in general
It's just a matter of
To court or not to be court
To be courted or not to be courted
These are the questions
And 5A3's aswers are
To court and to be courted!


Note: I can't help thinking that these girls could have graduated to become scriptwriters for "Winter Sonata" and other Korean dramas...haha!

Chinatown

One thing I've realized about Choral Speaking at BBGS is that it wasn't always about Shakespeare, Keats or Tennyson. In fact, some of the best poems were often written by the girls themselves!

Here's a fine example by Form 3A, who were the Intermediate Choral Speaking Champions in 1984. Till today, I still remember how entertaining and engaging the poem was because we could all identify with the distinctly Malaysian scenes, characters and flavours contained therein.


CHINATOWN

As dawn breaks over the tenement houses
Life begins in the heart of Petaling Street
The carts rumble into the market square
And the cries of hawkers (Rumble Mumble Hustle Bustle)

Ka ma lun pheng koh, yau pheng yau leng, hoong toh-toh, Aunty, aunty, ai beh cai boh... Ham yee ah (2x) Sam Khow yat ma (3x) Mai yat cek soong yat cek, cin-cin, cai-cai, mai toh soong toh,
Mingled with those of early shoppers

The morning sun rses
The shops are ready for business
The big bully jaga with his beard neatly curled
Grins as a Mercedes pulls up, eek....booom
It disgorges an opulent lady
Making her weekly pilgrimage to the jewellery store.

The Chinese medicine halls display their strange products
Guaranteed to cure every ill.
The sinseh by the corner picks his teeth as he awaits his firs client
The joss stick seller is busy fashioning a paper limousine complete with number plates.
While two shops away in the eerie darkness,
A coffin lies waiting for the same customers.

"You ain't nothing but a hound dog"
Hot rock music blares from the cassette players
While metal smiths and cobbles, beat in time.
Girls in the latest fashion
Strut among the hawkers
Selling platform shoes and handbags

A shout is heard, "Hoi!"
A wiry youngster wheels among the cars
He disappears into the lane
Clutching a gold necklace
No one goes after him
No one dares, it's wiser not to be involved.

Lunch time in Madras Lane
For the adventurous gourmets they are
Monkey brains, served fresh from the skull
With a dash of pepper
Or, if you prefer less exotic fare
Try: turtle soup, fried lizard tongue, mouth watering eels.

The sun has set
The market is closed
And shops will be shut
But wait, more carts rumble in and kerosene lamps are lit
The pasar malam has begun
The hawkers advertise their goods in the road now devoid of traffic
There is food galore!
Char Siew Pau, Chin Toi Chai, See Ham Chow Fun, Loh Mai Kai, Hoong Tau Sah

Customers stream in from the nearby cinema
Jostling and pushing, oblivious of the pick pockets
At midnight the carnival is over
Silence and darkness descend once more
A naked light bulb swings in one of the windows
A dustbin clatter, "Meeoooww..." as the cats begin their nightly haunt
An old beggar huddles to sleep on the cold sidewalk
All is quiet and still.....until tomorrow.

Ode to Garfield

The School Magazine has been an endless source of material for this blog. Going through the magazines recently, I've been so impressed by the quality of writing that I'm starting a category dedicated to the writing of our teenage Bards.

Here's one our finest writers, Irene Teo, my classmate, and her "Ode to Garfield", taken from the 1985 School Magazine.


ODE TO GARFIELD
from an admirer

Thou exalted cat!
Thy rolls of fat
o'er feline frame that
slinks (or heaves) through
midnight dark
in home or park.

Thy ever peaceful mien
by sun or moonlight seen
betrays not cunning deeds
performed by thee, who heeds
not lordly man, nor lowly beast.

Thy many escapades
through garden trowels ad spades,
and screen doors low or high
though foe be lurking by,
never fail to amaze
and leave in a daze
thy humble followers.

O cunning, cruel cat!
Mark of thy claw does mat
the hides of foes forlorn,
now wiser than to test
thy anger, whether thou
be at play, or rest.

O Cat!
We remain,
through sun or rain,
thy everlasting admirers.

By Irene Teo, 3C1

Remember these cheers?

Just found a whole heap of cheerleading songs from the 1984 School Magazine and couldn't wait to share them with you...


Gimme a V, V, V, I, C
Gimme a C, C, C, T, O
Gimme a O, O, O, R, Y
VICTORY, VICTORY is our cry.

We're all leaders of Maclay team,
We're gonna show you how to win,
Just feel the beat and follow the team,
C'mon Maclay we're gonna win.

Prouse House is dynamite,
Don't play with dynamite,
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

Anything that they can do,
Green House girls can do it too,
Am I right or wrong?
You're right!
Tell me if I'm wrong,
You're right!
Sound of
1, 2
Sound of
3, 4
Sound of 1, 2, 3....FOUR!

5, 6, 7, 8
What do we see?
What do we hear?
Shirtliff is the house to cheer!
if we lose,
Please don't jeer
Coz we will win next year!

Secrets of Cheerleading Success

This article was written by Salwah Shukor (5 Science 4) and taken from the 1985 School Magazine, detailing the success of Prouse House cheerleading team, which enjoyed a string of championships in the 1980s.

What's the secret of success?

"Goreng pisang!" came the unanimous vote. Now what could this 267 calorie delicacy that scored and instant hit with BBGSians' taste buds since its January introduction, possibly have to do with Prouse's enviable success?

The captain, Ho Ching Yee, described its crisp outside and contrasting interior as having a startling effect on the team. In fact, when things just did not seem to be working out, she was even heard to be frantically saying "OK guys, you can take a 10-minute break and I insist that you take 2 goreng pisang(s) each." Talk about prescriptions!

Farah, the VOLUME of Prouse, chips in, "We also owe it to our 10-second pep sessions..." and the team deafeningly breaks into "HAVE YOU GOT THAT SPIRIT? YEAH MAN!!...." - guaranteed to lift even pit-low spirits.

Low spirits? Bubbly Janet remarks that it's the most fatal disease that could beset any cheerleading team. The cause? "When it suddenly dawns on you that other teams are just as good, if not better than you are," states Sok Feng solemnly. "...but it simply has marvellous side effects," interrupts optimistic Suzanna, "it's just what we need to make us work!"

So how do catchy chants with pulsating beats coordinated by original steps materialise? The touch of expertise required in choreographing was supplied by the team's pair of twinkle-toes, Tan Foong and Kiren (the only two known to show the slightest mercy to the ground after a star-jump or a reindeer-leap)...whilst the credit for adapting jingles into suitable cheers goes to Muzeena. Given a tune, she has been known to complete the intricate task in a matter of seconds.

A swift glance at the Prouse scream team would not fail to pint out the mixed-up lot they are. Tall, lanky Carol and demure, petite Premalatha convey the long and short of the story.

And what kept them going and supplied the much needed drive?

Inevitably, the incentive of...SUCCESS!

These things I give to BBGS

This poem was published in the 1993 Centenary Magazine. It was written by Lalitha Wong (Mrs Gray) who studied in BBGS from 1947 - 1956. She and her sister, Soosila Wong, were my mother's contemporaries. Lalitha lived with her family in England until her passing in 2006.

Aunty Soosila taught music in Primary School 2 until the 1980s. She now lives with her husband, John, in Queensland, Australia. My family had the privilege of staying with them during my 4 year stint Down Under.

For the finding of God's love

For the love of beautiful hymns

For the teaching and deepening knowledge of the Word of God

These things I owe to BBGS

For the love of poetry and drama

For the thrill and skill of debates

For the aesthetic pleasures of embroidery

These things I owe to BBGS

For the teachers who taught and the knowledge gained

For the development of character and mind

For the encouragement given and mistakes corrected

For the vision given and the aims to aspire

To serve and not be served

For the pride of doing everthing to the Lord and not to man

For the opportunities of responsibility and example expected of leadership

These things I owe to BBGS

Thirty-seven years as a pupil and twenty-four years as a teacher

Have passed since I left BBGS

And what are my thoughts still?

The experience of Nisi Dominus Frustra -

'Without God All Is in Vain'

This motto I've proved and owe to BBGS

Kacang Putih Man

This heartwarming article was written by Sujatha Rajagopal (Class of 1992 - Form 6) for the Centenary Magazine in 1985. Suji is now a freelance copywriter who lives in San Jose (USA) with her husband and 5-year old son.


My first encounter with the kacang putih man, and his family was in the 1980s when I was in primary school. What fascinated me most were his youthful eyes. Eyes that would gleam in the friendliness as you piped in a small voice "Pakcik, nak kacang...sepuluh sen." Eyes that would watch in amusement as you ate the kacang putih or fed your friends and the pigeons that flocked in abundance over the tarmac.

The business was started by his late father, Krishnan - a short balding man, usually clad in a crisp, white shirt and white dhoti. According to him, his father started selling kacang putih at the primary school in the early 1960s until his death in the mid 1980s.

Meanwhile, he himself had been selling kacang putih in the secondary school canteen since the '70s. He also plied along Jalan Bukit Bintang and other parts of town. When I asked him how business was, he smiled a little wistfully and replied that profits were not much - just enough to cover his family's living expenses.

It is an understatement to say that the kacang putih man leads a difficult life. He wakes up daily at 4.30 am - a time when most of us would still be fast asleep. He then leaves his home to meet his supplier by 5:30 am. After that, he would make his rounds to the various parts of town to sell kacang putih.

We should recognise that the kacang putih man and the canteen-stall operators formed an important part of BBGS history.

Down Memory Lane

I have always been fascinated by the history of BBGS, and grateful to the extraordinary women who were our school’s early pioneers. They dedicated their entire lives to build the BBGS legacy that we are proud to call our own today. This is why we must constantly strive to live up to the ideals that have been sown so many years ago.

This is the story of Miss Ma, one of those early pioneers. This extract is taken from her article published in the BBGS Centenary Magazine, May 1993.

Down Memory Lane
By Miss Ma Tak Yan
Ex-student, ex-teacher & first headmistress of BBGS Primary 2

I treasure the earliest memories of my old school where I spent 55 years of my life, first as a pupil, then a teacher and finally as headmistress. It is also the school where two brothers, six sisters, my adopted daughter and eleven nieces received their education.

I joined BBGS in 1922 when I was five years old (at that time there was no fixed age for admission). Although it was called a girls’ school, boys were also admitted. However, they had to leave and join a boys’ school after completing Standard 2.

During my student days, BBGS was under four fine Christian headmistresses who endeavoured to live and teach the faith which they professed. The first was Miss Luke and when she went on leave, Miss O’Connor took over the helm. Then came Miss E. Prouse, a disciplinarian who instilled a healthy fear of authority in students but was much respected by everyone. She is also fondly remembered as the person from whom we learned to do fine embroidery. When she went on furlough, our dear Miss M. Glasgow became our headmistress.


The early Davidson Road days

In those early days, BBGS operated from the Chinese Gospel Hall. This was a small wooden building in Davidson Road. Four classes were held in the main building, each occupying one corner of the Hall with the headmistress’ desk beside the main door. Two other classes were held in the vestry.

Lack of space and facilities did not dampen the enthusiasm displayed by Miss Prouse. As there was no playing field, she made full use of whatever space there was in front of the church building to teach us folk dancing, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and club drill. These activities made up for the sports of which we were deprived.

There was great fun when the school broke up at the end of the year. We always had a very interesting concert which was held in the church building. A wooden stage was erected in the vestry by my father, Mr Ma Tham Shun, who was the pastor of the Chinese Gospel Hall. There were singing items and plays and parents were treated to Christmas carols and hymns which students sang with gusto.

BBGS was established as a mission school by the Brethren Assembly. Its aim was not only to provide much needed education particularly for young girls, but also to give them the opportunity to learn the love of God and to acquire good values. Scripture was taught the first thing in the morning from 8 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. I enjoyed the Bible lessons given by some of our missionaries like Miss Shirtliff, Miss Falconer and Miss Daws. Students were encouraged to memorise Bible passages such as Psalm 23, Isaiah 53 and John 14. The teaching of the Word of God has certainly not been in vain and many students have gone on to make valuable contributions to society.

Moving to Bukit Bintang Road

It was a red-letter day when we moved to our own school building on Bukit Bintang Road in 1929. It was still called the Chinese Girls’ School for some time after that. I clearly remembered scrubbing the floors of the classrooms and painting our desks. Standards 7, 8 and 9 (Forms 3, 4 and 5) occupied the classroom next to the headmistress’ office. Woe betide us when we made noise which was immediately silenced by the sound of the press-bell in Miss Prouse’s office.

When I entered Form 5, there were only two pupils – Lizzie Tan and myself. When my classmate fell ill (which she often did), poor me was the only one answering Miss Glasgow’s Literature and Bible Knowledge questions. There were terrifying moments when I failed to answer any of them correctly. This made me more or less memorise every word in the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles so that I could perform well.

Our school was in the limelight when our Badminton Team won the coveted Silver Trophy for four consecutive years in the Selangor Inter-School Badminton Tournament held at the Victoria Institution hall. There were three singles players (I was one of them) and two doubles players. Miss Prouse was very concerned that we should not only perform well but also set an example in sportsmanship. Students, therefore, were strictly instructed not to show delight when our opponents lost a point!


Torture Chamber

When I became a teacher in 1934, the importance of maintaining strict discipline was impressed on me by Miss Prouse with whom I shared a classroom. My class occupied half the room while her class the other half. I used to call that classroom my “Torture Chamber” for while I was teaching my class, I had a pair of blue eyes focused on me from the other end of the room.

In 1936, our school participated in the King George V Silver Jubilee Celebrations held at the former Stadium on Circular Road (now known as Jalan Pekeliling). I was given the task of training the participants for the Maypole Dancing. Imagine my relief when the performers received loud applause from the audience.


Then came the Japanese

During the Japanese Occupation in 1942, we had to study Japanese. I cannot imagine how I managed to teach Algebra (Dai-su) in Japanese! The classes were small and were made up of girls from St. Mary’s and Pudu English schools which amalgamated with BBGS and operated at our school, then called Bukit Bintang Gakko (meaning school in Japanese)

Mrs de Silva from the Pudu English School was the headmistress and we worked in harmony with the teachers from these two schools. However, Miss Prouse and Miss Glasgow, who served the school until the last possible moment, were captured by the Japanese army and interned in Palembang. Miss Prouse did not survive the internment and passed away from malaria six months before the war ended. We will certainly not forget the courage and sacrifice of people such as these. Miss Glasgow returned to BBGS as the headmistress until 1957.

After the Japanese surrender on August 15, 1945, it was a day of great rejoicing when we returned to BBGS in September 1945 to teach in English again The school was denuded of furniture because the Japanese soldiers who camped there had used our chairs and desks for firewood. They also converted the School Hall into a kitchen. Anyone who joined the school had to bring her own desk and chair and we had an interesting assortment of classroom furniture.


The call to be headmistress

I was appointed headmistress of Primary School 2 in 1958, and there were about 1000 pupils under my care. It was a huge responsibility and I recalled the lessons of those years as a class teacher under Miss Prouse and later under Miss Glasgow. Miss Glasgow, in particular, taught me the importance of applying Christian principles and values in discharging my responsibilities. I was privileged to have their own shining example to follow – how to be caring and dedicated but at the same time, to be strict.

I also had the help and the support of a very efficient senior assistant Mrs Bux (nee Wong Sau Lan), a conscientious senior teacher, Mrs Lim Peng Nyun (who succeeded me when I retired and a very capable and industrious school clerk, Mrs Lim Ngoh Moi. These factors enabled me to cope with the challenge and difficulties of the job until my retirement in January 1977.


Retirement

My retirement in January 1977 marked the end of my teaching career. It was a sad day for me to leave the school and to hand over the reins to others. However, I am thankful for the precious memories I have of BBGS and am always delighted when I hear of the successes achieved by my former students and their contributions to society. BBGS has produced generations of students of fine calibre. I am very proud that three of my students, Miss E.M. Cooke, Mrs Lim Peng Nyun and Mrs Siew Pick Yoke, who became headmistresses of BBGS.

What is BBGS culture? (Part 2)

A summary of findings gleaned from a questionnaire sent out to ex-BBGS girls in conjunction with the BBGS Centenary Celebration. This extract is taken from the Centenary magazine (May 1993).

As we look back over the 100 years, we often wonder if life in BBGS has changed since our grandmothers’ days. What has changed? More importantly, what has remained? All these were part of the BBGS lifestyle and culture. Some things might have changed now. But the heart and spirit that move each BBGS girl to give, to share and to make the school a great place surely has not changed.

Fun Fairs

Fun-fairs were really fun events. Whether they were mammoth fun-fairs of the smaller food fairs, all BBGS girls enjoy the distraction from lessons. An old girl related how her class would look for the slightest excuse to beg the teachers to allow them to discuss urgent food fair arrangements instead of the usual lessons. We all learnt to make red and green square coconut candies during our BBGS days. All of us experienced the temptation of over-pricing our food so that our class could make the most money.

Fun and food fairs, if you think about it, taught us the basics of doing business. They helped infuse us with the entrepreneurial spirit. We learnt the rudiments of Profit & Loss (although the latter was taboo!). We picked up Supply & Demand and Marginal Returns faster than we managed to from our Economics class. We learnt what team work and team spirit were all about. We cultivated our creativity and ingenuity.

All said and done, fun-fairs and food fairs were great events, probably more so for BBGS girls than from those in other schools because we always needed funds to do something more for the school.


Toilet Cleanliness

Another aspect of BBGS life is the Toilet Cleanliness Campaign administered by the prefects.

Most of us hate it but force ourselves and our classmates to clean the toilets with a vengeance in pursuit of the Cleanliness Shield.

Buying toilet fresheners, repainting the class-designated toilet, locking it up so as to prevent others from fouling it up – these are but some of the things we do to have the cleanest and best-smelling toilet in the whole school. (You see, BBGS girls do all things – including the less pleasant ones – well)


Class Cleanliness

None of us will ever forget the necessity to keep our classroom neat and tidy. Remember the days when we used raffia to ensure our desk were straight and in line. The days we had to rush to the market across the road before school for fresh flowers for our class? The days we had to cut out interesting newspaper articles for our class notice boards (our interest was often centred on our handsome badminton heroes, one of whom used to be the boyfriend of a classmate)?

An eye for detail is something that is almost engraved in our minds, thanks to BBGS. How many of us, for example, can resist not straightening a crooked picture on a wall? How any of us look around and think twice before we throw even the tiniest scrap of paper on the street? How many of us consciously walk away from potted plants lest our skirts brush against and injure those precious things?