My Teen Years Part 1 (1974-1976)

Class 2A2. Me, from top, standing row 2, third from right. Class Teacher, Mr Hwang.

Now, we come to my teen years. Ah! My wonderful teen years. This was the time when we were most exploring, inquisitive and precocious.

Remember those years (1970’s) when we had to sit for an assessment examination to determine which secondary school that you could go to (similar to today’s UPSR in Primary 6)? Those days, we had to sit for this examination in Primary 5. Even though I passed all subjects, I did not score any A’s. By end of Primary 6 (1973), I was handed a slip by the school’s office to report to the Lower Secondary School, Thompson Road, Taiping (near Aulong) the next year. Since the school was located quite near to my house, I was quite happy. However, when I informed my mother about it, she was not very pleased. She urged my father to make an appeal that I be transferred to a better school.

So, my dad made an appeal with the District Education Office and in 1974, I was to report to the King Edward VII Secondary School, Taiping (Dad’s former alma mater). On the very first day of school, my dad and I was directed to the Afternoon Session Senior Assistant’s office to hand in my form to be admitted into the school. The Senior Assistant, Mr Thong, gladly accepted the form and had a short chat with my dad. Dad got up and went back to work. Mr Thong took me to my class which was Form 1A2. The class had about 30 over boys and most of them were the Hostel Boys, except for 6 who were not. Many of my friends from KE VII Primary School (1) were in the other classes. Since I was in the class together with the Hostel Boys, I was mistakened as one of them by some other new friends and teachers.

(I found out later that Mr Thong was the father of my friend, Thong Chee Meng).

 The Hostel Boys were one year older to me because they had to attend one year Remove Class to learn the English Language. These boys came from other primary schools in Perak based on their good results achieved in the Standard 5 Examinations.  Generally, most of them were friendly but one or two of them just like to pick on me. They had the impression that since my dad worked in the hospital, I came from a wealthy family. In my first few days of school, my new geometry set was stolen from my school bag. I dared not ask my dad for another new one, so, I resorted to using an old set of my brother’s (Mahathir had passed his MCE and had gone to KL to work). I used that old geometry set right up to my Fifth Form in 1978. Our class teacher was Mrs Gomez who taught us History. She mesmerized us with her stories of her visit to Greece, about the Parthenon and other historic sites. Another notable teacher was Puan Nor Azwa who taught us Bahasa Malaysia.

I travelled to and from school by a school bus, just as ever since my primary school days. The bus drivers were two Chinese brothers, which I remember one of them called Ah Ba. The elder brother drove the medium sized school bus while the younger brother drove the van. Their family lived near Jalan Padang and also ran a curry mee and ice kacang stall there. This stall was a favourite hang-out spot for students who lived in Asamkumbang. We would stop there for ice kacang or lai chee kang after school or on Saturdays after extra-curricular activities.

I was not active in any sports nor involved in any societies, so, my Form 1 year was rather quiet. However, it was compulsory for all students to participate in sports representing their various Houses (or Colours) and the Annual Cross Country. Then, came the School Annual Sports Day and I saw the first appearance of the School Band performing. Hey, I thought I could do that. One afternoon, the band teacher, Mr Ng Peng Khoon came to my class announcing that the Band was recruiting new members for the next year. Well, I signed up.

I have a “secret” tale that I have not told anyone, well, except to my kids perhaps. It was during my first year in secondary school that I went to watch a cinema show by myself. A schoolmate of mine, Aziz Hamdan, asked me to watch a war movie “The Longest Day” which was being screened at the Cathay Cinema. We agreed to see the show on a Saturday at 10.45 AM.  What reason did I give to my mother? I told her I had to go to school library to study with my friend.

 

I entered my second year in KE VII Secondary school in the class of 2A2 in 1975. The main historic event of that year was the fall of South Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos to the Communist regime. Before that, the Vietnam conflict could be watched on the TV nightly news. About the TV, back then, there were only two channels (RTM1 And RTM2) and viewing times began in the afternoon until mid-night. The only other program shown during the day was the TV Pendidikan which was on RTM2. Those days, TV sets were black and white screen only (colour TV sets only came in 1979).

 

The boys who sat near me in class were Arjan Singh, Wong Tat Weng and Rajisvaran. Our class teacher was Mr Hwang who taught us Commercial Studies. Our Bahasa Malaysia teacher was Cikgu Razak (who also taught Arts).

My first year with the Band. Me, sitting, second from right (beside senior Zul).

 

This was the year I joined the School Band. The Band practices were on Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning. Before we could play any instruments, we were taught how to march by three senior cadets from the School Army Cadet Corp. It was only in the second month we were allowed to practice on the instruments of our choice. We had to share the instruments then because there were not many of them. There were 5 side drums, two tenor drums, one base drum, a pair of cymbals, ten flutes and 10 bugles. I chose to play the side drums at first but switch to join the bugles section afterwards.

 The senior buglers were Zulkifli and Yusri (Yusri died later in that year in a motor vehicle accident in Matang). We were taught how to play the bugle using proper breathe, lips and tongue technics.  We practiced hard to perform in the Annual School Sports Day. Hence, on that Sports Day was the first real activity that I performed with the School Band. I felt very happy in spite of the limited songs that we could play at that time (they were all marching tunes). As for uniforms, we wore batik shirts of various designs.

Other than the school band, I played rugby and ran in the Cross Country for my House – Raffles.  I was not that good but it was compulsory for all boys (unlike today) to participate in some sports activities (except for students who were physically challenged).

Class 3A2. Me, sitting, first from right. Class Teacher - Mr Nadesamy with Principal, Mr Long Heng Hua.

 

In 1976, I began my third year in the Secondary School in Class 3A2. It was an important year for all of us because there was a big examination, the Lower Certificate of Education (LCE). Our class teacher was Mr Nadesamy who was our School Scout Master. Mr Nadesamy was transferred from another school, the LSS, Thomson Road (the school which I was originally assigned to go in 1974). He taught us Integrated Science. Other notable teachers were Mr Avtar Singh (Bahasa Malaysia), Puan Azizah (who recited History by heart) and Miss Beh (English). Most of the boys would remember Miss Beh because she was the most beautiful young teacher at that time.

This was year that I began to ride my Chopper bicycle to school. I also attended tuition class for Mathematics in Kamunting (at my friend, Rajisvaran, house. His father was my Maths tutor).

1976 School Band. Me, sitting, first from right.

The early days of the School Orchestra. Me, marked by arrow.

Through the weekly practice, I found that I began to improve my skills in playing the bugle. After senior Zulkefli left for the UK, I became the Senior for the Bugles Section. When the first trumpet arrived, Mr Ng picked me to learn to play the trumpet and to teach the others. It was in 1976, the School Band received new instruments like trumpets, trombones and clarinets. Our uniform was a standardized Batik Shirts with white long pants. We also had a music coach from Ipoh, Mr Kong (the late Mr Kong also taught the Hua Lian (private) School Band). All these were contributed by the Old Edwardians Association. That year’s Sports Day, we performed brilliantly with a simple formation and new repertoire. My mom and dad was in attendance with my little nephew, Izzmi. The School Band was also invited to perform at the KE VII Primary School Sports Day and the Pesta Taiping.

I could not remember  exactly which year but we had lost one teacher who died of stroke. He was Mr Francis Chang, our Sports Teacher. He was remembered for riding his Lambreta on the school field.

I also realized that I was improving in my cross-country runs. I began to earn points for my House which I could not do before. The cross country runs were held at the scenic Taiping Lake Gardens. The children playground at the foot of the District Officer’s hill was the Starting and Finish points. After the cross country runs, some of us would adjourned to our friend, Malik, house near the Pejabat Penghulu Taiping.

Geography Society visit to Butterworth Port. Me, wearing cap,

The Lower Certificate of Education examinations came and most of us sat for the exams at the School Hall. When all exams were over, some of the boys celebrated our “freedom” at the Asamkumbang ice kacang stall.



Dad's 60th birthday in 1976. One month before he passed away. Me, standing behind Dad.

 November 1976 was a sad time for me. That was the year my father passed away due to a heart attack. Just a month after his 60^th birthday and at my age of 15, I had lost my father. It was my good LCE results that helped to cheer me up a bit. I also had my mother’s encouragement and support from several good friends.