To Strive, To Seek, To Find and not to yield!

Back to School!

When the second World War ended and the Japanese surrendered, Malaysia was taken back by The British and the English schools were reopened. So everybody was busy sending their children back to school. By that time I was already about 12 years old, I had no choice but to register myself at Anderson School Ipoh which was already  established in 1909. The school was used by the Japanese as their Army Headquarters, so there were hardly any chairs and desks left. So some classrooms had to use old dining tables. Very few of us know how to speak English. When my turn came the teacher asked me to count one to ten in English. Of course I could do it but of course with funny pronunciations ( Wan!, Tu!, Tri!, Por!, Pye! and so on.). However I was admitted to Special Malay Class 2. Every subject was taught in English. I had to struggle to learn English Language and got to work hard for it. In 1951 I had to face the Cambridge School Certificate Examinations (an early version of SPM). I had to struggle hard and thank Allah I managed to get 2^nd Grade with credit in English Language. I failed my History but got “Distinction” in my Mathematics! - BUT lets save that for  another story.

I recently looked up the  school anthem and smiled as I read the last portion of the song:

"The sea strives with the land.

The river with the field,

We strive and seek and find,

And finding will not yield"

Hence the school motto: 

To Strive, To Seek, To Find and not to yield!