Ipoh World

This photograph was originally posted on Mr Paul Chong's blog and posted here by kind permission of the donors. There were many memories posted on to our blog with plenty of names as shown below but the whole story is beautifully summed up by Ken Chan in his last sentence when he posted:

Ken Chan

Apart from being a Math wizard, Mr. Ariaratnam was also our beloved Scout Master. With his serious demeanor and tall body frame, he cuts an imposing figure that towered above us when we were in Form III. Another of his favorite remark was ‘little things tickle little minds’, a comment that was made to castigate us when we became too engrossed in mindless chatter and did not pay attention in class.

As for Mr. Yeoh Seng Chuan, he was an easy-going and approachable person. Art was never my forte but under his expert tutelage, I did my chalk up measurable progress in this subject. At the height of the Malaysian/Indonesian confrontation, there was a poster competition to drum up patriotic feelings among students. My entry made it all the way to the final round, though it did not win any of the top prizes. Compared to the other Art teacher, the mercurial Mr. Lee Cheng Poh, the difference between the two is like night and day.

Seated next to Yeoh Seng Chuan was Mr. Sathanathan, who taught Geography and was also a keen hockey enthusiast. If my memory serves me correctly, he passed on many years ago, a life that was cut short by a sudden heart attack. Every teacher has his or her own unique mannerisms and idiosyncrasies. If we can still recall each one of them so vividly after almost half a century, it just shows the impact they have on our young mind during those impressionable years.

Many other comments gave us the following names and memories.

Can you add to these?

I think one of the teachers, sitting between the 2 Singhs is Dato Seri Selvamany. His wife was my former teacher from Main Convent Ipoh, and, 

You are right. It's Dato Seri N.S. Selvamany

I had Malay tuition from Telk Rek Sharma seated 5th from left, without his help I would have flunk Malay and failed Form 5 (my gratitude to him). 9th from the left was my Scout Master (we scouts attended his fathers cremation I remembered and he had to do his duty as the son by smashing the bones of his fathers head with a mallet to release the soul, a very unforgettable experience). Second row, 1st on the right was Rugby Master, I remember him scoring a try in one game, he was very good and unstoppable). 3rd from right second row was Mr Chin, the Badminton Master, I had many a day being beaten up in training by him and thanks to him, I was in the Badminton team in Anderson school, later in Australia I played badminton in several minor tournaments and won some medals. Australia had no badminton base and it was easy to beat them ( in the early 70′s in Brisbane). Next to Selvamany, white turban gentleman is Mr Sham Singh Msc, I remember passing his house on day and saw his name on the letterbox ” Mr Sham Singh, Msc” I was very impressed and wanted a degree too !

The rugby master you mentioned is Mr Leong Siew Loong & if I am not mistaken, his brother an ex-ASIan, was a retired Brigadier General, Leong Siew Meng.

Only one I know is Ms Rowena Jones (Standing 10th Middle Row from L – R )

I first came to Ipoh for Form 6 in 1968/69 at Anderson. Recognize a few of my teachers in the photo; seated 2nd from right – Mrs Kok (Chemistry), Centre Mr Tagar Singh – the Principal, on his right Mr Menon (Physics). I think the Americans in the photo were from the Peace Corp. 

MR TAN ENG HOCK,MR LIAN TEIK SENG …. first person seated from left. he was a friend of my aunty and I did see him in town when I was back for UNI holidays,MR QUAN ……………………….. standing 4th middle row from right,Mr Voon … standing 3rd middle row from right,Mr LEE CHENG POH seated 6th from right or same side as Eng Hock, Middle row 1st person the Sports master cannot remember his name. Back row 3rd the Science teacher, Next to Cheng Poh is an Indian lady teacher, name forgotten.

Mr Chan Shing Yee …. back row 6th person from left actually saw him early in the morning in Sydney near my home on a SUnday morning walk …. and spoke with him about 15 years or so ago when he was in Sydney visiting .. he rest seated from left Sharma,Wayam Singh, Health science old Chinese teacher, Tagar Singh and Selvamany..

Is that Miss Foong standing in middle row first person from left

Joseph Felix Nathan (back row standing 3rd from left )-the great English teacher & portege. He walks the whole of Ipoh town daily and I stop and wish him and he has completely forgetten me and even our great hockey star!. Paul Raj ( Middle row 5th from left ) I heard has gone home ( any confirmation ? ). Mr.Muneswaran( Standing back row 4th from left ) the quiet maths teacher-I met hin at the jelapang hospital waiting for his wife-he’s the same quiet,calm,peaceful man. Leong siew loong ( Middle row standing extreme right ) the P.E. teacher(rugy star)and we all used to call him Tarzan- and still good muscles like before.Remember the great maths teacher Ariaratnam (Front row sitting 9th from left )-always mumbles,and is STILL mumbling when he does his evening exercise(walkin) around wisma belia jogging track!

Mr. Quan full name is Quan Choon Lean. Mr. Voon’s name is Voon Jian Thong. Middle row 1st person from the right, who was the P.E. teacher is Leong Siew Loong. Back row 3rd from the right, is science teacher Mr. Saw Soon Leng. Indian lady teacher seated next to Lee Cheng Poh is Mrs. Subramaniam.

Among the expatriates, the white lady wearing a sari is Miss Roweena Jones from UK. The old Chinese teacher who taught Health Science is Mr. Chin Mook Loy. As for the guru guru, front row 3rd from the right is Che’gu Nadzar; also front row, 2nd from the left is Che’gu Ibrahim.

Anybody remember Mr Hira Singh ( Standing 9th from left back row ) who taught science as well as a discipline master. He became a judge after passing his law degree. Standing on his left is Mr Michael Ong Tee Hock, the Geography master. Met him many years ago in the 80′s in Oversea Union Garden K.L. He became a PostMaster General. Read somewhere he sits in the School Board.

When Hira Singh started his teaching career in Anderson School, he taught Math. Later, I think he was also the Sports Secretary and at one time, the Hostel Master too, occupying the bungalow, not far from the Principal’s quarters. His nephew Hardeep Singh was also a student of the school. I believe Hira Singh was not very old when he passed away and the sad news was quite a shock to us.

Michael Ong, a soft-spoken gentleman, was a hardworking and conscientious teacher. At that time, he was well-liked by the students and faculty and the 6th Form gals were especially fond of him. It is good to hear that he is doing so well in later life.

 Mr Leong Kam Seng – Science Teacher ( Standing 2nd from Left Middle row )in a Food-Court at KL Mid Valley some years back with his children.

Mr Leong Kam Seng ran a School bus and stayed in one of the shoplot in Anderson Road near the coffee shop Mun Thin.I was one of his customer on the school bus.

Mr Chong Pong Koo – Science & Badminton Master ( Standing extreme right at back row ) is currntly very active in a Church in Shatin park.

The other Science teacher Mr. Chong Pong Koo was a mild-mannered person and some rowdy students really pushed his patience and tolerance to the brink. Like him, many retirees opt to devote their golden years to religious activities as a way to remain active socially. 

Mr Yap Chee Leong – Science teacher (back row 2nd from Right next to Mr Chong Pong Koo ) in a ferry ride from Butterworth to Penang.

There was one Che’gu Abdullah, a footballer, who was missing from this picture. He must have left the school before this picture was taken. I wonder how many absentia are from this picture.

You mentioned Che’gu Ibrahim ( seated second from Left) . He stayed in New Pasir Puteh in an unusual ” A” shape house & he rode an unusual bike that have a gear by the side like what Mr Lean Teik Seng ( Seated on his left ) had.

In reading, Mah Kin Fatt, yes, Anderson School played cupid to Rodney Saw Soon Leng & Ms Ng Wai Cheng – Maths teacher (Standing middle row 8th from left ).

Mr Lee Cheng Poh was a very stern man and he can literally terrorize the class on any given moment. As much as I have tried, I have no recollection of Mr. Yap but when it comes to Che’gu Abdullah, it was another story. He was my Bahasa teacher for two consecutive years and in a way, was my nemesis. I was not proficient in that subject and would occasionally end up in his bad books. As expected, I flunked Bahasa though I did well in English. Mr. Lean Teik Seng taught Science in Form II and as far as I can remember, it was a rather uneventful year. Though we were quite young at that time, most of us noticed the sparks whenever Mr. Saw and Miss Ng were together. When she first joined Anderson School, Miss Ng was a Biology teacher. I was not aware that she changed course and taught Math in the later years. Strange as it may be, this photo seems incomplete without the face of Ung Khek Cheow, the revered Senior Assistant and Disciplinary Master who retired from teaching by 1967. With cane in hand, his presence was felt in every corner of the school for many years Suffice to say, many of us survived Math only because of his incessant drilling and for that, we owe him a debt of gratitude.

Mr Eddy Chin Yoong San ( Standing 2nd from Left middle row next to Mr Leong Siew Loong ). He was a great athlete and he held the record in Long Jump when he was studying in ACS, Ipoh.

Sorry Ipohworld Readers, Correction ” Mr Eddy Chin ( Standing 2nd from Right Middle Row next to Mr Leong Siew Loong ) and Mr Ung Khek Cheow 23rd Anniversary Memoriam and not as stated. Sorry for the typographical error. 

Mr Quan Choon Lian – Maths teacher ( Standing 4th from Right Middle Row on Mr Voon’s right )was his embarrassment when I was his student. Incidentally, we were neighbours in Section 17, PJ in the early 70′s.

Mr. Sham Singh (front row, 11th from the right), Mr. Tan Eng Hock (front row, 1st from the right) and Mrs. Choo (front row, 3rd from the left), all had children in Anderson at one time or another. Even the Principal, Mr. Tagar Singh’s daughter did her 6th Form in our Alma Mater.

Mr Sham Singh and Mr Almeida (3rd row, 5th from the left) .

Mrs. Virginia Ng ( seated front row 7th from left ). taught us a bit of Chinese with illustration of square box of 4 similar Chinese character.

Mr. Chin Mook Loy ( seated 11th from left front row ) taught us Civics & he shared with us, he placed Lam Thye Loy ( the anchor boy. You can see picture of Lam Thye Loy seated 3rd from left front row.

Staff Picture 1967 Viewing From Left To Right 

1) Laird Graesser ( Back Row 8th from Left ) American Peace Corps Volunteer

2) Rowena Jones ( Middle Row from Left 10th ) British Volunteer Service Overseas.

3) John Weedon ( Middle Row 1st from Left ) Australia Volunteer Service Overseas.

4) Sally Wilmott ( Middle Row 12 th from Left ) American Peace Corps Volunteer.

5) Roger Yerke ( Not in Picture ) American Peace Corps Volunteer.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Subsequent to producing the above we were lent a copy of the Andersonian 1967/68 which showed the photograph and named the staff members. We have reproduced the names above right at the largest resolution available to us. We trust readers will find this useful.

In addition to this, we received an email from SK. He offered the following corrections (as per an email from Lim Kok Sin), as to the names of those in the photograph.

From left to right:

Back-Row: Tan Seng Seong, SR Menon, JF Nathan, K Muneesvaran, SA Almeida, Chan Sheik Chuan, Seow Pin Kwong, Laird Graesser, Hira Singh, Ong Tee Hock, Harun Bakar, Chong Wah Chin, Rodney Saw Soon Leng, Yap  Chee Leong, Chong Pong Koo.

Centre-Row: John Weedon, Leong Kam Seng, Phung Tuck Yoon, Soon Sam Seong, DMJ Paul Raj, Foong Siew Fun,  Siti Fatimah Ariffin, Ng Wai Cheng, Clara Das, Rowena Jones, Mrs Underwood, Sally Willmott, Quan Choon Lian, Voon Jian Thong, Eddy Chin Yoong San, Leong Siew Loong.

Front-Row: Lian Tet Seng, AR Hakim, Mrs ST Choo, Monica Leong Wai Lin, Telk Raj Sharma, Chong Ah Teng, Mrs Virginia Ng, Waryam Singh Maldi, K Ariaratnam, Janet Lim Leong Huan, Chin Mook Loy, MB Menon, Tagar Singh, NS Selvamany, Sham Singh, Mrs CA Soon, S Sathanandan, Yeoh Seng Chuan, Mrs N Subramaniam, Lee Cheng Poh, RD Rajasingam, Putri Asma Megat Ramli, Mohd Nadzar Shariff, Mrs LH Kok, Tan Eng Hock.

To read more about Anderson School, Ipoh, click here.