Tuesday, October 30, 2007

New Project for the current situation of YMA

I think it should be nice to have a monthly audio update between Peter Khiew, the school and also with other Michaelians to see what they might be up to.

Any Michaelians interested in taking part and letting people know where you are or what you may have been and also that the younger generations of Michaelians are having a gathering, leave a comment and I'll try to be there.

I'm willing to do all the recording and also editing. And there will be links up for the audio download.

Monday, September 10, 2007

To revive an old tradition

As of now, not much of us are posting stuffs about our school, and my only resource for our Alma Mater's news is from Mr. Peter Khiew. But here's something that I'd like to touch about.

Not all of us have heard of the Silver Spoon tradition. Not even me until Mr. Khiew mentioned it when we last spoke. Apparently, it's a gift from the school, that is if one is a student of St. Michael's since kindergarten up to Form 6. As of graduation, one will be given a silver spoon as a gift from to school, an insignia of one's life in St. Michael's Institution.

All of us younger generation of Michaelians didn't get to know that tradition. But that would be nice to bring back. Not just in memory of the school and keeping the school alive, it's also a way to get all the sons of St. Michael's to stay loyal and not stray away from the school too much. As most of us know, some of us have spent 11 to 13 years of our live in St. Michael's.

With the prospect of the government requesting that current schools should have a kindergarten school, the silverspoon is not a bad idea. A 15 years of memory, all represented by a silver spoon.

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Hail to our Alma Mater!

Hail to de our ALMA MATER, HAIL HAIL HAIL!! That's the ending to one of our favourite songs, simply titled Hail Hail Hail... that's simplicity at its best...

However, this belies the complexity and grandeur that represents SMI... They say first impressions count a lot... SMI has a building of majestic design and will give a lasting impression on anyone who lays their eyes on it... I am here to mention that this is only what you see from the outside, wait until you see what is within...

For all the Michaelians out there, I'm sure you would have felt the strong culture existing in SMI, where everyone knows each other... and pleasant greetings of Good morning and How are you are commonly heard... The students were not only trained academically, we were also groomed with good manners... That is what I call wholesome education...

Alright, enough of the appraisals. I'm sure you get my sentiments for my school by now...

I'm glad that we have a new roof and a new coat of paint on the building... It's exciting times for SMI... Lots of change physically and also in organisational aspects. Let's all hope it's for the best...

Signing off,
Jit-Vern

Friday, August 31, 2007

An Update

Alright, I think there are a lot of stuffs that is not going to come up. But I'll still tell about it no matter how.

Alright, the person that I talked to yesterday was Mr. Gilbert Chai. Graduated from St. Michael's Institution in 1959. He came back recently to Ipoh and came to the school as an old boy. The reason, just to take a look at the school. As all of us said, once a Michaelian, always a Michaelian. I guess that was right from the early days of St. Michael's.

So, what was the recording about? Sorry to say, the recording that I made using my digital camera was really noisy, and messed up. I can't figure out a way to clean it up even after noise removal and hiss removal, everything seems to be bad.

Here's it. I was at Mr. Peter Khiew's office. My exams was over, and I went back to school just to see what is new and what old relics has been found after the restoration of the roof. I did find something that is really interesting. It was posted in Peter's blog. So go check it out. I think not all of us have seen it.

As I've stayed there for about 15 minutes, a middled age man turned up. I don't think that's the right description then. But that's what I thought of. I was guessing he is over 50 years old. But after calculation, he's 65! Just a wild guess Mr. Gilbert, please forgive me if I'm wrong. As then, the conversation sparked up, I tried to record it, but it seems like it failed me.

Mr. Peter Khiew started of to ask Mr. Gilbert to be at school in the morning of 30th August. To give a talk about Merdeka and to be an inspiration to the students (to be even more connected to the school). Gilbert who has lived in Singapore for the last 40 years insisted that he cannot confirm if he can attend the event. We went on talking about girls from Convent (Form 6 intake) as he still recalls the best beauty in SMI are always from our sister school, Main Convent. Apart from that, did talk about the divide that still exist in our country. He was concerned to keep his speech into a message to minimise the divide. But he went on to say "It's 50 years of Merdeka, enjoy it as not all countries in the world are enjoying 50 years of independence" That was all that we did talk about.

After all that talk, Mr. Peter Khiew took me and Mr. Gilbert Chai for a walk around the school. As I've known the school, there are parts that I've never been to before. For example, the right wing (from the front) of the school on the top floor of the main building. There lies the Brother's Quarters and the Chapel. The school is currently refurbishing the chapel and also the Brother's Quarters to become classes for the new Form 6 boys and girls. I bet they will be very happy about it.

There are good news to all of us as Michaelians, the school are going to bring back the Friday Mass in the chapel (Top floor). There will be hymns and prayers and so on. I think the Catholic and Christian society in the school will play a big role. I bet Brother Vincent will be there every Friday as well. Apart from the Muslim prayers by the mosque next to the school, and the Ipoh town mosque, I think that should add something new to the school's presence, and tradition.

After all that walking, I took Mr. Gilbert to the library. I was a librarian back in my days. Never thought of see the library again in my life. Much has changed. New shelves, a new study area, a fully functional network, but not fully functional computers (I need to start looking for a way to earn good money and donate some good computers). At least, there is a place where multimedia can be viewed (I hope noting inappropriate).

After the stroll. It's time for me to head home and so does Mr. Gilbert.

We part from here. And I do hope to see him again.

OMA annual dinner is this September. Check out the OMA blog for more information.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Back To School, for a walk.

I've got a great privilage to speak to an actual alumni, an old Michaelian that graduated from SMI in the year 1959.

I'm still figuring out the audio recording that I've recorded. Once I'm done with it, I'll make sure that I post it up here, for everyone to listen.

Some update about the school's roof, It's done!

DSCN0018


And some places where the only place that I've been to for the first time. The Brother's Quarters, and the Chapel on second floor of the main building.

More updates to come. Watch this space.

Edit: I'm going through the audio recording that I've recorded. I think it won't be coming up. I'll try to make a transcript of it.

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Founded, 4th July 2007

Original idea by: Woo Yew Lok

People present: Koi Lik Wai, Balveer Singh, Chalers Then, Woo Yew Lok, Lee Xing Min, Sim Jit-Vern, Lim Chun Hao