TRIBUTE ABDUL - Perdana Library

TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN
More notice was taken of the boys who could kick the ball the
farthest or who could use their fists the quickest and the hardest.
As I said earlier the boys in the schools were older than they
are today. I myself joined the Penang Free School in what was
then the second standard at the age of thirteen. Today the boys
of that age would be knocking at the door of Form Four or even
Form Five.
The boys in the upper classes in a few cases used to be as old as
the teacher himself. Nevertheless the word of the teacher was
to them a command.
There were Prefects who used to sneak in on the boys when
they smoked cigarettes in the latrines, and Prefects are Prefects
and the boys used to respect them in spite of the fact that they were
deprived of the joys of the cigarette.
The teachers were respected but a few of them were nevertheless
given nicknames such as Mr. Owl (he happened to be my first
teacher) because he had big eyes, and Mr. Blachan was known as
such because he was jet-black, but they were not given uncomplimentary
epithets out of disrespect but only because of their peculiar
looks or ways.
There was our Headmaster, Mr Pinhorn who was referred
to as Kaki Kayu because he had one wooden leg. As far as he was
concerned you could call him that to his face because he would not
know the difference between "Baju" and "Batu." as he had no
knowledge of Malay at all, and where he and I had affinity of
interest was that both of us could not multiply 2 by 2.
Nevertheless he was a great master, he was revered and respected
by the boys and by those who knew him.
He contributed much in the great reputation which the school
now enjoys.
We had Mr. Cheeseman who was the brain behind all the
school organisation, in work, in sports and the scouts and the cadet
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