Captain's Message

It has been seven years now since I first stepped into this school, the Malacca High School. A lot has happened since then and, looking back, I am happy to say that my stay in school has been a thoroughly enjoyable one. I feel great satisfaction in that I have had the privilege of being part of a great institution. And I am doubly proud that I have been selected as the school captain for the very sesquicentennial year of the Malacca High School.

True to the school motto, "Meliora Hic Sequamur", High School students have always attempted to be the best in anything they do. In the span of my stay in school, I have had the great pleasure of seeing the school succeed and excel in both sports and academic fields. I sincerely hope that this trend will continue far into the future.

The efforts of the students would have come to naught if not for the teachers of the Malacca High School. The teachers here have become more than mere providers of knowledge. They have involved themselves in all sorts of activities to ensure that the students receive a full and varied education. They have also shown interest in the welfare of students. As such, I shall always remember the High School staff with fondness. It would be extremely difficult for us to find a group of people as nice as they have been.

This year the school celebrates its 150th. Anniversary marking the end of an era which has produced many notable personalities, the most well-known of course being Tun Tan Cheng Lock and his son Tun Tan Siew Sin, the former Minister of Finance. Since its foundation in 1826, the school has had a fine record of success while setting a standard of excellence and discipline equalled by few. Can a student of the school today, realising this, not feel the inspiration of a proud tradition seep into him ? Can he not feel that he has a role to maintain the name and honour of the school ?

Unfortunately in recent years, I have noticed a drop in school spirit. I have felt a great disappointment when I saw a great lack of supporters during inter-school matches. The school sports also lost much of its lustre because many students considered it a waste of time to involve oneself in house activities. I think this is because they have lost the sense of pride of belonging to an institution - be it their class, their house and particularly their school. I can only hope that these pupils will drop this cynical and skeptical attitude and begin to do things other than those that only serve their own purposes. However I have noticed that the school can produce the right spirit when recently a crowd of schoolboys and girls cheered on our Rudby team to victory against Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar. We should keep this up.

To think of only oneself without regard for others; to consider contributing to a community, an institution, the school a waste of time and effort indicates an unhealthy frame of mind. At this milestone of our school's history, let us rethink our opinions and let us stand up and proclaim that we are the Optimists this magazine epitomizes. We must show that we can bring glory to the school and still build something fine of our lives. Many students before could do this and many more can do so. Stand up and be counted ! Live up to our motto !

The students of High School have however been disciplined and generally friendly lot. One of my greatest joys of being in this school is that I had the opportunity to meet many nice people and sad will be the day I leave this glorious Alma Mater. I have spent countless happy moments within the walls of this aged but ageless institution. To those who are now in school, I hope you will realise that you are a part of greatness and that you will do all you can to maintain this greatness.

Someday, later in my life, someone, somewhere, will ask me where I hail from and I shall answer with gusto and pride - The Malacca High School.

School Captain.

Converting Hard Copy to Soft Copy: Page 12 Optimist 1976