Chapter 19: Footwear

In the 1950s and 1960s, almost every child walked to school. A few of the older boys owned bicycles and would cycle, but seeing a student dropped off by car was as rare as witnessing a solar eclipse. In fact, at my school - which served families living around Signal Hill - I can't recall a single child ever brought to school in a car.

 

Most of the children in our area came from humble backgrounds. Their families made a living as vegetable farmers, pig farmers, bean curd (taufu) makers, small-time traders, or tradesmen such as painters, tailors and carpenters. 

We all wore white canvass shoes to school. But with all the walking we did -  often along unpaved dirt paths - those shoes never stayed white for long. The wear and tear were noticeable, and during the rainy seasons, keeping them clean was nearly impossible. Muddy puddles dotted the tracks, and by the time we arrived at school, our once-white shoes were often stained a dull brown or grey.

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At home, we were occasionally given Japanese slippers to wear. However, when a pair broke, a replacement wasn't always provided right away. In the meantime, we had to go barefoot around the house. On one such occasion, I accidentally stepped on some wood splinters. I didn't tell my parents and tried to remove them myself. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get them all out. 

Over time, a lump began to form at the bottom of my left foot. It gradually grew larger and eventually became so painful that I could barely walk. By the time I was in Primary 4, my father finally took me to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for a minor operation to remove it. 

After the procedure, my father took me to school on his Raleigh bicycle. For a few days, I had to rely on a crutch to get around at school and walk home.

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In the village, many children often went barefoot and spent hours playing in dirt fields. As a result, some became infected with tapeworms. The common treatment back then was a type of Chinese herbal tonic believed to "drive out" the worms. In most cases, the parasites were expelled through the stools - but there were rare and horrifying instances where the worms emerged through the mouth. It was a truly revolting sight.

Among the adults, traditional Chinese wooden clogs were a popular choice of footwear. They were especially practical for use on kitchen floors, which were often nothing more than packed earth.

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Owning a pair of genuine leather shoes was out of question - we simply couldn't afford it. A decent pair made of imitation leather was the most I could hope for, and even that was usually given once a year, either for Chinese New Year or as a reward for securing first place in the annual class exams.