Chapter 29: Motivation to do Voluntary Service

The other day, in the online chat with my grandchildren in Perth, my grandson Nathan told me that his school teacher has started a new scheme to encourage the students to volunteer to carry out extra duties. For any task executed such as cleaning the white board, collect exercise books etc, the student concerned will be rewarded with a specific sum of mock money. Different chore has different price tag. In the end, the money earned can be used to purchase certain class facility or to off-set certain "debts". It is an initiative to motivate students to do voluntary service and simultaneously to learn about simple trading and to engage in simple economic activity.

This scheme instantly reminded me of what some of the voluntary service we did in my high school at Lok Yuk School, Signal Hill, KK way back in the 1960's. 

It is probably not entirely correct to classify these as voluntary service. As a student in those period, it was almost incumbent upon a student to do what was directed by the teachers. One could not make demand for incentive to execute the task. From the teacher's perspective, it was an exertion of a combination of "pressure" - persuasion, encouragement, favorable testimonial and even a bit of threat occasionally.

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Two days before the school term resumed after a holiday break, the school would undergo a cleanup in preparation for the new school term. Students would be required to bring their own buckets, brushes and clothes to wash and clean the wooden desks and chairs and to do a general cleanup of the school compound.

Cleanup exercise in action!

When the school compound was overgrown with tall grass and weeds, the male students would be called upon to do the cutting and clearing. Occasionally, this could be meted out as a form of punishment for students found to have infringed certain school rules and regulation!

When the school planned to repaint some of the old buildings or to fill up some uneven ground in the compound, some of the physically fit male students would be asked to come back at weekends to do this rather physically demanding chore. This was normally led by the male teachers in the school.

With teacher, Edward Greenawald
to do repainting work.

With teacher, Robert Gores.

After the school relocated from the old school at Signal Hill to the new school premise at Likas, the new school compound was barren and without any tree or turf. The school was dusty especially during the dry weather. The Principal came up with a rather brilliant idea to turf the compound. Turf were secured from the nearby villages and transported by lorries to the school. The barren school compound was divided into ten strips and each placed under the responsibility of a class. It was a sort of competition among the classes to create the best turf for the school. Both male and female students pulled up their socks and completed this rather labor-intensive exercise in a sprit of public duty and festivity!

It was customary for the school to organize an annual school bazaar or extravaganza to raise fund to meet the expenses of running the school. Every student was expected to help in selling the bazaar coupons and to contribute old or new items for the sale. Some who were selected to man the counters were to report before 7am in early morning at the KK Community Centre where the bazaar was normally held. They helped to set up the booths, arranged items for sale and to clean up once the bazaar was over in the late afternoon.

A reported published in the maiden school magazine, "The Hornbill" in 1968 about the annual school bazaar. The article was written by a teacher Ruth Moody (Read here).

I could not remember being asked to do the labor intensive chores in the old school at Signal Hill, thing likes filling up the school compound. I could only conclude it was probably because of me being the youngest in the class and of a small build. Some of the my classmates were four years my senior.

At an outing to Kiansom waterfall in 1965 when I was in Form 1. I am at left partially hidden in second row. I looked so much younger and shorter compared to my other classmates who were much taller and older!

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Since the 1960's, the new generations that emerged might view voluntary service very differently. These days, it is hard to imagine that students would be asked to do physically demanding and labor intensive chores in school! Still it won't be wrong to say that parents and educators alike hope to see students are nurtured to view voluntary service as a positive trait to have.

Today, teachers will find it hard to teach students about certain value system simply by saying "Do what I tell you!". It is no wonder that many political leadership in many countries including Malaysia today find it hard to get people to listen to them when they are perceived as self serving and corrupt! One needs to lead by example!

Note: Many of the old photos shared in this post have been uploaded in a private Facebook group called "Lok Yuk School, Kota Kinabalu Old Photos". Anyone who has a Facebook account and is interested to see more old photos of the School can apply to be invited to join the private group. 

Online Reunion with a Former Teacher

My former Math teacher, Edward Greenawald in South Carolina, USA finally has his PC installed with a camera. We were able to chat live online on 24 February together with two other former classmates who are residing in Vancouver, Canada. 

After leaving Sabah for USA in 1967, this is the first time we see each other live (Read here). Ed, now at age 79 is still chatty and sharp. Age doesn't seem to have a major impact on him!

1964 aged 22 Vs 2021

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As always, a chat with old friends invariably led to a recollection of those long gone eras. Since the 1960's, Kota Kinabalu has developed to become a vibrant city. Many of the old buildings have been demolished to make way for new and more sophisticated shophouses, commercial buildings, hotels and shopping complexes. The notable old buildings at the city centre and its vicinity which are still in service are few. They are the old post office (This building has since been renovated to become the office of the Sabah Tourism Board), two rows of double storey shophouses at the Australian Place, KK Community Centre, Clock Tower and the the old wooden buildings at the old school premise of Lok Yuk School KK. 

The only remaining three old buildings at the old school premise which are still in use today - The Old Chapel and the two old school blocks which have been converted to become the Married Couples Quarters for Sabah theological Seminary (STS).

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In the old school premise during the 1960's, the open space in between the two surviving old school buildings was a vibrant place where school assemblies and open air performances were held. 

1965

Make shift elevated platform set up for open air performance.

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Other than the open air school assembly, combined school assemblies were also held together with the the students and teaching staff of the Chinese Primary School and the English Primary School. The assembly was instead held at the Old Chapel (Read here).

In view of the limited space of the old school premise at Signal Hill, a new piece of land of size 12.2 acres was granted by the Sabah State Government in 1964 in Likas along Jalan Teluk Likas.  The first block of the new school buildings was completed in 1966. In August 1966, the school moved from the old school premise to the new school at Likas.

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I know of former students who occasionally dropped by the old school premise to walk along the long flight of stair to recollect and relive those long gone eras. After all, this is one place that has shaped part of their lives and characters. 

In the midst of silence especially during the holiday break of STS, one could almost "hear" a mixture of sound and voices - roar of laughter, giggling, hesitation, disappointment but also words of assurances........

1964

The wooden block once used for Bridge Class and the library in the 1960's had long ago been demolished after its deterioration to a stage which was beyond repair.

Current.

2021 CNY Reunions

Unlike previous years, physical Chinese New Year (CNY) reunion dinners with the participation of siblings, in-laws, children, grandchildren, cousins and nephews could not be held this year. Fortunately, technology has somewhat partially resolved this limitation. 

We had online dinners twice, once with our daughter's family in Perth and the second one with families in Singapore and Perth.

With just two in the house, we chose to have take-away food rather than putting too much energy on cooking. 

Prosperity poon choy and fried grouper fillet with salted egg yolk and curry leaves from Sutera Harbour Hotel for CNY Eve.

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We had a second round of take-away food for dinner on the third day of CNY. This is a platter of seared prime rib with mushroom ragout, fries and mustard balsamic salad from Happy Place Restaurant. 

Online reunion dinner participated by family members

from KK Malaysia, Perth Australia and Singapore.

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For the past few years, I had organised reunions with my former classmates of Class 67/69 in one of the local restaurants where we could share a meal together and chat. Last year, we had a high tea in February just before the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the country (Read here). This year, in the absence of a physical get-together, I set up a Zoom reunion session wherein former classmates from Brisbane, Australia and Vancouver of Canada could also participate. Unfortunately, for some of the former classmates, they chose to opt out presumably due to lack of confidence to handle this technology. But some were very eager to embrace this new form of connection albelt with some help from their children. In the end, for those who did log in, they sure did enjoy for two solid hours especially for those residing overseas whom we have not met for over ten years!

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The Zoom reunion arranged by a former university-mate of Malaya University Engineering Class 78 on the third day of CNY did not attract as many former classmates as expected. Nevertheless, it was good to get to know some in the Mechanical and Electrical disciplines in the one-hour chat.

With so much activities, I cannot complain that it was a boring CNY. CNY of 2021 nevertheless would be remembered for the many online reunions. It is hoped that come CNY 2022, Covid-19 pandemic will be a thing of the past.............