1940: Notes on The History of The Malay College

Abu Zarim bin Omar
Raja Mohamed Nordin b. Raja Shahbudin
Editors
Malay College Magazine 1940
(For the following notes on the history of the College, we are indebted to Mr.C.Bazell, Headmaster, 1923-1938. We are very grateful to him for his permission to use them)

On 2nd January, 1905, the Malay Residential School came quietly into existence.

This original Malay Residential School which became later the Malay College of today, was the result of the foresight and energy of Mr. R.J.Wilkinson, then Inspector of Schools.F.M.S.

In a letter to the Resident-General dated 24th February, 1904, he suggested “establishing at a suitable locality in the F.M.S., a special residential school for the education of Malays of good family and for the training of Malay boys for admission to certain branches of Government service.”

A letter dated 15th March explained his ideas more fully and shows that a Mr.Wilkinson was far ahead of his time in visualizing the possibilities of the Malays. “In explanation of the wording of my letter, I may say that the limitations suggested in the preamble refer to the present function of the Kuala Kangsar School ehich is designed to supply Malay Civil servants, interpreters and clerks, but not ( as yet) surveyors, draughtsmen, foresters, engineers, etc. In the same way the reference to ‘Malays of good family’ refers to the secondary function of the school which may be utilized for educating boys not destined for Government employment.”

This proposal was discussed at a Residents’ Conference and the Residents “expressed their entire concurrence in the proposal contained in the Inspector’s letter.”

In a letter to the Acting High Commisioner Sir W.H. Treacher referred to a new era in the history of the progress of the Malays in the F.M.S. and wrote “the key stone is the Malay Boarding School”

So far, so good. Those who knew the Malays had expressed their confidence in the future: others were less hopeful. “On 12th July, 1904, Sir John Anderson, K.C.M.G., granted an interview at Carcosa to Sir W.H. Treacher, Resident-General, and Mr. Wilkinson, and stated that he had serious misgivings as to the possibility of success of the proposed Kuala Kangsar School, but expressed willingness to give the scheme a trial on a small scale for three years.”

Negotiations were opened with Mr. W. Hargreaves, the popular Headmaster of the Free School Penang, and Mr. Hargreaves, seeing the possibilities offered by a school of this nature, and confident in his ability and energy, determined to see the new school through the probationary periods and make it more than a temporary success.

A house was rented for Mr. Hargreaves where the Idris Road joins the Ipoh Road, and the boys arrived. But the two sponsors of the school were absent, Sir William Treacher going on leave in December, 1904, and Mr.Wilkinson being ill, and the misgivings from above crept down on earth and a dreadful miasma of inaction overshadowed the new venture, and during the next six months little or nothing appears to have been done.

In the Straits Echo of 15th April 1905, a visitor to Kuala Kangsar thus described what he saw: Thanks to the courtesy of Dato Panglima Kinta a large airy house, specially grounded and pleasantly situated was engaged, though the second master, Mr. Vanrenen, was compelled to rent a house for himself at his own expense.” Mr. Hargreaves had succeeded in housing a few of the boys in cosy dormitories in his own house, but some are stabled in small houses formerly occupied by the Indian kranis of the Railway. These houses are most unsuitable in every way. More than a mile away from the Master’s house, and as the morals of Malay youth require as much supervision as his grammar, it is easy to realize how undesirable this arrangement is. And here I have to record a still stranger fact.

The second half of the school, that was conducted by Mr. Vanrenen is held in a fowl house.”

There were then 40 boys in the school and Mr. Hargreaves struggled on. The result of his work in spite of his difficulties were soon seen. The numbers increased.

On 2nd August, 1905, H.E the High Commissioner, accompanied by the Resident-General and the Resident Mr E.W. Birch, C.M.G., inspected the school.

There are 84 boys in attendance including the sons of His Highness, the brother of the Yam Tuan of Negeri Sembilan, and the sons of the chiefs of Perak, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. The School is an experimental one for three years but His Excellency was so pleased with all he saw that he ‘sanctioned’ immediate extension of the buildings to accommodate an increased number of boys. A site was to be selected for a permanent building.”

The sanction for the building of a permanent school became official on 23rd December, 1905; but official approval for the building of two houses for the Headmaster and assistant master respectively was not given until 5th July, 1906.

The following extract from the Resident-General’s report on the F.M.s in 1905 (Sir William Treacher, K.C.M.G.) shows the progress made:-

"The Malay Residential School at Kuala Kangsar was opened in January, 1905, under the Headmastership of Mr.W.Hargreaves, and continued its operations throughout the year with a result that is believed to be eminently satisfactory. The number of students is 70 of whom 54 are boarders, 26 being of the Raja class, On the boarders 25 came from Perak, 19 from Selangor, with 10 from Negeri Sembilan. Only limitations of staff and accommodation have stood in the way of a much larger number being dealt with.”

Mr. Collings, in his report says of it:

“The curriculum covers all the work of the Code and extends to preparation for the King’s Scholarship. The School is not fettered, however, by the Code’s cut-and-dried requirements. The students are divided into three classes, according to their proficiency in English, the course in the advanced division during the past year including the reading of standard authors, essay writing, ‘general knowledge’ subjects, and other work of a practical kind. In the lower divisions it was of a more elementary character, extending to the first steps in English composition. Sound progress was made throughout. The healthy tone of the school and the manliness and espirit de corps of the boys show an excellent moral influence has been at work.

The erection of the present College building went on steadily and on 1st, May, 1909, it was first brought into use, there being at the time 85 boarders and 19 day boys.

The official opening of the building took place on Saturday, 11th December, 1909.

When the new building was opened, the name quietly changed to The Malay College. In the Penang Gazette of 14th December , 1909, comment is made that the Malay Residential School of Kuala Kangsar has for some reason recently been re-christened The Malay College.

The change seems to have seen the end of the original aim of the school and of the scholarship class, for in report for 1910 we read “From this School the Government have great hopes that the sons of Malays of the Raja and higher class will be educated and trained on the lines of of an English Public School and be fitted to take a share in the Government of their Country.”

Quietly but steadily the school progressed and in 1910 the Malay Probationer scheme was initiated from boys resident of the College.

At the close of School year there were 139 boys on the School register of whom 124 were boarders. In was during this year the new Preparatory school – the Sekolah Kecil was opened.

The best testimonial to the reputation of the school is found in the presence of boys from Kedah (6), Perlis, (3), Kelantan (1) and Johore (1) and the following extract sums up the work of the school after ten years of life.

The end of the year 1914 marks the close of the first decade of the School’s existence. To those interested in the Malays, a few statistics may be useful. 164 boys have obtained their Government Seventh Standard Certificates from this school in nine different examinations. 162 boys left to take appointments in the several States from Perlis to Johore. Old Kuala Kangsar boys are found among the ranks of Asst. District Officers, Malay Magistrates, Asst. Surgeons, Inspectors of various services, whilst the humblest are to be found among extra clerks, dressers, tracers, etc. The Library has been well patronized; novels, newspaper, etc. are all read, whilst the ‘Encyclopedia Britannica' has been a source of a real pleasure to the many studious boys we have.

In 1917, a change was made in the Government of the College. Up to this time Mr. Hargreaves had dealt with the Resident-General direct. Now the College was placed under the Control og a Board of Governors consisting of the Residents of the four States, with the Resident of Perak as Chairman, the Director of Education, and a Malay member from each State nominated by its Ruler.

On 16th June, 1918, Mr. Hargreaves retired. For 13 ½ years he had guided the destinies of the College, and it is to his perseverance in the face of difficulty that the existence of the College is due.

The original boys of the College can best tell of the work he did under trying conditions: later comers can tell of the care and forethought that guided their energies into useful channels.

With this mention of Mr. Hargreaves one must pause to think of the staff who worked loyally under him, some for a short season only and other for a long term of service. Many will like to think with affectionate gratitude of Mr,R.W. Rowlands who continued till 1926, a last link to the past.

After Mr. Hargreaves’s departure there were a few years of quite marking time, the usual period of transition from one scheme of things to another. Mr. J.O’may acted as Headmaster until 19th November , 1919, when Mr.L.S.S/Jermyn took charge for three years until 8th January, 1923, when Mr. C. Bazell, took over the reins.

I have said that these years were a period of transition. New ideas were coming into vogue and new demands were made on the College.

It was seen that if the boys of the College were to take part in the Government of their Country, greater progress would have to be insisted on. In 1990 therefore it was decided that these boys who were unlikely ever to pass the VIIth standard examination should be superannuated. Under this order 25 boys left the College.

At this time a new probationer scheme was tried and boys from other schools were selected to come to the College to pass the Senior Cambridge here. This scheme was altered later and as progress was made the Cambridge School Certificate (the Old Senior) was made the qualifying examination for the Malay Officers (Administrative Branch).