Cowshed and 1Malaysia

Another long silence and this time it’s due to the lazy bug. I’m trying to overcome the bug but then it’s no easy task. Hopefully I’ll be able to kick it, hehe…

Well, I want to touch on the cowshed classrooms that we had back in the good old days. Way back in the early 1980s, there was only one concrete classroom block (what is now the staffroom block), whereas the rest of the classroom blocks were wooden. These classrooms in the wooden blocks had only 3 pieces of planks running across the mid-section for walls and these were referred to as cowsheds.

Probably all the great brains involved in the designing thought that it was great, as the classrooms would be airy with good ventilation and this is important especially for schools in Malaysia where classes are always packed and in some classes, up to 50 students even in secondary schools. The problem with these cowsheds was, during the dry season, the conditions could be really stifling with the heat and humidity as the two fans would just be circulating the hot, humid air and when it rained, especially during the landas (monsoon) season it was not uncommon to find students and their teacher hurdled together on one side of the room, depending on the wind direction, and one half of the classroom would be wet. Yet, rain or shine, lessons went on as usual.

We really had to rough it out then, but we took everything with a pinch of salt. Moreover, with everyone hurdled together during rainy days or frantically fanning themselves with an exercise book on those hot stifling days, a close rapport exist among the students and also with the teacher as the situation gave us a sense of togetherness and this to me was a fine example of 1Malaysia.

Whether Bidayuh, Iban, Malay or Chinese, we were together as 1 in facing the non-conducive studying environment. So, 1Malaysia was already being openly practised in SMK Serian since a long way back! May be we should have cowshed classrooms today too!

Could have been rich!

During the early days when people were still very superstitious, rumours about flying apparitions especially the one with dangling entrails abound. There was a male teacher who advised me to hang a bottle of concentrated acid at the doorway or windows of my living quaters to ward off the apparition with the dangling entrails. He even suggested that I get my bottle of acid from the science laboratory since I have access to the place.

I never took up his advice not because I'm fearless but because I know the danger of concentrated acid. Had I been less fearful of the stuff, I would have set up camp permanently in the chemical store as obviously that would be the safest place for anyone to stay. With all the different types of acid available, what other place could have offered a better protection.

As the apparition with the dangling entrails was a lesser treat in my opinion, I failed to seize the opportunity that came knocking. Just imagine how much I could have saved on rental and utility bills had I decide to camp in the chemical store! I could have been rich!

I guess I have to learn to seize the opportunity when it arises but then, how many opportunities can one have? I have heard before that opportunity knocks but once!

No wonder I'm still poor. Hoohoo.......

Hanging Toilets

Talk about dreaming and chicken wings that never went flapping during the night brought to mind a time when there were some very superstitious people in the school. During those early days rumours abound that there were many unclean things around and every once in a while those rumours would be striking fear in some students.

I remember wardens reporting about junior form students being too scared to go out to the toilet during the night (toilets are separated from the hostel block). The only solution for those kids when they felt desperate and just could not wait until dawn was to climb up to the ceiling of the hostel to answer the call of nature and for some, the call was a long call. Guess they had more fear of the unknown than the punishment they would face if caught.

It is also probable that doing their business at a higher level is something acceptable. One of the former Principal of the school once told the staff about tandas atas pokok (toilet on trees) during his childhood. Its seems back in his village in those days, when anyone feels the urge to answer a long call, he will squat high up on a tree branch and he will have to shift about along the branch to avoid crowning anyone who might be passing by beneath.

I have learnt about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in history class during my school days but it was only a few years back that I learnt about the Hanging Toilets of Sarawak! There is no dispute, learning is definitely a lifelong process.