November 18, 2009

Pretty Girls of Yuk Ying Girls' School 1938

My Third Aunt Pearl Tiong Chuo Sieng is still pretty even though she has reached her 90th birthday. With even a fourth generation to her honour and so many grandchildren she has had a full life in Sibu.

In Mrs. Hoover's Yuk Ying Girls' School in Sibu she gathered knowledge and good experience. She has talked about her student days and the efficiency of Mrs. Hoover as a teacher and mentor.

She was reluctant to get married but with the war looming up and with parental blessings she married into a good family. Her education has adequately prepared her for family life.

Fourth Batch graduated 1938

1. Ling Nyuk Lang
2. Wong Pick Kiu
3. Yek Pick Huong
4. Tiong Teck Ming
5. Lau Su Ting
6. Wong Leh Ming
7. Wong Sui Ing
8. Ling Soon Hua
9. Ting Ping Yu
10. Tiong Chuo Sieng (Pearl)(Third seated from left)Mrs. Lau Pang Kwong
11. Kiu Poh Nguk
12. Ting Nguk Kiew
13. Lau Mee Hieng
14. Lau Hung Chong
15. Ling Nguk Hiong
16. Wong Leh Ming

According to my Third Aunt even though the Reverend James Hoover passed away in 1935 in the subsequent years until the Second World War broke out Mrs. Mary Hoover carried on teaching undeterred . She continued to manage a good school for the Sibu community. With a big heart she continued to seek out girls to be educated. She was adamant that their education would help "release" them from the captivity of a poor marriage. And indeed the ladies from the school were later committed to their marriages and brought about good families.

12 comments:

Yan said...

Peter's mother? Certainly pretty!

天鵝江畔 said...

i feel sorry, i can't recognize my mother, isn't 2nd from left or 5th from the right at the back row?
6 n 16 Wong Leh Ming is my sister's mother-in-law, she is now at Tawau, Sabah.

Ensurai said...

Yan
Yes I think all my aunts are pretty - heavenly beauties...the next generation - kalah lah....

Ensurai said...

Meng Lei

I am just wondering who can help us identify all the students...
What did your mother say about her education and Yuk Ying School?

I hope to meet up with my aunt Maggie - and may be she can remember your mother and the rest. She is still working in Singapore.

Can you Mother's sister in law remember? That will be a big help.

Do you have a big version of this photo?

Anonymous said...

U mentioned Mrs Mary Hoover big heart to say girls need to be educated.... I just feel it is always right... if not today we girls were still in our nut shell may b still bullied by many men!

hahaha..

Ensurai said...

Hi Anon...
thanks for commenting on Mrs. Hoover's work...Yes...she was a very committed and dedicated Christian who gave her life to Girls' Education. Girls need an education (to start a family or to remain self supporting and independent)...

I often wonder if men are more properly groomed with the right education they would be better fathers?

But then more importantly mothers should teach their sons to be good future fathers.

thanks for dropping by.

天鵝江畔 said...

No, i don't hv this picture.
My eldest brother told me the 5th fr left at the back is my mother.
Wong Leh Ming is now talking whole day but she can't talk and can't remember probably.that is the problem

Ensurai said...

ML
I think my Third Aunt is slightly the same - talk the whole day but memory is not so accurate. She can remember certain things and repeat... Sometimes she is very clear in her mind. But on the whole at 90 she is still very alert and healthy. Praise the Lord!!

Several ladies in Miri here who are in their 90's are still very very alert and having very good memory power. God has blessed them bountifully.

If only all of them can tell us stories how wonderful it can be.

Ensurai said...

ML
May be we have to ask Mrs. Lau Pang Hung...she may be able to recognise them..

Ensurai said...

Dear All

Lau Hung Chong in the photo is Rev. Dr. Lau King Tai's mother.

According to my mother who is Rev Lau's aunt also Aunty Hung Chong was a very soft spoken and well brought up lady. She never say bad things about others and was surely a Proverb 31 Christian woman.

Mrs. Hoover was a very good nurturer who instilled great values and moral attitudes in the girls. Her school was a very good school. Upon graduation these girls were well sought after as brides.

My mother did not attend Mrs. Hoover's school .Instead she went to Kwong Nang in Sg. Maaw . At that time she also had to help support the family by looking after domestic animals and tapping rubber. Her father (my maternal grandfather) was not very healthy too at that time.

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Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

CV,

are any of the ladies living in Sibu?

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