Nang Chong Stories : Warming Lunches on the Foochow Stove in Chung Cheng School

When my youngest aunt and her husband first started to teach at Chung Cheng Secondary School in the 50's, they had to bring their lunch to school. They had their own speed boat and would return in the evening after school. Life was simple.

Students who were day scholars also brought their own packed lunches.

The hostel warden was a nice lady and she would place the tiffin carriers and the food containers on the stove to keep the food hot.

Some families have four children in the school, so the mothers could pack quite a bit of vegetables for them. In those days meat was not eat every day.

It was a good service which every one appreciated. Many of the former students remember such caring people throughout their lives.

However some students were to shy to put their containers on the stove because they felt embarrassed by what they brought.

One of my cousins said that her food was just cold rice, with some salted fish and some kangkong. So she would rather eat the cold food than show the hostel what her poor mother packed for her. She was worried that the hostel warden would peek at her container.

Everyone had free thin tea from the school. There was a tea dispenser in the hall.