Miss Wong Hie Ding was a missionary and later a teacher of Methodist Secondary School from the time she migrated to Sibu in the 1930's until she retired in the 1970's. She served the school with diligence and dedication. She was one of the most highly educated China born and qualified Chinese langauge teachers in Sibu in those days.
When she retired, the school board of management presented her with a framed plaque, a calligraphy with the slogan, " Dedicated and Committed Service".
Her other gift was a Bible. What were befitting gifts for a retiring teacher? To her these were good enough.
Miss Wong was a sweet teacher, who taught knitting (as her extra curricular activity), Chinese literature and Chinese language. She was able to serve well in spite of the language changes in the Education System of Sarawak in the 1950's and throughout the 1960's.
For more than 20 years of her later life she must have been very worried about her status as a teacher. She was stoical, very cultured and well mannered as teacher. She carried out her missionary teacher role well and helped with many church women's activities in Sibu with commitment. She walked every where when carrying out her duties. She cycled to the Methodist Secondary School from the 50th Anniversary Methodist Building at Island Road throughout her career. Just before she retired she moved to live with Miss Hsu her life long friend from China. Miss Hsu was a pastor cum teacher, trained in China also. The two of them were inseparable.
As a teacher she had to under so many changes, political, linguistic and social. She saw the phasing out of Chinese medium of instruction, as well as the English medium. Just before she retired she saw the coming of the Bahasa Malaysia as medium of instruction. Being mono lingual, having been trained in Chinese only, she had to bear the burden of teaching in a secondary school which used English as a medium of instruction in the 60's.
How did she manage? She taught many classes of Chinese language. As a teacher, she had to be in charge of a club. So she chose knitting as her co curricular activity. She had Iban, Malay, non Chinese speaking Chinese and perhaps even one or two boys. She used sign language and her great sense of humour. She was admirable. And there was a school exhibition which show cased the work of her students' knitting. She was given a pat on the shoulder by the Principal and the staff. Today knitting is no longer taught in school but it is still a global hobby.
As a teacher she had to under so many changes, political, linguistic and social. She saw the phasing out of Chinese medium of instruction, as well as the English medium. Just before she retired she saw the coming of the Bahasa Malaysia as medium of instruction. Being mono lingual, having been trained in Chinese only, she had to bear the burden of teaching in a secondary school which used English as a medium of instruction in the 60's.
How did she manage? She taught many classes of Chinese language. As a teacher, she had to be in charge of a club. So she chose knitting as her co curricular activity. She had Iban, Malay, non Chinese speaking Chinese and perhaps even one or two boys. She used sign language and her great sense of humour. She was admirable. And there was a school exhibition which show cased the work of her students' knitting. She was given a pat on the shoulder by the Principal and the staff. Today knitting is no longer taught in school but it is still a global hobby.
We were glad that she was loved by the Board of Management, the staff and all the students of the Methodist School, Sibu. The management ensured that she was legally emplaced in the government service and had a pension, as she was such a good employee with very high ethical standards. This was the culture we all experienced teaching and learning in a Methodist Mission School.
Miss Wong was a good friend to many people in Sibu. She also preached and spoke to a lot of small groups. She was such an agreeable person that many testifed that no one could ever be her enemy. Always helpful, she would always be the first one to comfort a grieving widow, to help ease the broken hearted, and to help a child stop crying.
One of her favourite Foochow statements when comforting a child was "Tell me why you are crying?
Don't be afraid...."
She was such a small woman and yet she was not afraid to confront many obstacles and many Goliaths.
Miss Wong was a good friend to many people in Sibu. She also preached and spoke to a lot of small groups. She was such an agreeable person that many testifed that no one could ever be her enemy. Always helpful, she would always be the first one to comfort a grieving widow, to help ease the broken hearted, and to help a child stop crying.
One of her favourite Foochow statements when comforting a child was "Tell me why you are crying?
Don't be afraid...."
She was such a small woman and yet she was not afraid to confront many obstacles and many Goliaths.
She was one of the Angels in Cheongsame in the early days of education in Sibu. She remained single all her life, extremely frugal in life style, dedicating herself to the education of the new generation.
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