Bro. David Liao : La Salle PJ; La Salle Klang; St. Francis Instituition Melaka; St. Andrew's, Muar & St. Anthony's, Teluk Intan

“All good things must come to an end so that better things may begin”, he often said in his e-mails to me. A good philosophy indeed from a man who has vast experience in the art of teaching the young since 1968. Brother David Liao came from a family of educators. Early in their lives, his father was a Headmaster of a Chinese Secondary school while his mother was a Headmistress of a Chinese Primary school. His father was later called home to take over his grandfather’s business when his grandfather died. “I wanted to complete my father’s career as an educator,” he reminisced. Brother David Liao is the fourth in a family of six. He is a very outdoor person, loves sports and played most games when he was a student at St. Michael’s Institution, Ipoh.

             

Lasallian students from the late 60’s to year 1999 will no doubt have personal contact with him or have heard of his name as he has served widely in a number of schools in Malaysia, namely:

Bro. David Liao

St. Francis Institution, Malacca    : 1968 – 1971 and 1978
St. Anthony’s School, Teluk Intan: 1972 – 1973
La Salle School, Petaling Jaya       : 1976 – 1977
St. Andrew’s School, Muar           : 1980 – 1982 (As Principal)
La Salle School, Klang, Selangor    : 1983 – 1985
St. Joseph’s College, Penang       : 1986 – 1989 (As Director of Novices)

St. Anthony's Teluk Intan, Malaysia

Source

Bro. David recalled that he joined the Brothers’ junior training programme in Penang in 1962 and entered the Brothers’ Novitiate in January 1964. He has been a Brother ever since. He was elected Brother Visitor, Penang District in 1990 and served for nine years till 1999 in this  capacity. He took a year sabbatical in 2001. He has truly lived up to his religious commitment - to go wherever he may be sent and to do whatever is required of him. Brother David is presently in ChangJiao, China developing a La Sallian Service Centre for English Language and Computer Literacy. According to him, the village elders were sceptical about his commitment in the earlier stages as those going before him had somehow let them down. However, through sheer grit and determination, he managed to overcome all difficulties and has completely won over the whole village! He is hopeful that this pioneer village project will be duplicated and initiated in many outlying villages in China.
         
When asked what he thought was the most memorable incident in his life, he reflected before replying:

                 
Quote:
The most memorable incident in my life so far was the day in October 1985 when Brother Matthew Liew, Brother Visitor at that time, visited our community in La Salle School Klang. He told me that he had decided to assign me as Novice Master in charge of the training of young Brothers at  St. Joseph's College, Kelawei Road, Penang.  It spelled the end of my school  career but more importantly, it meant that I had only 15 years developing my network of "old boys". I was not even fully 40 years old then.
          

At that time I was in the forefront pioneering computer education in secondary schools in the Klang Valley. I had good apprenticeship in the art of Brother Directorship under numerous able Directors such as Brothers Edwin Cheng, Philip Daly, Damian Oliver, Felix Donohue, Harold Reynolds, Robert O'Sullivan and Alban Rozario. I felt at that time I was not even at the peak of my career as educator and it suddenly ended for me, just as my father who was recalled to take over the family business. However, my commitment to my vocation "to go wherever I may be sent and to do whatever is required of me" took charge. Today, as I look back, I am very thankful to Brother Matthew Liew for insisting that I take on the assignment as Novice Master. Today, China beckons. I once again have  the wonderful opportunity to be very hands-on, to experiment and to develop an English Language and Computer Literacy programme in an environment where English, though much valued, is almost never used or spoken.   ..... Unquote
                    
In true spirit, he often keeps in touch with his classmates, past students and the teachers he has worked with.

St. Andrew's Muar, Malaysia

St. Andrew's School, Muar Malaysia

Source : AndreanFellowships
Source : e-Lassalian

Bro. James Macken : St. Paul's Instituition, Seremban; St. George's Instituition, Taiping

Sourced from The Star, dated Feb 21, 2012.

THE Old Paulian Association (OPA) will produce a coffee table book on Reverend Brother Director James Macken — the longest serving and, undoubtedly, most famous headmaster in the proud 113-year history of St Paul’s Institution (SPI) in Seremban.

The book, which will be a pictorial on the life and times of the Irishman at his beloved SPI in Seremban, would be launched during the old boys’ annual reunion dinner in September.
OPA secretary Lee Kok Keong said the association was in the midst of gathering pictures of the Rev Bro Director during his four-decade stay in the country and the association would welcome rare photographs from former students and teachers for the project.

Good job: Rev Bro Dir James Donohue congratulating Macken (left) as the incoming SPI Secondary headmaster.

The bespectacled Macken, often clad in a flowing white robe and a Fedora hat, may have been a stickler for discipline but was one who never hesitated to let his hair down whenever SPI excelled both academically or in sports.
Unlike in other schools, Macken, being a headmaster, led the singing of Negaraku, the state anthem as well as the school rally during morning assemblies ever since he was posted to SPI.

Born in 1929, Macken arrived in Malaya in 1949 after completing his teaching certificate at St Mary University College, Strawberry Hill in London. His first posting was at the St George’s Institution in Taiping where he remained until 1965.

Bro. James Macken as he wrote on forum posting http://taipingtalk.com/schools

Bro. Macken James  and the St. George's staff 1963

He returned to Dublin for three years to complete his university degree and returned in 1968 to serve at St Xavier’s Institution in Penang for a year.
During his time at SPI, the school achieved many firsts which included winning the National Science Quiz in 1983 and emerging as the country’s top school for Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) in 1986 with Ong Yoke Eng being the top student.

Checking things out: Bro. James Macken supervising the construction of SPI primary in Taman Bukit Labu in 1979.

He was also instrumental in the construction of the new SPI primary school in Taman Bukit Labu in 1980 as well as a new block with three science labs, 12 classrooms and a canteen at the secondary school three years earlier.
Macken, who in an interview had considered himself fortunate to have had a set of dedicated teachers, never missed events in which the school took part in which included scouts jamborees, passing out of cadets and activities by the St John’s, Junior Jaycees and the OPA.
It was during his time that SPI became a hockey powerhouse with players such as Brian Sta Maria, Derek Fidelis, Paul and Stehen Van Huizen who went on to play for the national team.
Lee, who studied at SPI from 1949 to 1959 and taught there from 1961-1996 said Macken always had good words for his teachers.
“Although he was a strict man, he was well loved by all. He always gave words of encouragement to teachers who went beyond their call of duty,” he said
He added that the last time Macken returned to Malaysia was in 1999 for the school’s centenary celebration.
Another former teacher Datuk Loh Kim Heong, who served at SPI from 1968 till 1987 remembers Macken as an individual who could inspire others to be the best.
“He turned boys into men the old fashioned way – through hard work, diligence and dogged determination,” he said.
Former SPI lab technician Harminder Singh who served the school for 28 years said Macken was an inquisitive man.

“We were surprised to see a white man in the gurdwara compound one Sunday morning in the late 1960s and only after asking him how we could be of help did we know who he was,” he said adding that Macken wanted to know more about Sikhs and their history and traditions.
A former student Chooi Yew Tzen described Macken as a bastion of might and inspiration, one who motivated young boys and shaping them into leaders to serve as nation builders.
“To many, he was simply the lion among lions,” he said.
Macken’s respect and admiration for his teachers and love for SPI was summed up in a rare interview when he said: “It’s great to belong to a great school but it is mighty to have been a headmaster of a great school. Longlive the spirit of St.Paul’s.”
Lee said Macken’s memorial mass would be held on Feb 25 at the Church of Visitation in Seremban. A fellowship will be held after the sunset mass for former and present teachers and students.

Blogger Note : Bro. James Macken served as Bro. Director of St. Paul's, Seremban from 1975 - 1991.

Bro. Casimir L'Angelier (1900-1975), St. George's, St. John's & St. Paul's

Penang	Scholasticate	1918
St. Michael’s Institution, Ipoh	Teaching	1924-1928
St. George’s Institution, Taiping	Teaching	1929-1930
St. Francis’ Institution, Malacca	Teaching	1931-1933
St. George’s Institution, Taiping	Sub Director	1933-1935
St. Xavier’s Institution, Penang	Sub Director	1936-1939
St. Joseph’s Institution, Singapore	Sub Director	1940
St. Paul’s Institution, Seremban	Sub Director	1941-1943
St. George’s Institution, Taiping	Director	1943-1945
St. George’s Institution, Taiping	Sub Director	1945-1946
St. George’s Institution, Taiping	Director	1947-1952
St. Charles, Bordighera, Italy	Second Novitiate	1953
St. Paul’s Institution, Seremban	Director	1953-1959
St. John’s Institution, Kuala Lumpur	Principal	1960
St. Andrew’s School, Muar	Headmaster	1960-1962
St. George’s School, Penang	Headmaster	1963-1969
La Salle College, Kowloon, Hong Kong	Teaching	1970-1971
St. Teresa’s Hospital Hong Kong	Hospitalized	1971-1975

Alexander Casimir L’Angellier was born in Singapore on May 5th 1900. He belonged to a highly-respected, long-standing Catholic family. After receiving his early education in St Joseph’s Institution, Singapore, he was among the first aspirants to join the De La Salle Brothers at the newly opened Juniorate and Novitiate in Kuala Lumpur, in 1916.

He took the Brother’s habit in 1918 taking the name Casimir and then continued with his religious formation and studies in Penang.

 After his religious and pedagogical training, he taught with success in Singapore and Malaysia. In due course he was made school Principal, a post he held for more than 20 years.

St. Paul's Institution, Seremban, Malaysia

He was Principal of St George’s School, Taiping, Malaysia, from 1947 to 1952 and of St Paul’s, Seremban, Malaysia, from 1954 to 1959. In St Paul’s he presided over the celebrations for the school’s Golden Jubilee in 1949. The school had reached its full capacity and was bursting at the seams. The Brothers decided that it was time to split the school into two campuses. This involved the building of a new secondary school on a site called Mont La Salle. Brother Casimir was the man for the job and he had the joy of witnessing the opening of the new school on the 27th June 1959. It was also during this period that he was awarded with the Pingat Jasa Kebangsaan (PJK), in recognition of his contribution to education. In both St George’s and St Paul’s, Brother Casimir was admired and well-liked by all the school community.

St. George's Institution, Taiping, Malaysia

 Brother Casimir was a sound religious and a kind-hearted and understanding Principal. He was also a scholarly man. He could teach almost every subject with remarkable success. He wrote extensively. He wrote plays and operettas for the younger students as well as articles and features for religious magazines. He also wrote a series of textbooks on Scripture which were widely used in schools and are still in circulation today. His Scripture, Geography and History Notes sold like hot cakes, best sellers in the school textbook circles.

In the twilight of his career, he was posted to Hong Kong, arriving at La Salle College on the 14th December 1969. Initially he was sent to help Brother Paul Sun in the recently opened St Joseph’s Anglo-Chinese School. His health was not robust and he gradually moved to helping Brother Henry Pang at La Salle Primary School.

On the occasion of the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Brother Casimir, his friend Brother Anthony McNamara had this to say:

“A teacher's life is not always an inspiring one. A teacher, and especially an old teacher, is often referred to as Mr. Chips, and for those of us who have read the book, or seen the film, we know that James Hilton's hero was endearing as a character, but a failure as schoolmaster. The teacher spends his life goading others to a success that he himself does not attain, and to which perhaps he does not aspire. He seldom exhibits the infallibility he is supposed to possess. The smarter pupils for whom he prophesies a brilliant future often disappoint him, and the lazier and more backward ones for whom he foretells a future of misery sometimes end up as millionaires. When a boy is successful in the exam he claims all the glory, but if he fails it is the teacher who reaps the blame. Teachers never get decorated. Headmasters do, and if a teacher does get signaled out for commendation it is not for teaching. With age he is expected to suffer from pedagogical rust and academic dry-rot. A colleague who was celebrating his 40th anniversary in the profession was asked what he considered was his greatest achievement in those forty years. He replied that without a doubt it was the fact that he had survived.

This is a very depressing picture, but it changes, and changes completely the minute a teacher survives fifty years. Then he becomes a hero, he is feted, toasted, wined and dined, is congratulated by colleagues, pupils and friends, and on this occasion he gets honourable mention in the press. That is what has happened to Bro. Casimir, and that is why we are gathered here to-day. Not only has he survived fifty years in a teaching Institute, he is still going strong.

I first met Brother Casimir in 1925, in Taiping, Malaysia, then a very peaceful town
as it had the largest jail, and with all the law-breakers inside, the rest of us lived in peace outside. Since then I have been associated with him. Sometimes we were teaching in the same school, and if we were not, we had many opportunities of meeting, and even outside of Malaya we cannot keep out of each other's way. This good man is ubiquitous. At the opening of a teachers' training college at Manchester, the clerical looking gentleman that helped me to get a cup of tea turned out to be Brother Casimir. I also met him cycling along a snowy road in England coming from the remote village of Coton, and on another occasion we met in Rome. I once went to Kai Tak airport (Hong Kong) to see the landing of the much advertised Lufthansa aircraft, and although 1 was impressed by the aircraft I was still more surprised to see Brother Casimir disembarking with the other passengers. If ever I take the polar route to Europe and crash-land on the North Pole, I am certain that the first Eskimo to come to my assistance will be Brother Casimir.

Bro. Casimir in St. George's Taiping

As I said, I first met Brother Casimir in Taiping. That was in the days of heavy rickshaw traffic and no electricity, when school uniforms did not exist, and boys could come to school in sarongs, and barefooted if that were more convenient. Age limits had not been imposed, and with a wide age range in each class it was possible to have in class pupils as old as the teacher, and even married pupils, although no student ever admitted that he had a spouse. In his long years of service as a teacher Brother Casimir has witnessed an evolution in our education system.

He was a teacher of no ordinary calibre. He was not just good and competent, he was a master of method and dedicated. He comes from an intellectually brilliant family. His brother and a nephew were both holders of the highly competitive and much coveted Queen's scholarship.
His pupils realised that they were taught by a teacher sound in knowledge, and with the ability to impart whatever he taught. From the time he began teaching he has always been in the Cambridge classes.
His surname is L'Angellier which he claims means 'Angel-maker', a name he has lived up to, to make his boys good, morally and intellectually. He was able to get the best from his students and the academic achievements in his class were always of a high standard. The many boys that he has taught all over the country from Singapore to Penang know him to be an adept in teaching many branches and not limited to specialisation in one branch of knowledge.
His students are to be found in all walks of life, in the ranks of the clergy, in the various professions, and serving their country as law-abiding citizens.

In the various offices where he has business to contract, his former students see to it that in the case of their former teacher the rule is 'last come first served', and from his former students who make inquiries about him we know that he was a good and kind teacher.

While celebrating the Golden Jubilee of his being a Brother it is also 25 years since he became the head of a school, and in the capacity of Principal he has been responsible for the direction of St. George's, Taiping, St. Paul’s, Seremban, St.Andrew's, Muar, La Salle, Brickfields and is at present Principal of St. George's, Balik Pulau.

St. George's Institution, Taiping

No school has been second rate with him as head. He sees to it that there is a harmonious balance between what is academic and what is extra-mural, sacrificing neither one to the other and insisting on success at the highest level in studies and in achievement on the playing field.
He has the title of P.J.K., the Medal of Merit, conferred for his excellent contribution to education in the state of Negri Sembilan.

Most heads of schools like to show off their show-pieces, such as playing fields, laboratories, school hall and lecture theatre, and other amenities. Brother Casimir has all that at Balek Pulau, and at present is the only Brother Principal who can boast of having a domestic science unit in his school. If any of you are invited to a function in his school I advise that you accept it. His domestic science unit will make it worthwhile.

 He was responsible for raising the funds, and making the plans for the primary school at Taiping, for acquiring the land and building the industrial arts centre at Muar, and the well-selected site and beautiful setting of St. Paul's, Seremban, will always stand as a tribute to one who always gave the boys the best he could. It does not matter where he taught, or where he was Principal; he made certain that his school could compare with the best, and results obtained were always gratifying.

At present he is Principal of St. George's Balik Pulau, an area which may be considered the "ulu", out in the wilds, but last year 82% of his pupils were successful in the Cambridge School Certificate examination, and from that school there has been a steady flow of students to the sixth forms, and pupils of St. George's have had their share of Colombo Plan, and Federal Scholarships.
Before the war he organised a very good museum in St Xavier’s Institution which would be an asset at the present time if it had not been destroyed by enemy action.
As headmaster he believes that a united, and contented staff, is essential for good results, and judging by the number, and quality of his staff dinners, and get-togethers, he has been a great success in keeping everybody happy in his work.”

Brother Casimir ‘retired’ to Hong Kong in January of 1970, at the age of 70. For a year he was actively involved with Brother Paul Sun’s St Joseph’s Anglo-Chinese School as well as in La Salle Primary School, Kowloon. In La Salle Primary, he got particularly caught up in the development of the Story-telling Room. It was right in the middle of planning the painting of the Solar System for the Story-telling Room, all done in blue, that he suffered a stroke on the way to the Brothers’ dining room. This was in January of 1971.

He was rushed to the nearby St Teresa’s Hospital, run by the Sisters of St Paul de Chartres, who took loving care of him. The Brothers spared no pains to get Brother Casimir back on his feet but, despite expert medical care and physiotherapy, he never recovered his speech or the use of his right limbs. The Brothers would visit him regularly and take him back to the Community on Feast days and special occasions for a get-together. He would then be taken for a drive before returning to the hospital.

This went on for four years. Brother Casimir became the darling of the hospital. The Sisters, the nurses, the support staff and the patients came to know and love this simple, holy Brother. The staff would settle him in front of the TV and bring him for long visits to the Chapel where he attended daily Mass and prayed with the Sisters.
There was a set-back on the 14th December 1975 and Brother Casimir began to fail. He drifted into a state of semi-consciousness and ran a high temperature. He died on the morning of the 18th. The wake and funeral Mass took place in the hospital on the 19th followed by burial in St Michael’s Cemetery, Happy Valley.
And so passed a fine scholar, a brilliant teacher, a devoted religious, an amiable companion and an understanding head of school.

Blogger's Note : Today there is a House in St. George's Taiping - Casimir House (Rumah Casimir) and the annual sports event between the Old boys Associations and students is called the Casimir Shield or the Casimir Challenge Trophy.

Source : Gateway Issue 44

St. John Baptiste De La Salle

The Brothers of the Christian Schools were founded by St. John Baptist de La Salle. John Baptist de La Salle was born on the 30th April, 1651, in the town of Rheims in France. He was the eldest child. As a magistrate, his father was rich enough to send him to school. John Baptist was intelligent and hardworking, and he obtained his Master's degree at a young age.The father of John Baptist expected his son to become a lawyer like himself.

However, at the early age of eleven, John Baptist had decided to become a priest. Since his parents were very good Catholics, they were happy with his choice. After many years of study in the seminary, a place for training young men to become priests, the Bishop ordained him at the age of twenty-seven on 9th April, 1678. When he was performing his duties as a priest, John Baptist met many poor children who never went to school. They wandered in the streets and became mischievous, unruly or even fell into evil ways. He pitied them and made up his mind to help them by establishing schools.

In his schools, the children were not only taught how to read and write, but also to cultivate good manners and above all to pray and live their Catholic faith. Those children soon behaved like 'gentlemen'. His good work attracted not only more children who needed help, but also men who wished to help him. These so called teachers had no training and so John Baptist invited them to join him, to live and pray together so as to strengthen their faith and confidence as well as to improve the quality of their work. This was in 1680.

A few years later at the suggestion of John Baptist the group promised to stay together and called themselves 'Brothers of the Christian Schools', now better known as the 'La Salle Brothers'. This was the genesis of a group of men whose main aim is the human and Christian education of youth. Little did John Baptist realize that this small and humble beginning would later gradually expand through the centuries, for today there are about 7000 Brothers in partnership with their Lasallian colleagues, running educational establishments of various types and sizes in some 80 countries around the world. In Asia, there are Lasallian missions in India, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

When he was on his death-bed, John Baptist reminded the Brothers to be men of faith in God and to remain faithful to their vocation and their mission of Christian education. He died on the 7th of April, 1719. As he had lived his Catholic faith and practised God's commandments of love so perfectly, the Catholic Church honoured him with the title of Saint in 1900. Since then he has been called Saint John Baptist de La Salle. In 1950, he was proclaimed Patron of all teachers by Pope Pius XII.