Teachers' Training College Kirkby, Liverpool:Reliving Memories
Part 2. Orientation
The
next morning, cold and exhausted, I peered sleepily through the frosty panes
and noticed the buildings were still in dark shadows and the ground was covered
with a white mantle.
We were told to gather at the recreation hall and so we tread our way gingerly along the slippery pavement to a murky, brick building. Our most honourable senior sirs and ladies had already lined up along the dimly-lit corridor to give us a ‘warm and rousing welcome’. Years on, their raucous shouts of ‘WALK FASTER FRESHIES, THIS IS ENGLAND NOT MALAYA’ still ring in my ears. Once inside the hall, I spotted more seniors prowling the floor like vultures that were about to pounce on unsuspecting preys. The hall was gradually filled with a cacophony of voices.
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| The buildings were still in dark shadows and the ground was covered in a white mantle. |
We were told to gather at the recreation hall and so we tread our way gingerly along the slippery pavement to a murky, brick building. Our most honourable senior sirs and ladies had already lined up along the dimly-lit corridor to give us a ‘warm and rousing welcome’. Years on, their raucous shouts of ‘WALK FASTER FRESHIES, THIS IS ENGLAND NOT MALAYA’ still ring in my ears. Once inside the hall, I spotted more seniors prowling the floor like vultures that were about to pounce on unsuspecting preys. The hall was gradually filled with a cacophony of voices.
“Where is your manner, 'freshie'!”
“Zip
that smile,' freshie'!”
“Kowtow
to Big Brother, 'freshie'!”
( 'Big Brother' was just a papier mache face mask which was mounted on the wall of the main recreation hall}
( 'Big Brother' was just a papier mache face mask which was mounted on the wall of the main recreation hall}
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| A papier mache face mask was mounted on the wall |
“Your ribbon has wilted , 'freshie'! Make sure you water and iron it.”
(Each 'freshie' had to wear a green bow which had to be kept in pristine condition throughout the one month orientation period.)
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| A green bow which the 'freshie' had to wear |
“Don’t you dare sneak into sickbay! Charlie the ghost will be waiting for you there.”
( 'Charlie' was perhaps the creation of a senior with a fertile imagination who wanted to deter 'freshies' from seeking sanctuary in the safety of the sickbay)
Those were words that would become familiar to our ears during the course of the orientation. Above the threats, the sound of strident shouts, shrill screams and boisterous laughter rang and echoed round the hall.
Some
of our senior persecutors were in their elements and their endless torments left many of their
victims seething with anger and some had to muster their utmost self-restraint,
lest they let fly a knock-out punch on their tormentor’s face. The junior
ladies too had their fair share of ‘entertainment’ and many were left
teary-eyed at the end of the day.
I
remember when we were finally allowed to return to our Blocks, I would pause
outside the hall to get my bearings, as the orientation had not only left me disorientated,
but the dimly-lit road and fog made the Blocks almost indistinguishable.
About a week into the orientation, in spite of the threats and spooky tales I found myself in the college sickbay.
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| On the college campus on a cold winter day |
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| The Blocks were almost indistinguishable |
About a week into the orientation, in spite of the threats and spooky tales I found myself in the college sickbay.
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| The college sickbay where students seek treatment for minor illness and injuries. Photo: Courtesy of Vin Quen who is seen here with Matron. |
At first there were a few juniors to keep me company, but as they were gradually discharged, I found myself the only patient in the sickbay. At night, as I listened to the howling wind and heard the rattling of the window panes, they would conjure image of ‘Charlie’.
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| The sounds conjured image of 'Charlie' |
One
morning I asked Sister if I could be discharged.
“No,
young man, you are not going anywhere,” she replied.
While I was having a quiet sojourn in the sickbay, the other 'freshies' were busy preparing for a fancy dress parade. Items that were considered suitable for costumes or accessories were hastily collected, stored and jealously guarded. Even the lid of a trash can became a prized possession. On the morning of the 'freshies' parade, all the 'freshies', garbed in their creations, gathered outside their respective Blocks where their acting skills were put to test by their 'honorable senior sirs and ladies'.
While I was having a quiet sojourn in the sickbay, the other 'freshies' were busy preparing for a fancy dress parade. Items that were considered suitable for costumes or accessories were hastily collected, stored and jealously guarded. Even the lid of a trash can became a prized possession. On the morning of the 'freshies' parade, all the 'freshies', garbed in their creations, gathered outside their respective Blocks where their acting skills were put to test by their 'honorable senior sirs and ladies'.
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| 'Freshies' in their fancy dress costumes outside Block8 Photo credit: Ooi-Tee |
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Block 8 freshies getting ready for the Fancy Dress Parade
Photo courtesy of Mimi Foo
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| 'Freshies' posing with 'senior sir', Huang Soon Ngak Photo credit: Ooi-Tee |
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| Two 'freshies' displaying their acting talent Can you recognise them? Photo credit: Ooi-Tee |
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Block 9 freshies displaying their fancy dress creations
Photo credit: Joseph John
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Masked cowgirl, Mimi Foo, with senior sir Cheah Teong Teik
Photo courtesy of Mimi Foo
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When I was finally allowed to leave the sickbay, I found out I was just in time to attend the crowning of the' freshie’s queen' , the 'debowing' ceremony and the 'Welcome Dance'. After a seemingly long month of taking meticulous care of our green bow, we were finally about to be relieved of the task. Each 'freshie' had been assigned a senior from the opposite sex to remove the green bow _ the bow to signify our 'freshness' and lowly status.
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| Seniors busy 'debowing' the 'freshies'. Are you in the photo? Photo credit: Ooi-Tee |
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| "Now, you're a junior," senior lady, Zahorin bte. Hj. Mohd. Arof tells 'freshie', Tan Ooi Tee, as she removes the green bow from his lapel Photo credit: Ooi- Tee |
The moment the 'debowing' ceremony ended there were warm handshakes, big hugs and embraces among the seniors and juniors. Our ‘enemies’ had become our friends; our ‘persecutors’ were now our protectors.
We were still revelling in our new-found freedom when the music began to play. It was a signal for the start of the Welcome Dance and our more experienced and confident senior sirs and ladies were busy inviting and encouraging us to join them on the dance floor
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Junior Mimi Foo dancing with senior Mahinder Singh at the 1959 Welcome Dance
Photo courtesy of Mimi Foo
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That night as we made our way to our respective Blocks, we realised that most of the threats, taunts and humiliating acts we had to undergo during the orientation were meant to teach us social etiquette and to remind us to always remain humble, irrespective of our achievement and social status. The seeds of friendship planted during the seemingly endless cold winter would grow and blossom into a friendship that would last a lifetime.
Lean Aing, who was from my batch, recall her first impressions as a fresh arrival at Kirkby College.
"Here we were an
assortment of new students who had been so fortunate to have been selected for
the two year Teacher Training Course in Kirkby College.Some of us were just
fresh out of regular school, a few had already been working or doing temporary
teaching, whilst a few had even entered a college or university prior to
jumping on the glamorous bandwagon of going to England.
There we were suntanned, apprehensive and dressed in winter clothing which
were either store -bought in Malaya or inherited from friends or relatives. I
think we broke some rules of "correct fashion" and wore whatever was available. The men were
quite appropriately dressed in suits. It was late in the evening when we first
arrived at Kirkby College and it was only the next morning that we experienced
a close encounter of the unforgettable kind with THE SENIORS..........THE
SENIOR SIRS AND SENIOR MISSES!
We knew the Seniors were all Malayans like us, but somehow they appeared
different. Some of the Senior Misses were exceptionally
fair and rosy-cheeked ,
others had glowing complexion and they were oh so smartly dressed in their
skirts, twin-sets or blazers matched with slim skirts and ......they wore
nylon stockings. Some ladies looked chic and fashionable sporting accessories
like brooches and long strands of pearls or beads.
The Senior Sirs looked so smart and confident , some
sporting blazers or sports jackets . That was the time when the
men wore proper shoes not the sneakers or moccasins which they do nowadays.
It was The Orientation Period and a lot was actually play-acting but
nonetheless, at times, it was quite traumatic for some as the majority of us
were unaware
of ragging. I used to avoid a certain person who resembled
a scary Japanese character straight out of a war movie. Then there was
another senior who smoked a pipe like Sherlock Holmes. We were quite awe-struck
by some of the senior ladies who sported lovely long tresses,
fashionable overcoats And spectacles like those in Lat's cartoons. Some
seniors were fierce and loud while others were kind and helpful during the
Ragging Period. When it was over we found their better side and some
long-lasting friendships evolved from then."
Cheah Lean Aing 1959-1960
Listen to Dave Sheriff sings 'Best of Friends'
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