Dr. Proebestel enters my life
Late in 1922, I had come under the mesmeric influence of Dr. Proebestel towards the end of my Junior Cambridge year. I remember his interest in me with a deep sense of gratitude.
His influence was most crucial in my life. With his sense of fun and witty remarks, he made me think for myself. Through his teasing remarks, he showed me that he was sorry for the lack of direction in my life. He cared whether I sank or swam. I could not drift. Placed in the boat of life, I had to steer it. His interest in me stimulated self-discipline. I stopped boxing and begun to pay attention to my textbooks. In January 1923 when I entered the Senior class, where Dr. Proebestel taught English Language and Literature, I bought all the new textbooks and started on a fresh outlook to my studies.
Failing the Junior Cambridge.
In early 1923, when the Junior results came out, it was a shattering shock. I had failed by half a group. My expectation of passing the examination had been unrealistic. I was shocked and ashamed, not merely disappointed. I had to hang my head and cower back to the Junior class. For a few days, I hid from my friends.
Under the influence of Rev Dr. Proebstel 1923 (aged 17-18)
The shock and shame of failing made me think of my future. Dr. Proebstel, who was still teaching the Junior class, gave me much personal attention. At every lesson, he directed questions at me and thus made me study consistently. If I did not know an answer he would ask, “Were you dreaming of cricket or boxing last night instead of studying your Literature?” He was more a friend than a stern teacher.
One day he remarked, “I saw you in Petaling Street yesterday.” (Petaling Street in those days was a notorious red light area.).
“Yes, Sir, I saw you also, but that’s my way home from school.”
He laughed with the rest of the class. I was determined to win his good opinion, and focused on studies, as I had never done before. He was a real teacher; he made us think for ourselves, and reason out and interpret what we read. His brief notes pushed us to fill in the details. We did not have to memorise notes, but, by expanding his notes, we learnt literature and could answer most questions. His witty comments made me think about my future and wish to prepare myself for life. For example, “Some boys in this school are planning to migrate to the States to earn a living in the ring; others are going to become millionaires playing cricket in Britain.”
With my reformation, I began to pay heed to the talks during assembly and began leaning towards Christianity. However, in my extra-curricular reading, I stumbled upon Col. Ingersall’s vitriolic lectures against Christianity and became fascinated by them. They were as powerful as a drug. I found him convincing. I became an agnostic. My command of English improved. My ability to think and reason strengthened, and I began to participate in debates.
During the year, I tried to get the most benefit from every teacher. I made full use of Mr. Ho’s notes in Geography. They were systematic, detailed and covered the entire syllabus. Studying them and practicing drawing all the maps as instructed by him enabled me to lay a sound foundation for good results. I now realised that just as goals decide the winner at soccer or hockey, good answers can encourage us to pass an examination and secure a job. That was pragmatic. I am not advocating teaching through notes. Real teaching, like that of Dr. Proebstel, trained my mind to study the right way. This enabled me later to cope better with tertiary education, solve problems at work, take the initiative, be creative and constructive and meet new challenges.
In the 1990s, Ambiavagar visited the classroom when Proebstel influenced a dramatic change in his studies. He shared his memories with the current teacher of that class.
My living arrangement change, and I acquire a new mentor
At the end of the year, I moved into Lanka Boarding House, in Java Street, because my erstwhile guardian Dr. Ponniah was transferred out of Kuala Lumpur. The House was very near the Selangor Club. Its playing field was the venue for important inter-club and inter-state games, and the annual athletic events of Malaya and Singapore. I shared a cubicle with Murugesu who was a clerk in Government service. This arrangement was one of the best things that happened to me. Our cubicle was so small that we had only a little desk, a chair, our two small trunks and our mats. Ventilation was through the space over the low partition walls.
My new routine involved jogging in the evening until I was pleasantly exhausted, having an early dinner, going to bed by 8pm, waking up at 3 am to study, and leaving on foot for school by 7.15 am. After school, I returned to the lodgings by 3.30 pm, washed my clothes, took a half-hour nap then did my homework. In the evening, I went to the Selangor Club field to watch part of a soccer match and then to jog which I truly enjoyed. Occasionally I played cricket. Far from objecting to my 3 am alarm, Murugesu encouraged me. If I switched off the alarm and continued sleeping, he would shake me awake. He could tolerate me switching on the light to study while he continued to sleep. His life was very disciplined and frugal. After work, he washed his own clothes, although there was a cheap laundry nearby. He walked quite some distance to the temple, read novels, took walks and talked with the other boarders. Gradually he became acquainted with my background and subtly encouraged me to devote my time and energies to my studies. In subtle ways, he assumed the role of unofficial guardian, friend and mentor. Yet, he had not even met my brother!
My diligence paid off. At the end of the year, I passed the Junior Cambridge Certificate Examination.
Lessons and pranks with teachers in the Methodist Boys School
In a lighter vein, I recall an anecdote about Mr. Ho Seng Ong. His brother, Seang Ann, who was my classmate, was the courier between Mr. Ho and the lady he was courting. One day, a classmate stole one of the letters from Seang Ann’s desk, opened and read it to his friends. Seang Ann was both embarrassed and angry but being a passive person did not know what to do. However, the class monitor came to know about it, and after school, he gave the rascal a pair of black eyes.
Mr. Samuel taught Maths, and, although his teaching failed to inspire, he did give me a good grasp of the subject. However, his inability to control naughty students caused much distraction. He was short and thin and did not know how to exercise discipline. He would tolerate too much play and inattention, and suddenly explode in rage, usually against the wrong student. One day, someone threw a piece of chalk at him while he was writing on the board. When he turned around, he saw a six foot tall boy who sat at the back of the class laughing, and thought it was he who had thrown a piece of chalk. He ordered the boy to stand up and went to slap him. He was too short to reach the boy’s face. He drew up his sleeves, and stood on the boy’s chair. As he swung his hand, the boy moved away. The intended slap hit the air and Mr. Samuel lost his balance, stumbled and nearly fell down. We were amused, but smothered our laughter with our hands. The tall boy saved the situation by steadying the teacher and saying, “I am sorry, Sir, but I didn’t throw the chalk.” Mr. Samuel went back to the front of the class trying to regain his dignity.
Miss Purham, the History teacher also endured students’ pranks. She was an inexperienced teacher, and lectured rather than taught. The class was bored, and mischievous boys resorted to pranks. She did not know how to cope with them but learnt fast. The worst prank involved bronze inkstands fixed to each desk. The lid moved freely on a hinge. When a student was absent a prankster would fix a thread to the lid at the empty desk such that student sitting in front of the vacant desk could lift and drop the lid. As soon as a lecture became boring the lid would go,” tak-tak-tak, tak-tak-tak” pause, and go again, “tak-tak-tak, tak-tak-tak.” Miss Purham would say, “Stop that nonsense,” and carry on. After a short interval, the tak-tak-tak would recommence. As soon as the teacher put down her notes to investigate the guilty desk, the nearest boy would loosen the thread and it would disappear. Frustrated, Miss Purham would get the class monitor (prefect) to search the pockets of all the possible suspects. The thread, however, was concealed in the trousers of the guilty person. Of course, the monitor knew where it was hiding! After this prank repeated a few times, Miss Purham said, “I am not going to teach since a prankster continues to interrupt me.” The remainder of the period was silent. At the next period, the monitor told her that the prankster had confidentially confessed to him and would stop his prank. Miss Purham asked why he had done it.
The reply was a revelation for her. “Some students find your lectures too long and boring. They would prefer you to stop occasionally for questions and answers.”
She was willing to do that and became popular. Some days or weeks later, the prankster apologised to her and became her favorite student!
Singapore and yet another guardian and new accommodation. 1924. (aged 18-19).
In a lighter vein, I recall an anecdote about Mr. Ho Seng Ong. His brother, Seang Ann, who was my classmate, was the courier between Mr. Ho and the lady he was courting. One day, a classmate stole one of the letters from Seang Ann’s desk, opened and read it to his friends. Seang Ann was both embarrassed and angry but being a passive person did not know what to do. However, the class monitor came to know about it, and after school, he gave the rascal a pair of black eyes.
Mr. Samuel taught Maths, and, although his teaching failed to inspire, he did give me a good grasp of the subject. However, his inability to control naughty students caused much distraction. He was short and thin and did not know how to exercise discipline. He would tolerate too much play and inattention, and suddenly explode in rage, usually against the wrong student. One day, someone threw a piece of chalk at him while he was writing on the board. When he turned around, he saw a six foot tall boy who sat at the back of the class laughing, and thought it was he who had thrown a piece of chalk. He ordered the boy to stand up and went to slap him. He was too short to reach the boy’s face. He drew up his sleeves, and stood on the boy’s chair. As he swung his hand, the boy moved away. The intended slap hit the air and Mr. Samuel lost his balance, stumbled and nearly fell down. We were amused, but smothered our laughter with our hands. The tall boy saved the situati
When the 1923 school year ended, Kumarasingam told me to leave M.B.S. and move to Singapore to live with his brother-in-law, Dr. Subramaniam, and seek admission to Raffles Institution. I was sorry to leave M.B.S. my friends and teachers. I understood why I had to go.
Kumarasingam was a sick man. He had three children. He felt the stress of supporting me, paying for accommodation and food. It would be fair to get a little help from his brother-in-law whom he had helped in earlier days. Although he was only 37, he was in poor health and died later at the premature death at age 44. He had softened towards me. My bitterness towards him had melted away. I felt grateful for his generosity. I understood that his methods of punishment that he doled out to me arose from ignorance of how to coach me. However, he meant well.
Singapore
I travelled by night train in the third class over the recently completed causeway. The last time I had crossed the Straits of Johore was in 1916, and the crossing had been by ferry. As we crossed the causeway, I wondered about the superstitious story in circulation that a few workers were decapitated and their heads thrown into the structure to ward off evil spirits! I arrived at the Newton station that stood on the Dunearn side of the present Newton Circus. I had only a small trunk containing my clothes and books. I would have gone on foot, carrying my meagre luggage, if I had known the way. Not knowing how to reach the Doctors’ house, which was in a block of three, two-storied terrace houses in the Tan Tock Seng Hospital compound, I hired a rickshaw to get there. Ratnasabapathy welcomed me.
It was a large house with spacious bedrooms on the first floor, spacious lounge and dining rooms on the ground floor. Retnasabapathy and I shared a room, while another was reserved for Dr. Chan Jim Swee, who arrived shortly. Across the road were two lawn tennis courts. I joined Retnasabapathy to learn to play tennis. I managed to resist the temptation to go to the Lanka Union, later renamed Ceylon Sports Club, to play cricket but went for a few practices. I wanted to concentrate on my studies Chan Jim Swee, the third boarder, was a simple, humble doctor who had the knack of spotting an illness and treating a patient effectively. We became very fond of each other, and he was one of my best friends. We played tennis together and he treated me for flu even before I could feel that I was going to be ill. More about him later on.
Raffles Institution: Admission (1924)
I found my way to Raffles Institution (R.I.) by walking to the junction of Rangoon and Serangoon Roads, hopping on a tram that trundled noisily passing rickshaws, bullock carts, cyclists and pedestrians and arrived at the junction of Bras Basah and North Bridge Roads. From here, I wended my way to the school office. I was nervous thinking of the possibility that Raffles Institution would deny me admission because I had been a repeat student for the Junior Cambridge examination.
The kindly eye and welcoming smile of Mr. Bishop, the Principal, put me at ease and I gave him the envelope containing my MBS certificate and letter. Mr. Bishop gave me a note and sent me to the school clerk, Mr. Tan Kim Yong. My great relief at getting ready admission soon gave way to horror. I learnt that I would have to study Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Latin with students who had been studying them for three years and I would have to start from scratch. The subjects I had been studying at the MBS, namely, Religious Knowledge, Bookkeeping, and Geometrical Drawing were not in the curriculum. The Physics teacher had retired, and his replacement would arrive only in May or June after graduating from the University of Hong Kong.
The school was looking for a new Biology teacher and there was no teacher for Hygiene! I felt I had been a fool to seek admission to R.I. assuming that all schools taught the same subjects. I did not have the courage to return to Mr. Bishop, confess my predicament, and request a transfer to another school such as the Anglo Chinese School (ACS) or St. Joseph’s Institution. I decided to do the best I could to cope with my situation.
Directed by Kim Yon, I bought the new textbooks. While awaiting the start of the school term, I read the three Literature texts, revised my Junior History, Geography and Maths. I tried reading the Science text books but did not understanding anything and put them away.
Senior ‘B’ class in Raffles Institution: most teachers failed to inspire
In January 1924, I entered Senior ‘B’, a class of 30. Our classroom was in the first half of the room at the Stamford Road end of the building on the first floor. A door opened from our half of the room to other half of which housed the Senior ‘A’ class. The Senior ‘A’ class had windows on two sides whereas our half had windows only behind us. Senior ‘A’ had star pupils like David Marshall (who later became the first Chief Minister of Singapore) and G.E.N. Oehlers (who became the Speaker of the House), whereas the Senior ‘B’ had only minor stars.
In January and February, we had two good teachers of English and Literature, R.F. Gunn and J.B. Carr, who whetted or appetite for the subjects, but soon another teacher took over. He who was a disaster and killed our interest. He did not mark and return our essays and comprehension questions. He merely read from textbooks such as Henry V, and Burke, and covered only a few pages of A Tale of Two Cities. We greatly envied the ‘A’ class who had Cobb who really taught, discussing the textbooks with his class and going over questions and answers. We could also hear him discussing topics for essay writing and telling how some of the pupils could have done better. Fortunately, I had learnt from Dr. Proebstel how to approach the study of Literature, and how to write essays by splitting an essay topic into sub topics and write paragraphs. Our Maths teacher was fresh from Madras and had no teaching experience. He set us loads of homework, but did not notice if we failed to do some of it. He spent much of the teaching period working out on the board the sums that we said were too difficult for us. He had not understood the best thing to do would have been to teach us the basics and their application.
Mr. Baker, our teacher for History and Geography, seemed to think that the ‘B’ class was for ‘bodohs’ (the unintelligent) who were not worth teaching. He taught the ‘A’ class conscientiously. However, for us, his practice was to instruct us to read some pages of our texts while he went to Raffles Hotel, which was across Bras Basah Road for his morning (drink) stimulant! He then would return to the staff room in front of our classroom, and lie in an easy chair waiting for his “stimulant” to stir up his physical and mental powers. This went on until the mid-year tests showed that almost all of us had failed both subjects. The Principal did a postmortem with the whole class. Since I was notoriously “long tongued”, the class appointed me spokesperson. With a racing heart, my tongue almost frozen, I managed to stutter out how Mr. Baker neglected us and took trips to Raffles Hotel and the easy chair. The Principal asked how we knew where Mr. Baker went. Pillay, another “long tongued” guy, said he had trailed Mr. Baker a few times. We returned to our classroom. After that, Baker gave us some fast-paced lectures. I relied much on revising the notes I had on the two subjects from the MBS and supplemented them as best as I could. The science subjects were foreign to me, and I decided not to waste any time on them. I tried very hard to cope with Latin because Cobb was sympathetic and tried to help by making me go back to the beginning of the subject. I thought I had a chance to obtain a pass, but questions I had guessed on Horace and Cicero did not come up. I failed Latin.
Premier school?
I used to wonder how R.I. could be regarded as a premier school when some teachers were so useless. It did not occur to me then, that R.I. was the only school teaching Science, and some of the best pupils came there on transfer from other schools. In addition, several non-Christian parents preferred their children to be educated at a non-denominational school. Moreover, the “trained teachers” at R.I., who formed the bulk of the staff, were the cream of the locally qualified teachers in government schools. “Trained teachers” are those attended teacher training but did not go to university. Some trained teachers were more dedicated than graduate-teachers. Later, I learnt that the non-graduate teachers were men of high intellectual fiber. In their days, local university did not exist, and they did not have the means to go abroad for higher studies. They were very conscientious, and believed in giving their entire energies to teaching. They would not spend part of their time and energies on preparing for correspondence courses leading to external degrees.
I remained focused on studies and avoid sporting activities
During my year at R.I. I was determined to pass the School Leaving Certificate examination. I resisted my inclination to participate in extra-curricular activities except debates and athletics on Sports Day. My refusal to play cricket and hockey earned the displeasure of Oehlers, who was the House Captain. He tried his best to persuade me to play for the House, and even complained to the House Master, Cobb. I told Cobb why I had to concentrate on my studies and promised to participate in the half- and one-mile races during the Annual Sports Day. On Sports Day, however, I had the flu. I withdrew from the half-mile but took part in the mile race. I was far behind at the half way mark when the spectators jeered at me. That stung me, and in spite of my fever, I put in all I had in the remaining part of the race and came in third only to collapse into Cobb’s arms who knew that I was ill and had run to keep my promise. He carried me with the help of some boys to the canteen. When I recovered consciousness, he paid a cab to send me home.
New skills and insights
A new skill I picked up was debating. I agreed to participate in debates against Marshall not because I thought I was his equal. Even Oehlers, would not take him on. I was not ashamed at losing every time we debated, but I felt pleased at gaining experience that helped reduce my nervousness and build confidence to stand up and speak at meetings. Consequently, in later years I could stand up and speak my mind. I am grateful for the debating experience at R.I., which laid the foundation for success. For example, this confidence stood me in good stead, when in the post war (World War II) years when I presented the case on behalf of all civil servants to receive for Back Pay for the Japanese Occupation period. We appeared before the Governor of Singapore and members of the Executive Council of Singapore. When I started answering questions from the officials the Governor asked me irrelevantly “Mr. Ambiavagar, I believe you are a Jaffna Tamil?”
I had the presence of mind to say, “Yes, Sir, but I don’t see what that has to do with our appeal for Back Pay?”
The laughter from the Executive Councilors gave me the courage to answer all subsequent questions that were fired at me. Anyway, we did get the back pay.
When the school certificate results came, half the B class had failed. I had passed!
However, I probably would have scored higher grades if I had been at A.C.S. where I would have done subjects that were more familiar and been taught by teachers who were more caring. The years’ experience forced me to stand on my own feet in studies had cultivated my will to succeed.
I also gained some useful lessons from failing. One such lesson was from boxing in which I had a high opinion of my prowess. One day, I was talking about my boxing in Kuala Lumpur and a classmate invited me to his house in Paya Lebar saying that he was also a boxer. I went to his place not knowing that he was the amateur mosquito weight champion of Singapore! In the boxing ring, he flew about me like a mosquito and stung me all over my face and stomach. In the three rounds we had, I managed to hit him only once. I am he could have knocked me out but had refrained from doing so because he was too much of a sportsman! That boxing lesson made me painfully aware that I was no good at boxing and that it was no fun being a punching bag for others!
I remember a few staff in R.I.
A few staff in R.I. left strong and lasting impressions on my memory. Mr. Bishop walked to his office with his newspapers, a tin of cigarettes and a matchbox and stayed there throughout the school day. I heard that he was very kind hearted and generous. He bailed out two teachers who were indebted to moneylenders who harassed them on their paydays. He never caned pupils but I do not know whether he hauled up teachers.
R.I had a strong cricket team, and four staff members Jacobs, Balhetchet, T.E.K. Retnam and T.A. Chunchie were in the Singapore State team. A ridiculous rivalry between two staff member remains in my memory. One of them (Mr. A) sent a note to the other (Mr. B) via a student requesting a number of students to attend House practice. On receiving the note, Mr. B. chased the student away. As a result, Mr. A. went to Mr. B’s laboratory, shouted at him and chased him around the table to punch him. The outcome of that was Mr. A had to apologise and was transferred to a Malayan school at the end of the year.
My long-lost father
An interesting event happened during my stay in Singapore. My second stepbrother Arunasalam was a clerk in a commercial firm when I arrived in Singapore. I used to visit him occasionally. On one occasion, he told me that my father had visited him making enquiries about me. He had waited at the gate to the hospital just to catch sight of me. I was very hurt by this revelation. At that time, I did not understand that he might have been concerned about my welfare and perhaps avoided meeting me for fear of rude rejection. Not long afterwards, I heard from another friend that my father had gone away to India and had made him promise not to give his address to anyone including me. Thus, he disappeared from my life and that of all his kith and kin!