School Rally: St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh

For those who noticed, most La Sallian schools in Malaysia share the same school rally. There may be some differences in words but overall the song and tune is the same.

According to the La Salle College Old Boys Association, a research was conducted by Mark Huang in 2003, stated that, based on Brother Herman Fenton, the oldest surviving Christian Brother, the lyrics of the School Song was written by Brother Marcian James (1869 - 1938).

Bro. Cassian Brigant OBE

To believe, the origin of the melody was supplied by Brother Cassian Brigant OBE, Principal of La Salle College (1946 - 1947) and that it is a French martial air.

Bro Marcian wrote numbers of school rallies for various Christian Brothers schools, St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh; St. Francis Institution, Malacca; St. Joseph's College, HK; La Salle College's School Song, and even most of the La Salle Schools' in Asia.

In St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh, Bro Marcian was known as the one who composed the lyrics and tune of our school song, 'All through Our College'. It said the song was drawn from an ancient Irish Song.

Below are some of the Bro. Marcian's works on School Rally...

St. Michael Institution, Ipoh, Malaysia

All through our College a voice is resounding
Promptly respond to your duty's sweet call!
Harken you all for the trumpet is sounding
Your Mater's proclaiming her watchword to all

Forward my children dear!
Ever with heart sincere
Render with joy to your Mater her due
All that is vile reject; Heaven will e'er protect,
Sons of St. Michael's valiant and true.

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St. Xavier's Institution, Penang, Malaysia

All through our college a voice is resounding,
Promptly respond to your duty's sweet call,
Hearken you all for the trumpet is sounding,
Your mater's proclaiming her watchwords to all

(Chorus)
Forward her children dear,
Ever with hearts sincere,
Render with joy to your mater her due,
All that is vile reject; Heaven will e'er protect,
Sons of St Xavier's valiant and true,

Labour will conquer your motto still bearing,
Forward with courage in ways that are just,
True to your standard, be doing and daring,
As faithful Xaverians in Heaven your trust (Chorus)

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St. Joseph's College, Hong Kong & Singapore

All through our College a voice is resounding,
Promptly respond to your duty's clear call.
Harken you all for the trumpet is sounding,
Your Mater's proclaiming her watchword to all. (Chorus)

(Chorus)
Forward, not flinch nor fear,
Ever with heart sincere,
Render with joy to your Mater her due;
All that is vile reject; Heaven will e'er protect,
Sons of St. Joseph's valiant and true.

Labour and Virtue your motto still bearing,
Forward with courage in ways that are just
True to your standard be doing and daring,
As faithful Josephians in Heaven you trust. (Chorus)

Onward and upward in life's earnest battle,
Joyously bearing the brunt of the fight,
Nobly forgiving for aught that may pain you,
And bravely defending the cause of the right. (Chorus)

Lift up your hearts for a Kingdom awaits you,
Honour and Virtue with courage defend;
Serve Him in life, who in death can reward you,
And vow to be faithful and true to the end. (Chorus)

Source: La Salle College Old Boys Association & The Franciscans Online Web Community

Main Convent and St. Michael's: The Missing Link

Main Convent, Ipoh (Before repaint)

Main Convent, Ipoh has always had a traditional strong link with St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh. Convent girls study form 6 in SMI. Perhaps, the main reason is because both MC and SMI are missionary schools under the same faith, the Roman Catholics. There are also many couples from this both schools got married and are now living happily ever after in their far away land.

Other than that, MC and SMI are indeed linked in many aspects.

Badminton Court

Spiral Stair

During the 2nd World War (WWII), SMI was made the Administrative Centre and renamed Perak Shu Seicho. Class rooms were used as office for the Japanese officers. The La Salle Brothers managed to salvage some of the furniture in SMI before the occupation and they were temporarily stored in MC.

Walkway to Main Hall

The tiles used in one of the walkways in MC were imported from Marseilles, France. If you take a look on the underside of the walkway, the manufacturers name and place is still visible. SMI used to cover the roof with the same tiles from Marseilles. However, the recent roof replacement has changed them with new tiles made locally. Pictures below, spot the differences.

SMI (Before)

SMI (After)

Leads from Lower Hall to Classroom

Besides, rumour has it that there is an underground tunnel that links SMI to MC. The Brothers used this tunnel to carry the furniture to MC during WWII. Some said the entrance of the tunnel in SMI is below the stage in the school hall. However, no one has ever proved its existence. Whether or not the tunnel is true will have to be discovered by archeologist cum thrill seeker like Harrison Ford.



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Related post:

1. Main Convent, Ipoh (Part I).

Colossus of St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh

St. John Baptist de La Salle

As mentioned in the previous entry, St. Michael's Institution is one of the La Sallian schools in the world. Being part of the rich La Sallian heritage, SMI honours the beloved founder St. John Baptist de La Salle by dedicating a niche to the founder.

Bronze-toned statue

On one of the projected gables lies the statue of St. John Baptist de La Salle. It is a bronze-toned, cast-iron statue of St. John Baptist de La Salle with one child holding a book by his side, a symbolic gesture of St. John Baptist de La Salle being the heavenly patron of all school teachers.

St. John Baptist de La Salle statue

A same replica of St. John Baptist de La Salle in Manhattan College, Riverdale, NY.

Saint Michael the Archangel

St. Michael's Institution is named after an angel who is honoured in both Christian and Islamic tradition, Saint Michael the Archangel. He is one of the principal angels in Christian and Islamic tradition. He is viewed as the field commander of the Army of God.

St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh

The other projected gable occupies the patron saint of SMI, Saint Michael the Archangle.

Saint Michael the Archangel statue

A similar statue of Saint Michael in St. Michael The Archangel Catholic Church, Convent, LA.

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Related post:

1. St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh (Part I).
2. St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh (Part II).
3. Gothic Revival: St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh.

Gothic Revival: St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh

St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh

Many who admire St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh would definitely agree that she resembles a cathedral rather than a school.

Once a KL friend of mine was lost in Ipoh and she called me. When I asked for her landmarks, she said "I'm next to a big church in front of Padang Ipoh". Obviously she was referring to our beloved alma mater, SMI.

SMI resembles old cathedrals of that in the European countries because she adopts the neo-Gothic design. Neo-Gothic style, also known as Gothic Revival, derives from the Middle Ages. Taken as it is from Gothic churches, neo-Gothic evokes a kind of permanence and solemnity.

There are several world landmark buildings which adopt neo-Gothic architecture. Among them are Palace of Westminster, London (Houses of Parliament), Christ Church, Oxford; Saint Clotilde Basilica, Paris; and closer to home, St. Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore.

Palace of Westminster, London

Christ Church, Oxford

Saint Clotilde Basilica, Paris

St. Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore

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Related post:

1. St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh (Part I).
2. St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh (Part II).

St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh (Part II)

Night view of St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh

The present Gothic cathedral-looking St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh was designed and built during the era of Brother Vernier Augustus (1921-1926).

Brother Augustus is also credited with the designing of St. John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur, and the chapel of St. Francis' Institution, Malacca.

St. John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur

Chapel of St. Francis' Institution, Malacca

Completed in 1923, the cost of this SMI was $200 000 (roughly RM7.5 million today) and it was paid mainly out of the Brothers' 60 years of savings.

Over the years, SMI went through series of expansion and today, with 177 meters long facade, SMI has one of the longest school frontages in Perak (and probably in Malaysia too).

SMI Cafeteria

A Catholic high school in the Lasallian tradition, SMI has been one of the premier boy schools in the country which still advocates the philosophy of De La Salle.

Believe it or not...

While most Malaysian schools are practising streaming (allocation of class based on exam results aka number of As...sigh..) today, SMI never streams her students. All classes have equal number of good and average students.

SMI still believes in wholesome development and equality in God's creation.

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Related post:

1. St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh (Part I).

St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh (Part I)

St. Michael's Institution

Looking across the Padang Ipoh, situated along Jalan SP Seenivasagam (formerly Clayton Road), St. Michael's Institution (SMI) was the place where Palohchai and littlecicak were educated. Littlecicak may only be in SMI for 5 years but for Palohchai, this had been the second home since Standard 1 until Form 6.

St. John Baptist de La Salle

We are proud to tell that our alma mater (nourishing mother) is a member of the world wide Lasallian Brothers Catholic schools, a community initiated by a French education revolutionist named St. John Baptist de La Salle.

Brief history of St. Michael's Institution.

The Brothers

SMI was formed in 1912 when Reverend Father J.B., Coppin, the priest of St. Michael's Church, convinced Brother Visitor James Byrne to start a boy school in Ipoh. Brother Byrne bought the school site for $6000 in Kampung Pisang.

Badminton Court

Entrance to the School Hall

The first class of SMI began on a rainy morning in December 1912, with 37 pupils in a small Malay house surrounded by coconut palms. SMI started with older boys and boys rejected or expelled from other schools.

Very Clean Washroom

Landscape in SMI

Such is the philosophy of de La Salle where everyone is the same in the eyes of God that none should be denied from education opportunity.

Basketball Court

Did you know...?

St. John Baptist de La Salle statue in St. Peter's Basilica

The Catholic Church bestowed on de La Salle in 1950 - heavenly patron of all school teachers.

Kampung Pisang had ceased to exist as Ipoh developed into a city.