In a recent post, I told tale of headmasterial canings at The Victoria Institution, Malaysia’s leading school. Another fascinating episode comes to light in the 1950 edition of the school magazine, touching the heart of one of my recurrent fantasies.
I sat in the headmaster’s office alone, trying to calm myself, when the headmaster came in and said; “You are accepted into the School”.
“Thank you sir.” I replied.
“Well, you will be the only girl among nine-hundred boys here”, he said with a smile.
“I – I don’t mind, sir,” I stammered uncertainly.
…Just then, the bell rang for the interval and immediately, the corridor was filled with the sounds of heavy footsteps, droning voices and laughter. How I wished I could hide in the office then! In spite of my mounting fears, I managed to get myself into the library, where a host of eyes stared at me alarmingly from every direction. Since this was the first time in the history of the V.I. that a girl was enrolled as a student, the news soon spread, like wild fire, through the School.
Oh, how I wonder whether she had to make a return trip to the Headmaster’s office!