"You have cancer." No one wants to hear those three words. Especially not twice. To say Karen Norton was 'Overwhelmed' when she first heard she had breast cancer is an understatement. As a wife, a mom to two young girls, and a part-time music pastor supporting her family, she already had enough on her plate. But then came those three ominous words.
'Overwhelmed' is a journey of one woman's life of health issues that seemed would never end. Would her world ever be the same again? Would she survive? Could she ever be the person God wanted her to be in this life? Would she continue to struggle with health issues and the emotions related to the changes? Would she understand why God tested her with health issues?
IPOH, August 18 2008 - In a remarkable display of alma mater loyalty, Ipoh’s Anderson School in collaboration with its Parents & Teachers Association (PTA) and the Old Andersonians’ Club (OAC) launched an unprecedented ‘School Charter Day’ to once and for all cement its long-standing legacy leading up to its 2009 Centennial Celebrations Year.
PHOTO ESSAY
Launching a School Legacy for All Time
Ipoh’s AndersonSchool seals its traditions before its own adoring crowd
Khen Lim, Zone-10 Global
IPOH, August 18 2008 - In a remarkable display of alma mater loyalty, Ipoh’s Anderson School in collaboration with its Parents & Teachers Association (PTA) and the Old Andersonians’ Club (OAC) launched an unprecedented ‘School Charter Day’ to once and for all cement its long-standing legacy leading up to its 2009 Centennial Celebrations Year.
P8152238 – The completed signatures memorialised on the official Anderson School Charter
Former Perak Chief Minister, Y.B. Dato’ Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli including school principal as well as OAC President Dato’ Dr Anwar Hassan and the PTA’s Haji Isa bin Zainal Abidin put their names on to the charter as a pledge to maintain Anderson School’s original school icons including its crest, school tie, official anthem (including lyrics) and flag.
An event like this is as rare as finding a gold-paved road anywhere in the world. In Malaysia no less, a school that is approaching a century of academic and sporting excellence started from humble underpinnings and had notched up some of the most remarkable testimonies including the clinching of some of the most prestigious hockey titles in Asia. Anderson School and its staff and students, this morning, bore witness to an hour of very memorable undertakings that would restore its glory days and if the organisers have things their way, these changes will stay for another millennium.
(L-R) P8152274 – Dato’ Seri Hilmi addressing the school; P8152194 – Dato’ Tajol Rosli banters with the school staff members
Amidst the pomp and circumstance, two of the most successful ‘sons of Anderson’ took their places at the rostrum. Dato’ Seri Tajol Rosli spoke of what the next hundred years would be like and the importance of placing one’s mark in their lives as a true Andersonian. Words resonate as to what these possibilities might be – perhaps another outstanding sportsperson, a renown scientist, a great political leader or even an environmentalist that could bring relief to a threatened and endangered world.
The highlight of Datuk Seri Hilmi’s address was the school’s successful bid in re-securing the former principal’s residence from the State Education Department after eight years as the ‘Perak Education Gallery.’ In that time, it is understood that the school was in dire need for additional building space – space that the Gallery could have provided easily. Plans are now afoot in transforming it into Anderson School’s new library-cum-gallery as due recognition for its past achievements and to provide easier accessibility to the students.
(L-R) P8152209 – Dato Tajol Rosli changing the school tie on a student, P8152185 – The official logo to the Anderson School Centennial Celebrations 1909 – 2009
For the Anderson School, it was very much a “new old” look for its famous icons. Its ‘new’ school crest saw the return of the E.R. crown perched atop the iconic Andersonian tiger resplendent in its regal blue. The school tie, after weathering through several irreverent iterations is now back to its traditional Eton-esque thin blue stripes set against a white background. As the ex-Chief Minister was helping three Andersonian students to swap the old for the new tradition, it felt very much like a change of guard.
(L-R) P8152135 – AndersonSchool’s choir sings the school anthem in English for the first time, P8152290 – Students sharing the English lyrics to the school anthem
Having been ‘lost’ for decades, Anderson School’s original anthem lyrics were sung for the first time in English by its student choir like a ‘coming home’ of sorts. Its re-emergence was a stirring moment for those who have not heard it sung this way for decades. It was interesting – perhaps amusing – to see some students in the crowd clutching on to scrap pieces of papers coping with this whole new idea of singing in English.
(L-R) P8152252 – The school military and scout leaders unfurl the new AndersonSchool flag before hoisting it (P8152262)
The flag-raising ceremony initiated by the ex-Chief Minister combined the disciplined precision of the school’s elite societies with a representative each from the scout, military cadet movements. With one at each corner, the tradition of passing the flag, unfolding and hoisting was perfectly executed and a joy to watch. And as the Anderson School flag was unfurled and raised, the breeze carried it in its gust as if to grace a brand new era of excitement, excellence and recognition.
Events under the Anderson School Centennial Celebrations 1909-2009 are exclusively covered by the photographers of Zone-10 Asia including the publication of the Centennial Memoirs book
Last Updated ( Nov 21, 2009 at 05:01 PM )
http://zone-10.com/cmsm, Copyright 2011, Kenneth E Norton, Zone-10.com and Image66media
