Come this
21st October and our Alma Mater will celebrate the
190th Anniversary of Her founding. For a school with the greatest and longest tradition in this part of the world, this day is cele
brated with Her annual
Founders Day cum Speech Day with all the pomp and pageantry. The person who was credited with leading the idea of setting up such a school was
Reverend Sparke Hutchings and the proposal was forwarded to the Governor of the then Prince of Wales Island in 1815.
I come to an understanding that many people failed to realize that the date
21st October 1816 was actually chosen to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the founding of the Penang Island and the death of the founder of the
Prince of Wales Island,
Sir Francis Light who died on
21st October 1794. For many Old Frees, nostalgia strikes sudden and hard memories will rush back through the years to October 21st, a day mellowed with age, a timeless repetition of history; the simple ceremony at our Founders tomb in early dawn, attended by selected few; the smart parade on the field, the grand ceremony in the Great Hall, all these will have pleasantly surprised
Rev. Hutchings.
Looking back, realization steps in - rich in tradition, our Alma Mater's legacy of academic and cocurricular excellence is reputably and arguably
one of the nation's best but the question is:
Are we just going to live in yesterday's glory and forget about the future? And have we become complacent? Do we still think that we are the supreme in the field of sports and games? Are we the best in the academic field? Does the PFS Scouting Movement still dominates the Scouting Community in the Island? We should seek new frontiers and never once should we allow petty fears to hold us back. Resting on our laurels has never been a School Tradition and never shall be.
All Frees must constantly strive to improve themselves and live up to the high standards and ideals of the School.
Penang Free School has existed for nearly 2 centuries now
(200 years!!) and there is no doubt it is recognized all around the world as an established world class institution.
In spite of the many changes and reformation to the School under the previous and new stewardships of our Principals, one thing steadfastly still remains; the excellence and the students incessant appetite to be the
creme de la creme. Yet, you can not deny the fact the standards of this School has decline tremendously. It is not that we do not produce anymore excellent scholars but just that number has dwindled. People might wonder, whether this School will be able to survive by the time it celebrates its
Bi Centennial celebration
21st October 2016.
So this year, the
Grand Old Lady turns
190 whereas our
Group turns
45. It is true that the
Scouting Movement had evolved with the time as we can see the standards and the interest towards Scouting has drop badly. Thus, we should not just wait and ponder on what will be of
the Group and
the School for the future to come, but we should strive hard and dedicate our body, mind and soul to reinstate our former glory as the
once prestigious Sea Scout Group from the
Penang Free School Scouting Movement. As for
the School, the
Penang Free School stands on the threshold of a new era, the
Frees of the day should continue their predecessors domination and majestic reign and the legacy of the
Grand Old Lady with a sense of pride. To those that will be leaving the School, keep the
School Motto deeply embedded in your soul, be
Strong and Faithful. Lastly, I would like to wish all
Frees,
Happy 190th Anniversary Free School, our School.
Fortis Atque Fidelis
*this post was compiled and edited
from various sources regarding the
School for your reading pleaures*
