A group of 77-year-olds gathered for their 60th reunion dinner in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, reminiscing about their memorable school days.
The 26 former students of SMK Assunta who completed their Form Five education in 1966, have kept in touch with one another over the years.
Penny Soh said she grew up in Section 1, also known as Petaling Jaya Old Town.
She said her adoptive father came to then Malaya alone from China at the age of 14 and worked in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur.
“During British rule, Petaling Jaya was formed and our family was told to move to Section 1, Petaling Jaya.
“Among the first few schools in the neighbourhood at the time were Assunta Primary, followed by Assunta Secondary and Madeline Kindergarten.
“Most of us cycled to school because we all lived in Petaling Jaya. Each class had about 40 students,” said Soh.
She recalled her school days fondly and enjoyed sports such as basketball and netball.
She dreamed of pursuing a university education but her family was conservative and her father was not supportive of girls continuing their studies.
“There wasn’t much opportunity to further my studies, although I would have loved to,” she said, adding that she was grateful for the opportunity to study at the school and proud to be known as an Assuntarian.
After school, she decided on a career path.
“I had some money saved from ang pow I received during Chinese New Year.
“I used it to attend a secretarial course and went on to become a secretary,” she said.
Her former schoolmate Karen Ho kept the contact details of many of her peers, making it easier to organise reunions.
Ho said the passing of many former schoolmates had made their reunions over the years bittersweet.
However, she said they remained meaningful opportunities to remember those they had lost, as well as reconnect with one another.
The former classmates also shared details about their current lives.
“It can be sad, as some have partners who live in care homes,” she said.
Speaking about her childhood and school days, Ho recalled the simple pleasures of growing up in Section 1.
“We could buy a bowl of curry laksa or char kuey teow for just 30sen.
“We would bring our own eggs to eat with it to keep the cost lower,” said Ho, who was an office administrator.
The girls also played games such as spider fights, a traditional pastime of catching and pitting male spiders against one another.
They also made toys from flattened bottle caps and strings.
“Shaved ice balls coated with Sarsi and syrup are an unforgettable snack for us.
“We would share them among ourselves and they cost just 10sen.
“We fostered a lot of strong friendships, and they have lasted over the decades,” said Ho.
