Anglo Chinese (Methodist) School, Sitiawan

from Wikipedia

ACS (Meth) or Anglo Chinese (Methodist) School was founded on March 1, 1886 by Bishop William Fitzjames Oldham, as an extension of the Methodist Church. Its first location was a dilapidated shophouse at 70 Amoy Street with a total of 13 pupils. The name of the school came from the fact that it conducted lessons in English in the mornings and Chinese in the afternoons. By the following year, enrollment had increased to 104, and the school moved to Coleman Street. Within the next three years, its student population increased to 300.

Between 1914 and 1920, under the leadership of the Reverend J S Nagle, the school introduced regular religious (or "chapel") services and physical education classes. Afternoon classes were also established for academically-weaker pupils. In a bid to ensure continuity in school life and keep the school adequately staffed, Nagel encouraged ex-students, known as old boys, to return to the school as teachers. To this day, the Anglo-Chinese School Old Boys' Association is a link through which many old boys continue to keep close ties to the school. The Anglo-Chinese Continuation School was started by the new principal, the Reverend P L Peach, in 1925, for students who had to leave the school due to the newly imposed age limits on school-going boys by the government. Eventually, ACS was renamed the Oldham Methodist School. A secondary school was opened at Cairnhill Road.

Anglo-Chinese Schools of Malaysia

The Anglo-Chinese Schools of Malaysia were founded as independent entities, sharing neither motto, school arms, nor anthem with the first ACS in Singapore. However, a common Methodist identity links all the Methodist schools of Singapore and Malaysia.

There are 6 ACS (Meth) in Malaysia - Klang, Ipoh, Kampar, Sitiawan, Seremban and Melaka

The Anglo Chinese School (A.C.S.) Sitiawan

Extracted from www.acssitiawan.edu.my/about/

ACS Sitiawan has a rich history, from the day when the first brick was laid to our modern day school, which has been cerfitied as a 5 star school by the Ministry of Education. Our school is famous for it's academic performance and also for our co-curicullar activities, such as our Majestic Band and hardy Scout Troop.

The Anglo-Chinese School (A.C.S.) Sitiawan, began in 1903. It started as an orphanage with four orphans brought in from Singapore by Rev. B.F. Van Dyke, a missionary appointed to this area. It was then called the Industrial School, Sitiawan. It was originally located at the site where the present Chung Hwa Association Building now stands. It was only a small hut with atap roof. Later a wooden building was erected opposite the Pioneer Methodist Church where the present bus bay is situated.

In 1910 Dr. Shellabear designed and built what was intended to be a permanent orphanage. In 1916 Rev W.E. Horley, a missionary in Ipoh changed the name Industrial School Sitiawan to Anglo-Chinese School Sitiawan. By 1926 the number of pupils had increased to 270 and girls were admitted from 1927.

In 1931, Rev D.P. Coole, the Principal then, built two blocks of building consisting of four classrooms, a staff room and a hall with only pillars and a roof over it. The hall (the present A.C.S. Primary School Hall) was only completed in 1938 by Rev. Eugene McGraw who took over as Principal.

During the Japanese Occupation, A.C.S. was used by the Japanese for teaching the Japanese language. After the War, A.C.S. Sitiawan was rehabilitated and in 1947, the first SCHOOL CERTIFICATE class was started and followed by the SPECIAL MALAY CLASS in 1949. In 1950, four more classrooms was being added.

The Government allocated RM10,000 and together with the RM10,000 collected from the public and staff, the Gong Diong Chang Memorial Building was completed in December 1953. In 1953, the school became a centre for the School Certificate Examination for the first time. In 1956, at the cost of RM12,000, a Home Science Room and a Woodwork Workshop were built. In the same year, three more classrooms and a new toilet were added. In 1958, the administration of the Primary and the Secondary sections of the school were separated into two entities. In 1961, a double storey building was constructed which was to house a library, an office, a typing-room and a dark-room for the processing of photography. Dato Dr. Ling Sing Hang, DPMP, J.P. was appointed as new Chairman of the Board of Governors.

In 1963, the school celebrated its Diamond Jubilee Anniversary. In conjunction with the celebration four more classrooms and a science laboratory were added. In 1973, a 3-storey building was added. This was to house three more science laboratories. In the same year, the Lower Science Class was started with 24 pupils. In 1976, the A.C.S. Hall II was builted which housed the present Library and a needle-work room. In 1977, the Form Six Arts classes were started. In 1986, a row of old classrooms were demolished to make way for a double storey building which accomodated twenty-one classes and a P.E. room. The school became a single-session school the following year as a result of it.

In 1993, A.C.S. Sitiawan celebrated her Ninetieth Anniversary with much Fanfare.

1997, marked an important point of the history of A.C.S. Sitiawan. We have connected up with the rest of the world through our CyberLab. From this point on, the learning experience of her pupils will be changed forever as we launched our SMART SCHOOL CONCEPT in line with the National Aspiration of our beloved country Malaysia. A.C.S. Sitiawan has successfully constructed her first robot. Thus, her pupils, stood poised to face the 21st Century with confidence. Of course, in 1997, A.C.S. Sitiawan stood, poised, with her NEW FACADE to usher in her Centenary in 2003.