The St Michael's Institution, along Jalan S.P. Seenivasagam (formerly Clayton Road), is one of the best schoools in Ipoh as well as in Malaysia. Within the grounds of the St Michael's Institution, which is the secondary school, is the St Michael's Primary School.
Like many schools started during colonial-era Malaya, the St Michael's Institution was founded by missionaries, in this case De La Salle Christian Brothers, who are also responsible for St Xavier's Institution in Penang and St Joseph's Institution in Singapore.
St Michael's Institution, Ipoh.
St Michael's Institution had its humble beginnings in a small bungalow after the Reverend Father J.B. Coppin of St Micheal's Church managed to acquire a piece of land in Kampung Pisang and had a bunglow built on it to function as a school. For the use of the students and teachers, a well was also dug beside the structure.
On a rainy morning on 4 December 1912, St Michael's Institution started with 37 students housed in that small bungalow. Father Coppin gave his all to ensure that his young school survive. He was greatly helped by Brother James. Under the stewardship of Brother Augustus, St Michael's Institution received its proper building. The new building was designed by Brother Vernier Auguste. It was in Gothic vernacular style with strong horizontal lines balanced by verticle gabled projections. It was indeed to be the most magnificent building in Ipoh, with an overall length of 177 meters.
Major C.W.C Parr, the British Resident in Perak, laid the foundation stone to the St Michael's Institution. Father Coppin blessed the finished building on 15 May 23, which is the Feast Day of St Jean-Baptist De La Salle, the founder of De La Salle Christian Brothers movement and patron saint of teachers.
The building is very well designed to suit a place of learning. The structure has a east-west orientation so that the movement of the sun across the sky will not disturb classes. (This is quite annoying to me, as a photographer, as I couldn't find the best time when the sun illuminates the front façade!) To minimise disturbance from outside, the classroom doors are positioned in such a way that any boy seated near the door could only see the veranda and no further. The rooms on the top of the building, where the Brothers had their quarters, command a gorgeous view of the surrounding hills.
The cost of the building was $200,000. and this was raised by the Brothers without accepting any government grants, as these would come with strings attached. Brother Patrick was responsible for the school extension, including the construction of the Chapel, Hall and Science laboratory.
As with all other institutions, the St Michael's had its share of disruptions during the Japanese Occupation. It was used as an army hospital, headquarters of the Japanese government in Perak, police department and treasury. The first classroom on the ground floor even functioned as a telephone exchange. Only after the war has ended did things return to normal, and classes resumed on 24 September 1945.
Over the years, the St Michael's Institution has kept up with the times, undergone numerous renovations and maintenance work, and above all, maintained itself as the premier school for Ipoh.
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