SJI Drama Team - 'A Brother's Promise' Fulfills Its Oath to SJI

SJI DRAMA TEAM

'A Brother's Promise' - that was the title of the drama St. John's presented to Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur during the State Drama Competition, held on August 21st, in our school hall. This year, a total of 14 schools from various parts of Kuala Lumpur participated in this day-long event. St. John's was the seventh school to perform on that day.

VIDEO @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr_3-6vfzuY&feature=youtu.be

At 11.20am, members of the staff flocked the hall to watch our boys take the stage and see for themselves what we, school  007, have got to offer. The 30-minute play was viewed by the audience very attentively, with laughter heard whenever a funny scene takes place. It was a very energetic and expressive performance, from the beginning right to the very end, with the actors fully embracing their roles.

Finally, the moment of truth came - the prize-giving ceremony. It was a moment of maximum intensity, as the crown of Kuala Lumpur drama king is on the line. Then, the magic phrase comes along.

"Pemenang pertandingan drama Bahasa Inggeris Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur jatuh kepada sekolah 0....0....7". For a brief moment, there was pin drop silence. The next, our actors were jumping sky high and hurriedly headed to the stage. And so, St. John's, the double-o-seven school is announced as the victor. It was a joyous occasion, and a great triumph for us, especially the drama team, as the school's reputation was at stake, given that we're the host. In the end, all those hard work paid off.

That was not the end of our story. St. John's is by nature never a school that is satisfied by one win. We try our level best to bag as many things as we can and march it up Bukit Nanas. And this we did in this year's competition. Christopher Cheah, our main actor, was crowned Best Actor. In total, the drama team brings two wins to the school, and will represent the state of Kuala Lumpur to the National Drama Competition in Kota Bharu, Kelantan on August 27th.


On behalf of St. John's, my heartiest Congratulations to our drama team - teachers and actors alike!

"St. John Gah! St. John Gah! St. John Hebat!"

BY:
NIZHAN FARAZ
University of Toronto
Canada

SJINCB Makes Another Winning Streak

 

Congratulations..St.John's Institution Naval Cadet Band(SJINCB) SMK St.John dapat 5 PIALA 1."Naib Johan Piala Menteri Pelajaran"...DAN 2. "Champion Drum Major" Faezran Hassim bagi 3."Category Menteri Pelajaran"& 4."Overall Category Menteri ...Pelajaran" & 5."Perdana"!! - 3 kategori sekaligus..!!!
Tahniah ....Tahniah..!!!!!! kepada semua ahli2 SJINCB, guru2 penasihat,guru2, ibu bapa, Parents Support Group(PSG), PIBG, BOG,SJAA,Old Boys,penyokong2 dan semua JOHANNIAN yang tak putus2 menyokong pasukan pancaragam kesayangan dan kebanggaan kita semua -St.John's Institution Naval Cadet Band...!

Although it sounds like a hyperbole seen in literary works, our beloved St. John's Institution Naval Cadet Band (SJINCB) proved to us all that winning and maintaining the title of State Champions is not impossible. That's not the end of the story. St. John's took away two other prizes in this year's Central Zone Preliminary National Band Competition, held at Stadium Titiwangsa on Friday, June 28. This year's competition saw St. John's keeping the State Champion title and bringing home the Best Drum Major and Best Conductor awards.

That was not the end of SJINCB's bounty. During the National Band Competition held in Stadium Putra Bukit Jalil the next Friday, July 5, St. John's bagged 5 prizes ( see above)..CONGRATULATIONS SJINCB...!!

 

Mr. Denis Doss - St. John's Musically Gifted Teacher

THE LEGENDARY MR. DENNIS DOSS

I believe most of you who attended the school's birthday celebration this year would remember Mr. Denis Doss as the guest of honour. If you are able to recall Mr. Doss's speech on that day, he gave a very detailed explanation on the verses of the School Rally as well as his experience in St. John's Institution as a student. This was just the tip of the iceberg about him.

Mr. Denis Doss was born on September 9th, 1941 in Kuala Lumpur, prior to the Japanese invasion of Malaya that was to take place later that year. 1948 was the first time he set foot in St. John's as a student, before leaving to St. Xavier's Institution, Penang, upon completion of Form Three. He completed his secondary education at St. Xavier's in 1958.

Mr. Denis Doss then proceeded in joining the La Salle Brothers Teaching College, known as St. Joseph's Novitiate in Pulau Tikus, Penang, in the quest to become a La Sallian educator. He did his teaching practical at St. Xavier's Institution and graduated from the Novitiate in 1962. For the next 30 years, he will spend his teaching career at various La Sallian institutions across Malaysia.

His first posting, in 1963, was at St. Francis's Institution, Malacca. Two years later, in 1965, he was transferred north to St. George's Institution, Taiping. In 1969, he was back south, this time in La Salle Brickfields, where he will remain until 1970.

In 1971, upon the request of Rev. Bro. Joseph Yeoh, Director of St. John's Institution, Mr. Denis Doss officially became a member of the teaching staff at his beloved alma mater. It was a joyous and meaningful occasion for him, as St. John's was a special place very close at heart. In 1975, Mr. Denis Doss was entrusted to take charge of our famous school band, and was styled "Leftenan Muda".

1984 saw St. John's celebrating it's 80th anniversary, under the helm of Rev. Bro. Cassian Pappu. This was the year that St. John's hosted the 'Karnival Ria' and had the then Education Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi (now Tun) as the guest of honour. It was in this same year a magnificent masterpiece was written. It is known to us all as "The Pledge", and its composer was none other than Mr. Denis Doss. This school song was penned down upon request by the then Senior Assistant, Mr. Phua Seng Tiong.

St. John's enjoyed the service of its musically gifted teacher for 17 years before change swept in. The year was 1987, and Mr. Denis Doss received another transfer letter, this time from the Education Department. His new destination is a Chinese school in Salak South. The Cadet Band bade farewell to its Band Master of 12 years, and St. John's is deprived of a thoroughbred member of its staff.

His stay at the new school was momentary. With the assistance of Rev. Bro. Ambrose Loke, Mr. Denis Doss found himself back in a La Sallian institution. La Salle Sentul was to be his new destination, where he remained until retirement in 1992. Post-retirement, Mr. Denis Doss prefers spending time playing golf and tennis, as well as keeping his musical spirit alive by taking part in a church choir.

This year, Mr. Denis Doss was given the honour to become the special guest of our school birthday. He is still very grateful for the honour bestowed upon him by his alma mater in terms of the march past and the opportunity to speak to the present Johannians on that occasion.

My dear Johannians, this is an example of a true Johannian and La Sallian. Mr. Denis Doss spent a large portion of his life as an educator in various La Sallian institutions. He was a son of St. John's, and returned to his alma mater to serve the younger sons of St. John's. This is how the Johannian tradition is upheld among the younger generation. The cycle  of students being teachers and returning to the school to teach must be sustained to ensure that the values and culture of St. John's does not fade away in the passage of time.

Let us observe this poem, written by Mr. Denis Doss in conjunction of his transfer in 1987. Let us understand it and learn from it. The poem goes:

My heart is aching,
for I must go;
To a foreign land
I don't know.
I'll tell myself
I'll be brave, I'll be strong
And spread the spirit of St. John's.

Farewell my dear friends, farewell to all,
But I must heed the call,
I'll miss you all in that foreign land,
But most of all, I'll miss my Cadet Band. 

I started schooling in St. John's in 1947,
Then I joined the Brotherhood,
I taught in Melaka, Taiping,
Brickfields, then back in dear St. John's
17 years on these grounds I've stood. 

And so, I go,
I don't know what's in store,
But although I'm gone,
I'll never forget St. John's

(Taken from the 1987 Garudamas)

Fide et Labore!

BY NIZHAN FARAZ

JOHANNIAN OF THE YEAR 2009

PHOTOS OF SJI 109TH BIRTHDAY @

http://www.facebook.com/cikgu.ruby/media_set?set=a.528921087140787.120115.100000687016438&type=3

11 Decades of Existence - St. John's In The Coming Days

By: NIZHAN FARAZ

University Of Toronto Canada
JOHANNIAN OF THE YEAR 2009

Exactly 109 years ago on this very day, St. John's Institution opened its doors to a mere 18 students. In less than three years, the enrollment was over 100 students, leading to the building of the magnificent red Romanseque Main Block which stands to this very day. I can never thank the founding fathers of St. John's, who took the trouble to secure that little piece of land on top of a hill surrounded by jungle, to put up an institution that will possess a colourful history in the great many years that were to come. Without the tireless efforts of Father Renard, the La Salle Brothers, and the generosity of the Archbishop and church, we would have never existed.

The hurdles of St. John's were just beginning. After the establishment of the school, management and expansion due to the growing numbers posed a new problem to the Brothers. Money was no easy come for a Catholic mission school (and the situation is no different even today), so the only way to fund expansion projects was to raise our own money. It is the various fundraisers over the years that allowed St. John's to flourish from a wooden three-storey building eleven decades ago, into a complex of six blocks and a fairly large field. Without the generous donations from our benefactors and the remarkable amount of passion and love for the school among Johannians, St. John's would have been impossible to sustain, and expansion plans would have been futile.

With the rapid development in technology, a gap between students and schools began to form, and over the years, this distance is growing. St. John's is equally faced with this same issue, where more St. John's students do not feel privileged to be in this lovely school. One does not become a Johannian simply by being a student of St. John's, he or she needs to care about the school, and to care is to be close, and to be close is to pay attention to the plight and needs of the school and trying to assist according to one's capacity. Using the sacred term 'Johannian' for interests that don't benefit the school is a threat, and the instances where the school's reputation is tarnished is undoubtedly a syndrome that must be eliminated.

I understand that many of us are not capable to sustain St. John's financially, or run the school under our own capacity. But I believe in collective effort, and whenever people get together to join a good cause and make it work, the cause will be successful. This is what we, as Johannians, should seek to do. For a non-Government aided school like St. John's, no form of assistance is too little, and we are always in need of funds to keep the school running in pristine condition. Any pledge, be it a donation, or a technical skill; as an individual, or as a group, if continued over the many years to come, as a tradition in St. John's, I am certain beyond doubt that the school can finally divert its attention back to the core business of educating the younger generation.

Every day, I envision St. John's being the school everyone wants to be part of, as a student, teacher, administrator, or alumni. We were there once upon a time, and I believe that we can be that again. Many people say that I am dreaming the impossible, but I hope, that somewhere out there, there are other Johannians who share the same dream as me, and together we shall prove to everyone that St. John's will walk the colourful path of glorious success!

Let us reflect on the verses in our School Rally:

Cheer, cheer, and courage display 

All ye Johannians join in the lay 

Send a volley of cheers on hig 

Shake down the thunder from the sky 

What though the odds be great or small 

Dear old St. John's will win overall 

While her loyal sons are marching 

Onward to victory

Do we actually understand what we sing? If we do, what are we doing to live the essence of the rally? If we are living the essence, are we doing enough?

Happy 109th anniversary, St. John's! May God bless you and all who care about you, now and always.

Fide et Labore!

* This article is a personal opinion of the author and does not reflect the view of anyone else

1st Malaysian to climb Mt.Everest is a JOHANNIAN..!!

1st MALAYSIAN MT.EVEREST CLIMBER DATUK N.MOHANDAS IS  JOHANNIAN 1978

  

First to conquer Mt. Everest
M. Magendran and N. Mohanadas became national heroes when they reached the 8,848m summit of Mt. Everest on May 23, 1997, after braving thick snow, strong winds and freezing temperatures since March 1. The duo, members of the Malaysian Mountaineering Association, were part of a 20-member Malaysian team in this Everest expedition.

    PENDAKI GUNUNG EVEREST MALAYSIA PERTAMA, DATUK N.MOHANDAS PERNAH      MENJADI AJK PERSATUAN IBU BAPA GURU(PIBG) SMK ST.JOHN 

KUALA LUMPUR  PADA TAHUN 1999

23 May 1997, two national heroes – M. Magendran and N. Mohandas successfully overcame Mount Everest which stands at 8,848 meters high, the tallest mountain in the world. M. Magendran is the first Malaysian to climb Mount Everest, located in the Himalayas, and was followed 15 minutes later by Mohandas Nagappan.

The two heroes were credited with ensuring that the Malaysian Flag stood proud at the mountain’s peak. Their efforts to conquer the mountain received daily coverage for 55 days due to the hard work of nine members of RTM’s Everest ’97 project. 

Climb every mountain

Posted on 15 September 2011 - 01:33pm

Bissme S.

lifestyle@thesundaily.com

Datuk N. Mohandas, one of the first two Malaysians to reach the top of Mount Everest. 

IT MAY have happened 14 years ago but Datuk N. Mohandas’ achievement is still unforgettable. In May 1997, he and teacher M. Magendran became the first two Malaysians to climb to the peak of the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest.

“If possible, I would like to climb Mt Everest again,” says Mohandas, who is an account manager for commercial fuels at Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd, a company he has been with for 32 years.

But now that he is 49, would he have the stamina to scale the mighty Everest again?

“I believe I can still do it,” insists Mohandas, who was 35 when he first carried out his feat.

“Many people older than me have climbed the mountain successfully. I want to be an inspiration to others, to show that age should not stop anyone from pursuing their dreams,” says this avid climber who is considered one of our country’s heroes.

And in recognition of his accomplishment, over the past 12 months, he has been conferred two Datukship – the first from Penang state, and the second, from the federal government which he will be receiving from the King at a date yet to be determined – though both honours came about so many years later.

Asked if he felt disappointed that he had to wait so long for this honour, Mohandas humbly replies: “For me, mountain climbing is a hobby and I don’t expect anything in return.

“I think the title came to me at the right time in my life,” he says. “If I had received the title 14 years ago, I believe I would have been too young to deserve it.”

He points out that in order to complete an arduous mission like scaling Mt Everest, getting emotionally and physically fit is not enough – one must have the financial resources as well.

He is hoping that some organisations or corporations would come forward to sponsor his second expedition up the world’s highest mountain which stands at 8,848 metres above sea level.

Mohandas had to make a lot of sacrifices when he set out to conquer the mountain in 1997. “I had to prepare myself for three years before climbing the mountain. I spent all my free time training and didn’t have much time for my wife and three sons.

"Whatever leave I took from work was spent on training.”

To prepare for his monumental climb, Mohandas scaled a host of local peaks such as Gunung Tahan and Mt Kinabalu. A year before climbing Mt Everest, he scaled Mount Aspire in New Zealand.

Of course, he had heard and read of people who lost their lives while climbing the treacherous Everest. But that did not break his spirit in his endeavour to make a name for his beloved country.

Mohandas is also grateful that his employer, Shell MalaysiaTrading, has supported his endeavours to a certain extent by sponsoring some of his climbing equipment. He was also promoted on his return from his successful climb.

Mohandas also says he is concerned that youths these days prefer to spend most of their time in front of the computer or fiddle with their handphones rather than participate in outdoor activities.

“There is a dire need for us to inculcate the love for outdoor activities and physical fitness among our youths,” he says, adding that there is no need to enrol in expensive gyms to get some exercise.

“We’ve many parks and all you need is a good pair of running shoes.”

Looking back now, Mohandas is proud of what he has achieved.

He feels that his successful attempt up Mt Everest had inspired other Malaysians to break records in different arenas.

“I believe we (Magendran and him) were among the pioneers of the Malaysia Boleh spirit,” he adds.

High achievement: M. Magendran and N. Mohandas seen savouring their successful climb to the peak of Mount Everest upon their return to Kuala Lumpur in this 1997 file picture.

Mt Everest climbers get Datukships

BY K. SUTHAKAR
SUT@THESTAR.COM.MY

GEORGE TOWN: Malaysia’s first Mount Everest conquerers N. Mohanadas and M. Magendran have been conferred Datukships in conjunction with the Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas’ 72nd birthday celebration .

The two, who reached the peak of the mountain in 1997, were among 47 individuals who will receive the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN).

Heading the Yang di-Pertua’s list is Armed Forces chief Jen Tan Sri Azizan Ariffin who will be conferred the Darjah Gemilang Pangkuan Negeri (DGPN), which carries the title Datuk Seri.

ONCE A JOHANNIAN

ALWAYS A JOHANNIAN