Bukit Bintang Girls' School

Bukit Bintang Girls' School (BBGS)
Location
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
Information
Type Government Semi-Boarding All-girls secondary School
Motto Nisi Dominus Frustra
(Without God, All is in vain)
Established 1893–2000
Founder Miss Betty Langlands (and British missionaries)
Grades Form 1 – Form 6
Campus Formerly in Bukit Bintang
Colour(s) Green and white
Affiliations Malaysia Ministry Of Education
Abbreviation BBGS
Website www.bbgsalumni.net
bbgs.tripod.com

Bukit Bintang Girls' School (BBGS) opened in 1893 with Miss Betty Langlands teaching girls to read in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Formerly known as the Chinese Girls' School, BBGS gained its name after moving to its premises on Bukit Bintang Road in 1930.[1] BBGS was the oldest school in Kuala Lumpur, surpassing Victoria Institution, Methodist Girls' School Kuala Lumpur (1896), Methodist Boys' School Kuala Lumpur (1897), Convent Bukit Nanas (1899), St. John's Institution, Kuala Lumpur (1904), St Mary's (1912) as well as Maxwell School (1917).

The school adopted the motto Nisi Dominus Frustra, which is Latin for "Without God, All is in vain".[2] Its students are widely known as BBGSians.

In 2000, the school changed its name to S.M.K Seri Bintang Utara (SBU). It was moved to a new location at Taman Shamelin Perkasa, Cheras and was established as one of the first Smart Schools in Malaysia. The BBGS landmark on Bukit Bintang Road was demolished to make way for Pavilion KL, a commercial site in Kuala Lumpur.[3][4][5]

Although it is no longer in existence, BBGS's friends and even rivals acknowledge it as the very first all-girls school to be established in the nation's capital.

School badge

The story of the school badge goes back to the years before 1950. A badge design competition was held and the one that is worn today was chosen. According to Miss Ma Tak Yan, a former student, teacher and the first headmistress of BBGS Primary 2, the school crest was designed by a BBGSian, Wong Chi Yin.

The two hills with the star overhead are a constant reminder to us that we must climb the bukit (hill) to reach the bintang (star).[6]

School motto

In 1947, Miss Glasgow (the headmistress) and Miss Cooke (a teacher) felt that the school should have a motto.

They devised the motto, Nisi Dominus Frusta, a reduced version of Psalm 127:1 in Latin: Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem frusta vigilavit qui custodit. In English: Unless the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. Unless the Lord keep the city, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it.

The motto is also that of the city of Edinburgh

School song

The school song is adapted from a hymn (Presbyterian Hymnal) entitled Land of Our Birth after the Second World War. In 1989, Miss Yeo Kim Eng, a former student and teacher of Bukit Bintang Girl School, translated the lyrics into Bahasa Malaysia.

Houses

*Shirtliff (red)

*Green (green)

*Maclay (blue)

*Prouse (purple)

*Cooke (yellow)

Founders

The following is extracted from articles used for the "Timeless Traditions" exhibition which took place on 4 August 2009 at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. It showcased the pioneers of BBGS as well as school activities through the decades.

This exhibition has been researched, written and sponsored by Joanna Yeoh and photos have been re-produced with permission from Miss YL Moey. Please obtain written copyright permission from the author ([email protected]) before reproducing any information and images for print or digital use. Thank you.''

Betty Langlands, 1893 – 1895

The British Empire was at its height of glory when Miss Betty Langlands left England for Malaya, an equatorial colonial outpost. In 1893, this missionary gathered a few women in Brickfields and taught them to read. This was the first girls’ school in Selangor.

Bessie Maclay, 1895 – 1914

Maclay, a nurse, arrived from China in 1895 to take over the reins of the school, then known as the Chinese Girls’ School. The school grew under her care, even while it was physically moved to Petaling Hill and Davidson Road.

Babies were left on her doorstep. She raised five of these children.

In 1914, she went on leave via USA on board the Lusitania. The First World War broke out and the ship was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland and she was drowned. Maclay House was named in her honour.

Miss Shirtliff

Shirtliff arrived from New Zealand in 1898 and came to Kuala Lumpur in the early 1900s. Shirtliff House was named in her honour.

Ruth Lewis (left) and Miss Molly Ham (right), 1914–1918

From 1914–1918, during the First World War, the school continued under the joint leadership of Miss Ruth Lewis and Miss Molly Ham. Miss Lewis also came from New Zealand. She later married and became Mrs Robert Austin. Miss Ham left Malaya after the war and went to live in Cheddar, England.

W.H. Green, 1918 – 1919

Mrs Green, the sister of Miss Shirtliff, took over the reins of the school for a year. Green House was named after her.

A. Luke, 1919–1925

A Luke arrived in 1919, and led the school until 1925. She married and became Mrs. Bennett, and went on to reside in Brisbane, Australia.

Miss O’ Connor, circa 1922

When A. Luke went on leave, O’ Connor who later became Mrs G. Gough, was given the headship in 1922. She was the first graduate teacher of the school.

Eva Prouse, 1925 – 1941

Eva Prouse arrived from Rockhampton, Queensland in April 1925. During her tenure as Headmistress, the school presented students for the Cambridge School Certificate Examination for the first time in 1928.

When the Second World War broke out, Miss Prouse was interned in Palembang, Sumatra. On 8 February 1945, just six months before the Japanese surrender, Miss Prouse died from malaria. Prouse House carried her name and Prouse Wing was built with the savings she left the school.

Mary Glasgow, 1946 – 1957

In 1930, Mary Glasgow arrived to serve with Prouse as the school moved to Bukit Bintang Road. Together, they worked tirelessly to improve the school until the Second World War. Serving until the last possible moment, Glasgow and Prouse were both captured and interned in Sumatra.

Glasgow survived the internment and returned to head BBGS in August 1946. Before the war, many parents preferred to keep their daughters at home so the numbers were small. However following the war, there was tremendous pressure to get girls admitted to the school. The buildings could not rise fast enough to meet soaring enrolment.

In recognition of her contribution to education in Malaya, Miss Glasgow was awarded the MBE (Master of the Order of the British Empire) in 1955. In 1960, she retired from teaching after 30 years and returned home to Ireland.

Miss Elena Cooke, 1958 – 1977

Miss Elena Cooke was a student, teacher, headmistress and chairman of the Board of Governors of Bukit Bintang Girls’ School (BBGS). Her student days began in 1928 and she started her teaching career in 1945, having earned a degree from Queen’s University in Belfast.

Se led the school from 1958–1977.

She was awarded a KMN in 1977 for her excellent service and dedication to the field of education in Malaysia.

The Elena M Cooke Education Fund was launched on 4 August 2009 by the BBGS Alumni in honour of her. Miss Elena Cooke died on 2 May 2012.

Miss Yeap Gaik Khoon, 1980 – 1993

Miss Yeap came to BBGS from another well-known missionary school – Methodist Girls’ School Taiping. She is a graduate of the University of Malaya (Malaysia) and University of Southampton (United Kingdom). When Miss Yeap took over the reins of BBGS, she faced the formidable task of maintaining the high standards of BBGS while carrying on the school traditions.

Miss Yeap retired as Principal of BBGS in 1993, and went on to become Principal of Fairview International School. Today, she is retired from active teaching and resides in Kuala Lumpur.

The Headmistresses of BBGS

Secondary School

Primary School 1

Primary School 2

Notable alumni

External links

References

  1. ↑ Robert Hunt; Kam Hing Lee; John Roxborogh (1992), Christianity in Malaysia, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia: Pelanduk Publications, p. 128, ISBN 978-967-978-407-7
  2. ↑ Brian J. Coman (2007), A Loose Canon, Bacchus Marsh, Vic.: Connor Court Publishing, p. 28, ISBN 978-0-9802936-2-3
  3. ↑ http://www.iht.com/articles/1998/02/09/smalay.t.php
  4. ↑ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-82618825.html
  5. ↑ http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2007/4/22/education/17430009
  6. ↑ Alumni Bukit Bintang Girls School

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