Centenary plans

The Management Committee of The Old Frees' Association met with the Penang Free School headmaster, Syed Sultan, at his office two days ago. I was invited to join in the meeting by virtue of my being in the OFA Centenary Committee. The meeting with the headmaster was to discuss the Centenary celebrations which would involve the school, and there were many.

The most immediate one will be to continue with the revival of the Cheeseman Elocution Contest. It had been reintroduced in the school after a hiatus of many years. I wouldn't know how many years have gone by but it would be suffice to say that it had been far too long. I'm told that there was a contest last year to test the water but this year, as part of the OFA Centenary, there'll be an attempt to make this contest larger. As such, the OFA proposed opening a new category for the pupils of Forms One to Three to encourage them to begin speaking in public. Previously, the contest was only for those from Forms Four to Upper Six. The tentative date for the Cheeseman Elocution Contest is 10 May 2023.

It will be in September that the schedule for the celebrations at the school is fullest. On the second of the month, there'll be music and drama in the Pinhorn Hall as the Old Frees put up a show reminiscent of the school plays of the past. Then on the 16th and 17th, the school field will be occupied with football and hockey matches. Come the 24th of September, the Pinhorn Hall will be used again for the Centenary chess competition, and that's where I come in. More details about the chess competition will be made known later but for the moment, the date is finalised.