Letter to NST: Mike & Jean Hughes in Kelantan

To: 'letters@nst.com.my'
Subject: FW: Exemplary HM: Take a leaf out of Hughes' book


The Editor,
New Straits Times.

I refer to A. Shukor Rahman’s letter “Exemplary HM – Take a leaf out of Hughes’ book (NST Thu 24 Mar 2011).

Sorry for the delay in responding as I was traveling this past week.

J.M.B. Hughes who passed away in England on 16 March 2011 was headmaster of Ismail English School (IES) Kota Bharu from Oct 1952 to June 1955 before being headmaster of Penang Free School (PFS) from 1957 to 1963. In Jan 1956 IES became present day Sultan Ismail College (SIC) and Sultan Ismail Primary School (SIPS). His wife Jean taught English at IES. His daughter, Mary said that as requested by him the song “Rasa Sayang” was played at his funeral.

My late father taught under him through out that period at IES. Around 1995 my father met him for the first time since June 1955 at the home of an Old Ismailian in Petaling Jaya and it was very clear from my father’s reaction that Mr Hughes was no ordinary man.

I have been told that Hughes spent World War II in India and was very aware of our Oriental Culture.

He was one of the last colonial headmasters to leave our shores because the then Governor of Penang, the late Raja Tun Uda had specially requested that he stay on as headmaster of PFS till 1963.

Shukor said that if only some of our headmasters/headmistresses would take a leaf out of his book, he is sure there would be less problems in our schools today. This can only happen if we document his administrative style and make sure it is disseminated. It would be nice if Old Ismailians of that period would write about his contributions to IES just as Shukor did about PFS.

Kuldip Singh
Petaling Jaya.

9 Jln PJU 1A/4E
Taman Kelana Idaman
47310 PETALING JAYA
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