Bukit Bintang Girls' School - Founders

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 (joannayeoh@gmail.com) 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 (Singapore) 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.