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V.I. Headmaster's Bungalow, early 1920s, looking towards the front porch in the background.
The site of the shooting death in April 1911 of a European by the wife of the acting headmaster
(see The Proudlock Saga ).
Demolished in 1930s when the Klang River was straightened.
Mr Richard Sidney, the Headmaster at that time, wrote in April 1948 in his Young Malayans magazine:
"... a glimpse of the principal room in the old V.I. bungalow after it had been cleverly altered by
Mr. E. A. Gardiner of the Public Works Department. Formerly, there had been two rather dull rooms
(separated by a wooden wall in which there was a small opening). That room was the scene of many gatherings;
it was the focus of all that went on in the school - whether socially or scholastically or athletically
or dramatically or musically...
"What my predecessor had done I cannot recall: I do recall, very vividly, what I found I had to do very
soon after arrival in K.L. in 1923. We had a staff meeting and it had to be held in the Infants' School
(and sorry was I for my colleagues as I saw them sitting cramped at the small desks). There was no Common
Room; the school office was too small and the Headmaster's house now had no lady in it and so was large
enough to be used for many other purposes besides the mere art of living to oneself. Quickly I made the
changes: bringing the office to my house and so giving my colleagues a Common Room - while, very soon,
I went and slept on the verandah and gave up a big room for my private school office.
"Once the house had been invaded in this way there was no further privacy for me. At any time of the day
and night there would come people to see me. But how nice that was! It was what helped lessen shyness and
got to start that social reform which brought together (far more than formerly) the people of this
country with those who came to it from Overseas."
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