This photo taken more than 50 years ago, is produced to rekindle the nostalgia of cold morning of 25th January 1955, i.e Chinese New Year Day at Kirkby College. That memorable Year of the Goat and eventful Dragon Dance procession was a thing of the past but can still be remembered by most of us, the septuagenarian Kirkbyites.

In heralding simultaneously the traditional Festive Celebration in Malaya, the Kirkby Dragon Dance Troupe comprising of Chinese students of classes 1953 – 54, clad smartly in Mr Wooley’s black, woollen, track tops and white pants, went around the college premises with great excitement and enthusiasm. The beating of the small drum, handed down by our seniors, had awakened the residents. They peeked curiously out of their windows at the Dragon Troupe, cheering and shouting “Happy New Year”.

Every member had once in their life time opportunity to outshine their skills in beating to near perfection the correct rhythm of the typical tune and manoeuvring dexterously the tiny dragon head along the cemented paths between the black gloomy blocks of Kirkby campus buildings.

LOUIS CHEONG (KIRKBY 1954 - 56)