Section 55: St. Aiden
The people of Bahau had for many years wanted an English Medium School. Requests to Government did not seem to meet with much response. A group of people in town therefore got together and formed themselves into a Committee – the Bahau English School Fund Committee and went about raising money so that they could build their own school.
The Rev. T. M. Oliver, who used to visit his friends in Bahau, was approached by members of this Committee and asked if the Church would be prepared to start a school. After examining the situation the situation, the Rev. Oliver recommended to the Bishop that an English School should be built.
The then Diocesan Secretary for Anglican Schools, Canon Dr. D. D. Chelliah, discussed the project with the then Chief Education Officer, Mr. S. Thambiah and Officials of the Ministry of Education and finding that the Government was prepared to support the school, plans were finalised.
Monday 16th December 1957 was therefore a milestone in the development of Bahau when the Venerable Archdeacon of Singapore laid the foundation stone of St. Aidan’s School. The historic occasion was witnessed by a distinguished crowd of people who then adjourned for tea to the Malayan Chinese Association.
The three months prior to the laying of the foundation stone were indeed very busy months. Rev. Oliver was given the job of finding a Headmaster and one or two teachers who would be prepared to be pioneers in the field of English Education in Bahau.
Mr. Lionel van Geyzel, retired Headmaster of the Government English School, Port Dickson, agreed to become the Headmaster; Mr. Devadas Dorairaj. a teacher at the Anglo-Chinese School, Seremban volunteered to serve at the new school.
A public announcement was made in Bahau that an English School would be opened and that parents with children born in 1950 and 1951 who wished to send them to an English School could register at 16, Main Road, Bahau, the residence of our Board Treasurer, Mr. Lee Poh Seong, on the Saturdays of 16th September 28th October 5th and 12th.
In November, Mr. Van Geyzel decided to decline the Headship of the new school. The Rev. Oliver was in a quandry; he finally approached Mr. David Gunaratnam who was teaching at the Anglo-Chinese School, Seremban, and fortunately Mr. Gunaratnam agreed.
It must have been indeed quite an experience for him. There were 140 children who had to start school in early January 1958 – Just two months away. There was only one teacher: three more had to be employed – Miss Lu Fong from Kuala Pilah, Miss Lily Sundersingh from Bahau Estate and Miss Janet Lim from Bahau. Two classes, Standard 2 Express, were held at the Malayan Chinese Association building, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. A creche on Taisho Estate was used morning and afternoon for another two classes. Standard 3 Express. The Headmaster, Mr. Gunaratnam had his office at 16 Main Road and had therefore to do his work at three places!
The school was officially opened on 29th November 1958 by his Highness the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan and dedicated by the Rt. Rev. H. W. Baines, the then Lord Bishop of the Diocese. The cost of $100,000' was met from a Government Grant of $80,000, $4,000 each from the Dunlop Malayan Estates Ltd., Guthries and Harrison & Crosfield, $4,000 each from the Indian and Chinese Communities.