New Straits Times, March 25, 2007
THE national anthem wasn’t the only new song that Assunta School girls learnt in 1957.
The school song, written by Sister Enda Philomena Ryan, was inspired by the events and speeches during the Merdeka celebrations.
“Tunku Abdul Rahman’s speech about the new and unified Malaya must have inspired me.” says Sister Enda.
She then sings the verses she wrote 50 years ago.
“Verse three of the song celebrates the founding of the nation and urges the girls to ‘take our place as loyal members of our beloved Malaysian race, to live as one large family in preparation for what our future lives must be’.”
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NST article, Catching UpWith…: Her work’s not finished yet
As the nation prepared for independence in 1957, a tireless Irish nun was composing a school song and helping a premier girls’ school in Petaling Jaya take shape. WILSON HENRY revisits the convent where the first plans for Assunta School were made.