He offered birthday soon kyway to Uzin Okkantha (Victor, Aung Chaw) and treated his former SPHS63 classmates (some of whom have not seen each other for a long time). The attendees include :
Aye Ngwe (Edwin, GBNF)
Kyaw Win (“Birthday Boy”)
Khin Maung Bo (Alan Saw Maung, EP69, GBNF)
Hla Min (EC69)
Uzin Okkantha (Aung Chaw, Victor, C69, GBNF)
Than Win (M69)
Aung Kyi (Arthur Kyi, GBNF)
Tin Tun (M69, GBNF)
Khin Maung Zaw (Frank Gale, IM1 70, UK)
SPHS Novice Crew at RUBC
Maung Maung Kyi (Bow, GBNF)
Hla Min (No. 2)
Kyaw Win (No. 3, EE)
Willie Soe Mg (Stroke, GBNF)
Myint Thein (Cox, SPHS 62, B.Com 66, GBNF)
We were all awarded Full Green.
When the schools were closed following the first Anniversary of 7th July, Kyaw Win and Maung Maung Kyi applied for scholarships to study in Germany.
Maung Maung Kyi received Dip Ing in ChE with Specislization in Pulp and Paper. He worked at Sittaung Paper Mill and PPIC before moving to Wales, UK.
Kyaw Win had a higher calling. He and his friends protested in front of the Burmese Embassy. The higher authorities were alarmed at their movement and recalled back to Burma. Fortunately, he was able to complete his EE in Rangoon.
GBNF
Willie Soe Maung was from the first batch of BDS. He passed away quite early.
Myint Thein passed away after having medical problems for a long time.
Sobhana : mental state with virtue : 25 types = 19 + 3 + 2 + 1
Mental states that are common to all types of sobhana citta : 19 types
Faith, Mindfulness, Moral shame, Moral dread, Non-attachment, Non-hatred, Equanimity, Tranquility of mental factors, Tranquility of mind, Lightness of mental factors, Lightness of mind, Pliancy of mental factors, Pliancy of mind, Adaptability of mental factors, Adaptability of mind, Proficiency of mental factors, Proficiency of mind, Rectitude of mental factors, Rectitude of mind
Mental state that abstains from evil speech, action, and livelihood : 3 types
Right speech, Right action, Right livelihood
Mental state that has limitless objects on which one must be practiced : 2 types
DTMAlumni Appreciation Award Appreciation Award from NorCal RIT Alumni Association
Alumni
In Latin, there are four terms : alumnus for “male student” almuna for “female student” alumni for “male students” alumnae for “female students”.
In modern usage, the term “alumni” applies to all students.
Days of Month
According to “Ripley’s Believe it or not”, a graveyard inscription has February 30th.
Grapevine says that Followers of two Carsars took away a day each from February to make July (named after Julius Caesar) and August (named after Augustus Caesar) to have 31 days instead of 30.
February became the shortest month of the calendar year with 28 days. It was given back an extra day on a leap year.
The earth takes about 365.2422 days to revolve round the sun, so the discrepancy became 0.9688 day every four years (or 97 days in 4 centuries).
In Gregorian calendar, a leap year is defined as a non-century year that is divisible by 4, and a century year that is divisible by 400.
Upon his return from USA, he was assigned to the Department of Mining Engineering at BOC College to teach part-time and to act as Head of the Department.
He was succeeded by Saya U Soon Sein as full-time saya and Head.
U Soe Khaw worked at the Ministry of Mines.
After retirement, he worked for UN assignments overseas.
He then migrated to the USA.
He was a Patron of selected monasteries in the San Francisco Bay Area.
He was healthy even in his early 90s.
Last Journey
Saya U Tin Maung Nyunt (M60) wrote :
U Soe Khaw, (RIT Part-time Lecturer – Mining), passed away peacefully on February 14, 2018 at 4:45 pm per Michael Khaw, his son.
Ph 408-737-0238. 1082 Noriega Ave, Sunnyvale, Ca 94086
Memorial Service
Date : February 24, 2018 (Sunday) Time : 10:30 AM Place : Tathagata Meditation Center (TMC) 1215 Lucretia Avenue San Jose, CA 95122 Contact : 1 (408) 977 0300 or 1(408) 294 4536
Soon offering : 11:15 AM Lunch for guests : 11:30 AM Dhamma talk : 12:30 PM
Wanted her daughters — Hazel, Olive & May — to have experience like her at the Inya Hall.
Hazel & May spent a year at Inya Hall as room mates. Olive had to stay at the Hall for medical students.
Fund raiser
Danced three roles in the fund raiser for the Tekkatho Dhammayone. Her cousin Saya U Lu Pe Win (Pali and Kyauksar Scholar) directed the play. The rehearsal was assisted by U Nyi Pu (First male actor in a Burmese movie).
Play
Was honored at the Thet Kyee Pu Zaw Pwe (Paying homage to the elders) held at the Tekkatho Dhammayone.
Her account was published in the Golden Jubilee Sar Saung of Inya Hall.
A1 Film
Myanmar Ah Swe Film evolved into A1 Film.
A1 U Tin Nwe & his family are known as Producers, Directors & Actors.
U Nyi Pu founded Maha Weikzardo Film.
U Tin Pe (Maung Maung Soe) founded Maung Maung Soe Film.
A1 U Tin Maung acted alongside May Shin and other lead female actors before becoming a Director/Actor.
Daw Khin Myint’s son U Tin Yu & son-in-law U Mya Maung are Director & Producer.
Feedback
Thit Yine (alumnus of Yegyaw Methodist) wrote : Dr. Hla Shwe (Boon Chiong) stood First in the Matriculation examination of 1953 from Yegyaw Methodist, and that his class mate Ohn Khin stood Second. Yegyaw Methodist was well known before the Nationalization of schools.
Thit Yine and Ko Ko shared the names of sayas (e.g. U Aung Myint, U Khin Zaw, U Ko Lay) who taught in the late 50s and early 60s.
Po Shwe Kyu wrote : Credit to Saya Hla Min as being the most prolific writer in this group, and his archives and chronicles will be of greatest help to coming generations. Drs. Hla Shwe & Tin Maung returned to Burma around 1962-63. I don’t know Dr Hla Shwe but Dr. Tin Maung also resided at the Chummery during my short stay there. Chummery is a “Saya Lu Pyo Saung”.
Myo Thaik wrote : Sayama Daw Khin Aye passed away last year. His cousin uncle Dr. Myint Thein won a Gold Medal for scoring highest marks in Chemistry in the I.Sc. examination, and later became the first Myanmar to received Ph.D in Nuclear Chemistry in the USA. He is currently staying with his son in Texas. He also wrote about “A Che A Nay Kaung” and “Ma Khan Chin Seik” that led him and his uncle cousin Dr. Win Naing to pursue their dreams to have doctorates.
Myo Thaik wrote : Dr. Hla Shwe is Emeritus Professor, East Stroudsburg University, Pennsylvannia, and then moved to California.
First in Burma
I knew that several SPHS students stood First in Burma in the Matric exam. They include
U Ba Khin (Vipassana teacher, first native Auditor General)
George Chapman (SPHS51)
Dr. Nyunt Tin (SPHS52)
Koon Yin Chu (Phillip, SPHS54)
Dr. Soe Win (SPHS58)
Dr. Frankie Ohn (SPHS59
Dr. Khin Maung U (SPHS63)
Bernard Khaw (SPHS65)
I was aware that students from other schools also scored Top in the some years.
St. Peter’s High School, Mandalay
Methodist English High School (MEHS)
St. John’s Convent
Yegyaw Mthodist
Sacred Heart
Thanks to those who provided additional info and/or corrections
GBNF & Tone Kyaw
I have to be very careful in specifying persons as GBNF (Gone But Not Forgotten).
There are at least three Tone Kyaw (person believed to have died) including me.
When my name sake CO U Hla Min (Chief Operator at UCC, who appeared healthier than me) passed away in his mid-30s, two Training Departments (from Co-op and Trade) inquired UCC where they could send a “Lwan Thu Pann Kway” (wreath) for me. My former class mate Moe Hein (Ajala with an extremely loud voice) was surprised when he saw me at the Kyandaw Cemetery. He said, “I have taken a day off to come here. I wondered why your brother did not tell that you had passed away.” I became a Tone Kyaw.
U Han Sein (C69, Ah Pho Gyi) was sentenced to 20 years for his alleged involvement in 8-8-88. His classmates, who were organizing the 30th Reunion of Graduation, inadvertently listed him as GBNF. He became a Tone Kyaw. He was released after 16 years (with the Amnesty Proclamation), but sadly, his family had been broken. He recently celebrated his 10 years of regained freedom.
When Dr. Tin Hlaing (Marine Technology) passed away in Singapore, some RIT inadvertently sent condolences to Saya Dr. Tin Hlaing (M63), who became a Tone Kyaw.
Mya Kyun Nyo Nyo Kun Yeik Kho
The song was first recorded as a “Dat Pya” at Myanmar Ah Than (Burma Broadcasting Service). It was first sung by U Mya Thein and group. U Thet Lwin received 100 Kyats for his composition, and he treated his fellow Ah Nu Pyinnya Shins.
In a TV interview, Saya played the song.
The song has been sung in many events including the SPZPs (Saya Pu Zaw Pwe) of RIT Alumni.
The Singapore “Pon Chan Chan Group” led by Don Min U Yu Swan recorded the song.
The song was also sung at the Ceremony on December 1, 2019 to kick off the RU Centennial.
The various versions can be listened from the Facebook Posts and You Tube.
Land marks
Thit Pope Pinn is recognized by the Yangon Heritage Society.
The tree was there even before the founding of the University of Rangoon, and it survived Cyclone Nargis.
A few readers expressed displeasure to see the wired fences and the inexplicable disappearance of landmarks.
The Convocation Hall is another land mark.
Eons ago, the Prime Minister of the Union of Burma served as Chancellor of the University of Rangoon, and also delivered “Commencement Speech” at the graduation.
I posted the program of the 1958 Convocation which listed about 30 prize winners (Gold Medals, Silver Medals and Books).
U Soe Paing, my mentor at RIT and UCC, received two Gold medals (after paying 150 Kyats for each Gold Medal, because the original endowments no longer covered the “rising cost” of Gold for the Medals). He had the highest score for I.Sc. (A) and (B) combined. He had the joint highest Maths score for I.Sc. exams — with two other students.
In 1962, Dr. Myint Tun (Henry Cho Tun) won the Gold Medal for the highest score for I.Sc.(A) and (B) combined. U Myat Thwin (ChE66) beat him by one point for the highest score in Mathematics for I.Sc.(A) and (B) combined.
Autograph
Ma Chit Swe (Hazel Kyaw Zaw’s mother) was a Junior I.A. (Intermediate of Arts) student in 1936. Hazel has posted her mother’s autograph.
Daw Hla Myint, a close friend of Hazel’s mom, wrote a lovely poem. Many were unaware of her talent. She had to leave the University before graduation to get married to U Tu Maung. Saya U Tu Myint (Winston Tu Maung) was our saya at RIT and later taught at Singapore Polytechnic until retirement. Dr. Hla Maung (Ronald Tu Maung, MEHS65) moved to the UK. Her siblings include Dr. Pe Nyun (Pediatric Surgeon, who led the operation of conjoined twins Ma Nan Soe and Ma Nan San), Dr. Pe Thein (Professor and Retired Minister), Daw Ivy San Pe and Daw Flora San Pe.
HlaMin 