1920-21 Brother Paul Gallagher (Excerpt from "Valiant & True") Brother Paul Gallagher Director 1920-21  When Mr Morsingh resigned in 1920, Brother Paul Gallagher took charge as the School’s Director.Brother Gallagher , an Irish brother, was a caretaker principal for one year. He paved the way for the later appointment of  Brother Vernier  Augustus, a  strong visionary personality  destined to set the school on the road  to greatness and fame.

We get glimpses of the  pioneering days from Joseph Voon, who studied  at St Michael’s in the early 1920s before the school  came to be housed in its present architectural magnificence: ·         The school comprised  a small old bungalow, an atap shed and a row of rather shabby servants’ quarters. ·         The Brothers’  residence was situated  on the upper floor  of the bungalow. ·         The ground floor housed  the Cambridge classes and a small bookshop. ·         The atap shed  with just a roof and end  walls  and none on the sides served the needs  of Standards 5, 6 and 7. Joseph Voon was from Kampar. He stayed with his uncle’s family in Ipoh while studying at St.Michael’s. He tells us about school life in his days: ·         I cycled to school every day. ·         For breakfast, I had rice and fish curry at a nasi kandar stall near the old market. It cost me the princely sum of 15 cents. ·         School started at 8 a.m. and ended at 4 p.m, ·         We had a one-hour lunch break at noon. ·         My favourite preschool pastime was to meet a classmate and pop the usual question: “What’s the latest number you have seen? Wsa it a car or lorry and what make?”