Anglo-Chinese School, Ipoh, commonly known as SMK Methodist (ACS), Ipoh, is a primary and secondary school in Ipoh, Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. One of the oldest schools in Malaysia, it was the first English school and first missionary school to be established in Ipoh and Kinta District.
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History
The school traces its history back to 1895, when William Edward Horley, a British Methodist Missionary arrived in Ipoh from Singapore, and opened a school in a small attap-roofed house with an initial enrolment of four boys. A few months later, he acquired a piece of land from the government on which he built a two-storey wooden structure with $3,324 provided by local donors which was opened on 3 May 1896. Named "Horley Hall", and today used as the school's museum, it is the oldest Methodist building in Peninsula Malaysia, and served as a school from Monday to Friday and a church on Sunday. By 1907, enrolment had reached 550 pupils and further buildings had been erected on the site with funds donated by towkays Foo Choo Choon and Loke Yew.
In 1912, with the assistance of a government grant of $25,000 and $68,000 from public donations, Horley began construction of a new school on the site facing Lahat Road. The foundation stone of the Edwardian style building, designed by architect C.H. La Brooy, was laid on 1 August 1912, and was formally opened by Sir Arthur Young on 30 March 1914. On completion, the school campus was considered arguably the best Methodist facility in Malaya, and under Horley's leadership the school thrived.
In 1940, during World War Two, the school was requisitioned by the British army, and in 1941 was damaged in an air raid by Japanese planes. During the Japanese occupation of Malaya, it was used as a headquarters by the Japanese army. In 1946, when repairs and refurbishment works had been completed, enrolment had reached 1,000 pupils. Further expansion of the school followed during the 1950s and 1960s with major building projects.
Academic program
The school serves students from Form One to Form Six (13 to 19 years of age), and in the primary school, Standard One to Standard Six (7 to 12 years of age). It is one of the few schools in Ipoh which provides Sixth Form education. In February 2025, new principal, Dr. Magaswari A/P Ubbudari was appointed.
Extra–curricular activities
The school is highly regarded as a sporting school, known for having produced many sportsmen who have competed at the Olympics and at international level. It has a strong sporting rivalry with St Michael's Institution, Ipoh.
Former Principals
Former principals of the school up to 2011. The names and dates of former principals are listed in a plaque in the school.
Rev. W. E. Horley 1895–1896
Rev. A. J. Amery 1896
Dr. Eglund 1897
S. H. Wood 1898–1899
H. L. Luering 1900
S. H. Wood 1901–1905
Rev. W. E. Lowther 1905
Rev. W. P. Rutledge 1905
A. G. Beaumont 1906–1908
Rev. A. J. Amery 1908–1910
Rev. W. E. Horley 1910–1915
T. W. Hinch 1915–1918
Rev. W. E. Horley 1918–1919
T. W. Hinch 1919–1920
Rev. W. L. Matson 1920
Rev. P. L. Peach 1920–1921
Rev. R. A. Blasdell 1921–1922
Rev. P. L. Peach 1922
Rev. R. A. Blasdell 1922–1923
Rev. A. McNab 1923–1924
Rev. R. A. Blasdell 1924–1926
Rev. L. Proebstel 1926–1931
Notable alumni
Teoh Seng Khoon, badminton player.
Cheah Soon Kit, badminton player.
Thong Saw Pak, weightlifter.
Philip Sankey, hockey player.
Jagjit Singh Chet, hockey player.
Poon Fook Loke, hockey player.
Allen Ong, swimmer.
Anthony Ang, swimmer.
Karu Selvaratnam, sprinter.
Toh Chin Chye, Deputy Prime Minister, Singapore, 1959.
Abdul Aziz al-Muʽtasim Billah Shah of Perak
Tan Sri Dato’ Ainuddin Abdul Wahid, 1st Vice Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Abdul Hamid Khan bin H.S. Ali, Minister of Education, Federation of Malaya, 1962.
Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, Convicted drug trafficker