Methodist Boys' School, Kuala Lumpur

Methodist Boys' School, Kuala Lumpur (Malay: Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (L) Methodist, Kuala Lumpur; abbreviated MBS Kuala Lumpur) is a semi-government aided Cluster School of Excellence and High Performance School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was founded in July 1897, making it one of the oldest schools in Malaysia. It is known as MBS and its students are known as MBSians. The school is also known as Horley School, a reference to one of its principals, Rev. William E. Horley, who was responsible for changing and giving the school its present name from the previous name of Anglo-Tamil School. The name Horley School has been widely misunderstood as a reference to marble, which is also called Horley in Chinese, a game that was popular amongst its students then. It is noted for its library, which attracts visits from many other schools.
In 2008, Methodist Boys' Secondary School was awarded cluster school status by the Ministry Of Education (MOE). In 2009, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (L) Methodist had 644 male students making the total number of students 644. It has a total of 60 teachers.
This school is also known as Marble School among the Petaling Street community. After more than a century and twenty-one years since its establishment by a British medical officer on the warship HMS Orion, Dr William T Kensett, MBSSKL has been awarded a cluster school by the Ministry of Education. MBSSKL is the only school in Kuala Lumpur that was established by a British military officer.
MBSSKL was founded by Rev. Dr. William T. Kensett, a Royal Navy admiral of the battleship HMS Orion. In July 1897, he had the intention of establishing a church and school for the Tamil community in Kuala Lumpur and he left the British Navy. A small wooden shop house was acquired on the corner of Batu Road and Java Street, and the Tamil-dominated school was named the Anglo-Tamil school.
In 1899, Rev. Samuel Abraham became its first headmaster, leading a staff of four teachers. It was then registered as a government-aided school.
Three years later, the MBSSKL proper was founded by Rev. W. E. Horley at the temporary premises of an unused pork market in Malacca Street. The Anglo-Tamil School was absorbed into it, opening up the school to all races.
In 1904, the school decided to move to Petaling Hill (its present site) after several relocations by the sanitary board due to the dilapidated condition of the building. Thus the Anglo-Tamil school was renamed as the Methodist Boys' School Kuala Lumpur by Rev William E Horley, the name used to this day. Within eight months, sufficient funds were raised to erect a new building. Two new wings were built and playing fields laid.
In 1954, 1st Kuala Lumpur Boys' Brigade Company was established at the school by Mr. Khoo Oon Soo and Mr. R. A. Allen. After the first few years, 1st KL was moved to the Wesley Church just next door to the school, while the school used the church premises as the first meeting place. 1st Kuala Lumpur Boys' Brigade Company is the third oldest group in Malaysia and the first oldest group in Kuala Lumpur. 1st KL is known due to its history in the results of band competitions, foot marches and Talent Time at the national level. 1st KL also produced a collection of President's Men and Founder's Men, as well as two Queen's Men.
In 1958, this school was divided into secondary schools (MBSSKL) and primary schools (MBPSKL) according to the national education policy at that time.
The School Song was composed in 1948 by former principal, Hugh F. Clancy. The music was harmonised by N.Swan, in the same year. The song was adapted from the originally titled "Go Northwestern Go", written in 1912 by Theodore Van Etten, a member of the Northwestern University Wildcat Marching Band then. The school anthem was sung over Radio Malaya in 1949 by the school choir.
There are 10 uniformed bodies in the school as of 2023. Some examples are:
10th Kuala Lumpur Air Scouts was established in 1915 and absorbed 15th Kuala Lumpur Scouts Troop after the second World War.
Founded by Mr. Khoo Onn Soo and Mr. R. A. Allen under the sponsorship of Wesley Methodist Church, Kuala Lumpur in 1954. 1st Kuala Lumpur Boys Brigade was the third company to be established in Malaysia and the first company to be established in Kuala Lumpur.
KLN6ACD is a division under St. John Ambulance of Malaysia, part of an international voluntary service organisation dedicated to training and providing first aid skills. The division has had numerous achievements in competitions at the state and national levels, and continues to be a major contributor in voluntary first aid service within the school as well as the public through duties coordinated by the State Officers.
The alumni association of MBSSKL is known as MBSalumni, previously known as MBSOBA (Methodist Boys' School Old Boys Association). Its first documented meeting was in 1919. It was set up with the objective of providing a platform for all former students to keep in touch with each other and also to maintain contact with the school.