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Alfred at the University of Kansas
Alfred at the University of Kansas in front of Lippincott Hall that houses KU Law School. The significance of the law school is it connected the sorority houses to the university, and Alfred and William would sit there to watch all the pretty girls walk by.
Alfred, being the eldest of the children, was the first to head off to college after graduating from Diocesan Boy's School in Hong Kong. My father was right behind him and joined him at University of Kansas after graduating from DBS also.
The reason why they chose to attend the University of Kanas was because their parents, George and Charlotte, had a business associate who recommended the university and would be nearby if their boys ever needed anything. While at KU, George and Charlotte would ship linens that they manufactured from Hong Kong so Alfred and William could sell to support their education. Alfred taught William how to sell the linens.
-Troy
My dad was probably the first to do many things since his middle name should have been FEARLESS. He was always so happy and optimistic. He loved life! Music (singing), sports,
especially tennis, and art (especially Chinese water colors) were his forte's. Myself, and all my siblings were Jayhawkers also at least briefly for my late sister, Jude, who only spent one semester at KU then went on to Columbia University to get her art history degree and then her Midwifery degree from Yale school of Nursing. I stayed 2 semesters at KU, then headed to KSU for my degrees in Biology and then received my DVM in 1983 from KSU. Alfred Jr. and Doug both studied Physics at KU. I remember visiting with Bob Bong and his wife Sylvia, who encouraged my dad to go to school at KU.
-Leilani
I think your dad went to school with Nancy Kassebaum who became a senator in 1978. Your dad went to KU because of some Jewish friend of grandpa George. There was one who became counsellor general in Afghanistan, I can’t recall his name, and there was one named Hutchinson that stood out in my memory. Grandma Charlotte would ship embroidered table linens to Alfred and her would sell them for income. Willie was a Fuller Brush salesman.
-Eva
Alfred and Willie both sold table cloths for a while. It was quite a bit later on that Willie became a Fuller Bruch salesman. The reason why they both went to KU was because of a Mr. William. At this point, no one can recall his first name. Mr. William was the boss of Asia Petroleum in Swatow and was a close friend of George and Charlotte. He is from Kansas City, Kansas and had promised to look after the boys should the war prevent remittances etc. It was during WWII. He retired and returned to Kansas City but soon relocated to Hot Spring, Arkansas. Willie was recounting to me the hairy trip he had when he and Alfred drove down to Hot Spring in Alfred's car and the brakes failed.
These twists and turns of real life stories are too ridiculous to be made up. Life is stranger than fables.
-Victor
Univ. of Kansas was not the first university Alfred attended. In fact, he first attended St. John's University in Shanghai for a couple years before the communist threatened to take over Shanghai. While attending St. John's University, Alfred rode a Harley Davidson motorcycle, which he had painted canary yellow. With the communists threatening Shanghai, Alfred then attended KU and he shipped his Harley to Hong Kong and gave it to my father to ride around while he attended Diocesan Boy's School. No student had a car or motorcycle at DBS. He was the only one, so no rules were ever developed regarding students having a motorcycle or car on campus.
Less than a mile from KU is the federally funded Haskell Indian Nations University then called Haskell Institute for American Indians. Therefore, many presumed Alfred to be an American Indian; even the American Indians in Lawrence assumed Alfred was an American Indian and would greet him "HOW".
Yes, both Alfred and William would sell linens manufactured by George and Charlotte to support themselves at KU. They would set up appointments with wealthy women who would invite their friends over.
The Fuller Brush door salesman was when my father was in Houston.
-Troy
My mom remembers Mr. and Mrs. Williams were the couple that influenced my
dad’s decision to choose KU. Their son, Sam, was a good friend of my dad’s and he gave my mom an obstinate Bulldog, which she said she couldn't manage and she had to give him back!
My mom remembers that Uncle Willie totalled her brand new blue Chevy!
Whoa! She was not very happy recounting that detail!
- Leilani
Your story about your mother's unpleasant memory of the time my father crashing the car made laugh. My father has shared that story with me. Both he and Alfred were on their way to an appointment to sell linens and the road was wet, as he rounded a curve, the car hydroplaned and he lost control. Both were fine, but Alfred had a cut on his face from the accident.
-Troy
Alfred, being the eldest of the children, was the first to head off to college after graduating from Diocesan Boy's School in Hong Kong. My father was right behind him and joined him at University of Kansas after graduating from DBS also.
The reason why they chose to attend the University of Kanas was because their parents, George and Charlotte, had a business associate who recommended the university and would be nearby if their boys ever needed anything. While at KU, George and Charlotte would ship linens that they manufactured from Hong Kong so Alfred and William could sell to support their education. Alfred taught William how to sell the linens.
-Troy
My dad was probably the first to do many things since his middle name should have been FEARLESS. He was always so happy and optimistic. He loved life! Music (singing), sports,
especially tennis, and art (especially Chinese water colors) were his forte's. Myself, and all my siblings were Jayhawkers also at least briefly for my late sister, Jude, who only spent one semester at KU then went on to Columbia University to get her art history degree and then her Midwifery degree from Yale school of Nursing. I stayed 2 semesters at KU, then headed to KSU for my degrees in Biology and then received my DVM in 1983 from KSU. Alfred Jr. and Doug both studied Physics at KU. I remember visiting with Bob Bong and his wife Sylvia, who encouraged my dad to go to school at KU.
-Leilani
I think your dad went to school with Nancy Kassebaum who became a senator in 1978. Your dad went to KU because of some Jewish friend of grandpa George. There was one who became counsellor general in Afghanistan, I can’t recall his name, and there was one named Hutchinson that stood out in my memory. Grandma Charlotte would ship embroidered table linens to Alfred and her would sell them for income. Willie was a Fuller Brush salesman.
-Eva
Alfred and Willie both sold table cloths for a while. It was quite a bit later on that Willie became a Fuller Bruch salesman. The reason why they both went to KU was because of a Mr. William. At this point, no one can recall his first name. Mr. William was the boss of Asia Petroleum in Swatow and was a close friend of George and Charlotte. He is from Kansas City, Kansas and had promised to look after the boys should the war prevent remittances etc. It was during WWII. He retired and returned to Kansas City but soon relocated to Hot Spring, Arkansas. Willie was recounting to me the hairy trip he had when he and Alfred drove down to Hot Spring in Alfred's car and the brakes failed.
These twists and turns of real life stories are too ridiculous to be made up. Life is stranger than fables.
-Victor
Univ. of Kansas was not the first university Alfred attended. In fact, he first attended St. John's University in Shanghai for a couple years before the communist threatened to take over Shanghai. While attending St. John's University, Alfred rode a Harley Davidson motorcycle, which he had painted canary yellow. With the communists threatening Shanghai, Alfred then attended KU and he shipped his Harley to Hong Kong and gave it to my father to ride around while he attended Diocesan Boy's School. No student had a car or motorcycle at DBS. He was the only one, so no rules were ever developed regarding students having a motorcycle or car on campus.
Less than a mile from KU is the federally funded Haskell Indian Nations University then called Haskell Institute for American Indians. Therefore, many presumed Alfred to be an American Indian; even the American Indians in Lawrence assumed Alfred was an American Indian and would greet him "HOW".
Yes, both Alfred and William would sell linens manufactured by George and Charlotte to support themselves at KU. They would set up appointments with wealthy women who would invite their friends over.
The Fuller Brush door salesman was when my father was in Houston.
-Troy
My mom remembers Mr. and Mrs. Williams were the couple that influenced my
dad’s decision to choose KU. Their son, Sam, was a good friend of my dad’s and he gave my mom an obstinate Bulldog, which she said she couldn't manage and she had to give him back!
My mom remembers that Uncle Willie totalled her brand new blue Chevy!
Whoa! She was not very happy recounting that detail!
- Leilani
Your story about your mother's unpleasant memory of the time my father crashing the car made laugh. My father has shared that story with me. Both he and Alfred were on their way to an appointment to sell linens and the road was wet, as he rounded a curve, the car hydroplaned and he lost control. Both were fine, but Alfred had a cut on his face from the accident.
-Troy
Alfred and William
In 1952, the Sim family returned to Hong Kong. Charlotte arrived first, to make sure it was safe, and then the rest of the family followed from Jesselton, North Borneo. George and Charlotte established their company in Hong Kong, which manufactured linens among other things.
Also in 1952, William finished his studies at DBS and joined his older brother Alfred at the University of Kansas. Pictured, is Alfred and William in front of Alfred's Oldsmobile in Lawrence, Kansas.
George and Charlotte would ship linens over from China, and Alfred taught William how to sell the linens door-to-door in Kansas.
-Troy
Also in 1952, William finished his studies at DBS and joined his older brother Alfred at the University of Kansas. Pictured, is Alfred and William in front of Alfred's Oldsmobile in Lawrence, Kansas.
George and Charlotte would ship linens over from China, and Alfred taught William how to sell the linens door-to-door in Kansas.
-Troy
Alfred at the beach near Swatow
This is an early photo of Alfred at the beach near Swatow. Alfred is standing, second from the right. However, William is unable to identify himself or Charles but believe they may be one of the boys seated in the front.
The two girls standing to Alfred's right are sisters, daughters of a business associate of George Sim. William recalls the shorter sister walked with a limp. He could not identify anyone else.
This photo had to have been taken in the 1940's (post WW2) before the communists took over China and the family fled first to Hong Kong and then to Jesselton, North Borneo (then a territory of the UK, presently Malaysia) in 1949.
The background to this story is that this beach is located on an island that required them to take a personal boat. I wonder if this island is currently called Nan'ao Island.
-Troy
I think that’s my father Victor seated at far right.
-Cheryl
The two girls standing to Alfred's right are sisters, daughters of a business associate of George Sim. William recalls the shorter sister walked with a limp. He could not identify anyone else.
This photo had to have been taken in the 1940's (post WW2) before the communists took over China and the family fled first to Hong Kong and then to Jesselton, North Borneo (then a territory of the UK, presently Malaysia) in 1949.
The background to this story is that this beach is located on an island that required them to take a personal boat. I wonder if this island is currently called Nan'ao Island.
-Troy
I think that’s my father Victor seated at far right.
-Cheryl
Alfred in New Jersey with the Barbershop Quartet
We had a number of big parties at our home in New Jersey. On one such occasion Alfred and Nita were in attendance. That day, we had a male Barbershop quartet performing for us. They wore a dark green top with beige pants. By coincidence Alfred wore the same thing with exactly the same shade and he quickly joined them, making it into a quintet. I was able to take one photo when the party moved from the library to semi outdoors. That was in 2003. That was during the time I was transitioning from film to digital photography. This was in a print that I have scanned.
-Victor
-Victor
Alfred and the Barbershop Quartet
One of the gang
Alfred and Benny
Taken in New Jersey at Victor and Rose's home.
Victor and Rose's NJ home by Alfred Sim
Alfred and Nita
Alfred and Nita at Grandma's 95th Birthday celebration
Judith
Judith performs a sword dance at Grandma's 95th birthday celebration
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