rafflesiantimes issue01 fa

Plusrooted in serviceLegacies of a Family of Old Rafflesians

service BeFore seLF Raffles Interact Turns Fifty

so WHAt do YoU KnoW ABoUt tHe rLiHelping Students Conquer MountainsMetaphysical Ones Included

RAFFLESIAN TIMES

July 2013 / Issue 01

S T A Y U P D A T E D A T

http://alumni.ri.edu.sg

featuresJuly 2013 / Issue 01

68- 73

Service Before Self

We mark Raffles Interacts 50th Anniversary by interviewing

outgoing president Eugene Lim (currently in Year 6) and his father,

Mr Lim Seng Hock, who was the first chairperson of RJC Interact.

rooted in Service

We find out more about the family of old Rafflesians that includes luminaries such as Lim Boon Keng, Tan Tock Seng, Dr Kim Kok Ann, and playwright Stella Kon.

29- 50

So What do you knoW aBout the rli

The Raffles Leadership Instituteformerly known as the Raffles Institute of Experiential Learningbrings students out of the classroom to hone their latent leadership skills by serving communities and conquering challenging outdoor environments.

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100- 106

Gap SemeSter 2.0: Scorecard

Last year, our Year 4 students embarked on the first-ever Gap Semester. We find out how the

pioneer edition of this programme fared on their scorecards.

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PRInCIPALS MESSAGE

SCHooL nEWS

LETTER fRoM THE RPA

LETTER fRoM THE oRA

RGS REPoRT

THE PREfECT #YoRo

THE CoUnCILLoR The Rafflesian Privilege

GREAT ExPECTATIonS

RooTED In SERvICE Legacies of a family of old Rafflesians

THE TIME MACHInE Teacher Pranks from the 1990s

THE TEACHER A Tale of Two Teachers

RAffLES RoMAnCES

SERvICE BEfoRE SELf: Raffles Interact Turns fifty

UnITED In onE voICE

THE ATHLETE five Decades of Rafflesian Softball

editoriAL teAMLim Lai Cheng

S. Magendiran

Adeline Wong

Caleb Liu

Dominic Chua

Heryanti Suhaimy

Inez Tan

Izyan nadzirah

and the ExCo and writers of

Raffles Publications Raffles Press

contriBUtorsJune Lee

Raffles Photography and Art Club

Art directionEgg Creatives Pte Ltd

PHotoGrAPHYLumina Photography

To contribute an opinion or suggestion, please contact the editorial team at [email protected]

CoPYRIGHT & REPRInTS All material printed in Rafflesian Times is protected under the copyright act. All rights reserved. no material may be reproduced in part of in whole without prior written consent of the publisher and copyright holder. Permission may be requested through the Singapore office. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in Rafflesian Times are not necessarily the views of the publisher.

This publication is printed on environmentally-friendly paper.

TURnInG HoUSES InTo HoMES

So WHAT Do YoU KnoW ABoUT THE RLI?

GAP SEMESTER 2.0: Scorecard

CHooSInG To BE A LEADER

THE HATCHLInG Great Adaptations

BLACK HoLES AnD REvELATIonS The Rise of The Confessions Page

THE fEMInInE EYE Engendering Equality

THE ARTIST Purposeful Photographers

THE WRITER The School at night

CALL of THE WILD A feature on Eco-lits newest Book

CoRE To THE RAffLESIAn SoUL Giving Back

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ContentS

Principals Message

Welcome to the new-old Rafflesian Times. The publication which you hold in your hands has been half a year in the making, but many of our old Boys will remember this name from their days in school, given that the Rafflesian Times has been in continuous publication since 1963, the year that Singapore first gained independence as part of Malaysia.

This relaunch of Rafflesian Times arises out of a desire to unite our current staff and students with their counterparts from the pastto literally and metaphorically bring everyone together onto the same page. Historically, this publication is the latest incarnation of a line of school magazinesNews From RI (19912005), Outlook (the RJC newsletter, 19822009), RInspire (200609), Eagle Eye (20102012), ONE (the alumni magazine, 20092012). Where previous publications have been driven by students and staff (or staff and alumni, in the case of onE), whats distinctively different about the revamped Rafflesian Times is the fact that its been jointly written by students, members of staff, and alumni.

In keeping with the magazines pedigree and in the spirit of the schools 190th anniversary celebrations, weve chosen to focus on school heritage with this issue. There are articles on the history of the RI and RJC choirs (celebrating their 21st and 31st birthdays this year), the Interact Club (50 years old in 2013), a revisiting of the first Raffles Players musical, Great Expectations, staged in 1975, a look at the evolution of the schools House system, teacher pranks from the 1990s as well as a special feature on a family that won the old Rafflesians Assocations RooTS contest for Largest Rafflesian family back in 1979.

Its not the past that is privileged, though. An interview with Mrs Poh Mun See, the Principal of Raffles Girls School, gives us some insight into the directions that are being charted for RGS. our student writers investigate the currently-trending facebook phenomenon of Confessions pages, and there are also updates on school initiatives, including the Raffles Leadership Institute, the Gap Semester, and the Raffles Community Initiative.

Ultimately, we felt that Rafflesian Times was a particularly apt title for a publication that aims to convene a meeting of different generations of Rafflesians. As we anticipate the schools second bicentennial in 2023, may we learn from the past, live in the present, and work to bring about a better age for the communities that we find ourselves in.

PrinciPals MessageSchool Scene

liM lai cheng

4toMorroW todAY concertRI students joined hands with Germanys acclaimed Studio musikfabrik and other talented South-east Asian musicians to put up the contemporary classical concert. This ensemble performed under the baton of oboist Peter veale. RI was the first stop of the young musicians Southeast Asian concert tour, which also brought them to Malaysia and Thailand. In attendance was Principal Mrs Lim Lai Cheng, who gave the opening speech.

2 January

YeAr 4 orientAtionThis event brought the whole Year 4 cohort together for four activities: Castles Can fly, High Impact Aret, K-Pop and Dialogue in the Dark. These games and activities gave students the chance to live out their fIRE (fortitude, Integrity, Respect, Enterprise) values and strengthened class bonds.

MALAYsiAn MontAGeYear 2 students travelled to Kuala Lumpur, negeri Sembilan and Pahang on a four-day learning journey that covered places of historical, geographical, cultural and economic interest, visiting sites like the Batu Caves and High 5 Bread factory. They also tried their hands at making jam at the Star fresh Agro Park and rode ostriches at the Jelita ostrich farm.

school newsSchool Scene

School News

5school newsSchool Scene

YeAr 1 orientAtionWith the theme Spiritus Audent (Spirit of venture), this years orientation camp familiarised new Year 1 students with the campus, and introduced them to the Rafflesian spirit and school traditions.

3 January

YeAr 56 oPen HoUseThemed R! ALIvE, this years open House sought to encapsulate the vibrancy and passion of school life. visitors were treated to lively performances, academic displays, exhibition matches and campus tours led by the Befrienders student ambassadors.

12 January

KiWi cUPThe Cup started in 1967 as a yearly playoff between the rugby teams of RI and Saint Andrews School. The guest of honour this year was His Excellency Mr Peter Hamilton, new Zealand High Commissioner to Singapore, and the Cup was won by the team from St Andrews.

25 January

YeAr 5 orientAtionWith the theme Aurora, over 1,200 Year 5 students bonded over team activities such as station games and war games. The event closed with a final night of song, dance, fun and laughter.

1 feBruary

6tAKe 5Students and staff turned up en masse on the sands of Palawan and Tanjong Beach to commemorate Total Defence Day with the annual Take 5. Themed United We Stand, this event marked the first time the entire Year 16 cohort congregated in Sentosa for Take 5. In addition to the main concert staged on Palawan beach, the Rafflesians participated in activities and games such as omnikin, Handball, A Minute to Win It and frisbee. There was also an Amazing Race across Palawan Beach, a busking competition, carnival rides and a booth providing free temporary tattoos.

15 feBruary

no sHoes dAYIn a campaign to help raise funds and awareness for the poor living conditions of children in Kenya, Rafflesians bared their soles for a day to experience the plight of the less fortunate. With campaign efforts ranging from photo booths, donating of shoes to fund-raising sales, the high-profile event certainly made for an interesting sight, as studentsand even teachersspent the day treading about barefoot. The campaign, now in its second year running, was organised by Community Advocates in collaboration with the Tana River Life foundation and has collected 382 pairs of shoes to date.

27 feBruary

A-LeveL resULts reLeAseA total of 1,240 students received their GCE A-Level Examinations results in the Multi-Purpose Hall and Indoor Sports Hall at 2.30pm. The Class of 2012 did RI proud with its holistic excellence and stellar academic results, including a record-breaking number of 10 students who scored 9 distinctions in 13 academic units, which is the best showing in history since the introduction of the revised A-Level curriculum in 2006.

1 march


7reALMAdrid Press conFerenceThe Realmadrid foundation announced its plans to partner with Raffles Institution to bring the Realmadrid Campus Experience to Singapore and Southeast Asia. An opportunity for budding boys and girls aged 7-17 keen on pursuing football in the region, the Realmadrid Campus Experience will also provide like-minded Rafflesians and other young footballers a unique opportunity to work with and learn under coaches from one of the most successful teams in football history.

ri LectUre seriesChairing the 11th lecture in the series, Senior Minister of State for Law and Education Ms Indranee Rajah (RI, 1981) addressed pertinent issues in the Singapore education landscape today, and emphasised the importance for the education system to continually refine itself. She also highlighted the need for schools to serve the various learning needs of studentsthat they must not only learn hard skills, but also learn how to learn and be inculcated with the right values.

4 april

YoUtH Got HeArtorganised by the Raffles Interact Club, the annual Youth Got Heart community service roadshow drew several thousand youth participants from all over Singapore to *SCAPE orchard, where over 30 vWos (voluntary Welfare organisations) offered a range of volunteering opportunities for youth to find their passion in community service.

6 april

11 april

cLAss execUtive coMMittee (cec) investitUreThis formal event recognizes the important roles played by the CECs, which consist of one monitor and two assistant monitors in every class. The CECs aim to promote class and batch bonding within the school, and to foster a strong sense of unity, spirit and belonging in every Rafflesian.

12 march



Prize-GivinG cereMonYThe prize-giving ceremony honours Year 14 students who have achieved excellent academic and sporting results. It also recognises those who have contributed significantly to the school and the community. This years Guest of Honour was Mr vanu Gopala Menon, Deputy Secretary (Southeast Asia and International organisations) in the Ministry of foreign Affairs. He is concurrently Singapores Ambassador to the federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the African Union, resident in Singapore.

33rd stUdents coUnciL investitUreThe 33rd Students Council Investiture saw the swearing-in of Council President Edward Kim (14A01C), vice-Presidents Goh Zuo Min (14S06B) and Kimberly Chia (14A03A), and 73 student councillors. The Guest of Honour was Ms Adele Tan (RGS, 1990; RJC, 1992) who was the President of the 11th Students Council. She is currently the Director of Corporate Development with the national Parks Board.

16 april

16 may

sense oF A BeGinninG BooK LAUncHSense of a Beginning, an anthology of five different tales of substance abuse, was launched by Principal Mrs Lim Lai Cheng, together with President of the Singapore Anti-narcotics Association (SAnA) Mr Poh Geok Ek. The book was a collaboration between SAnA and five Year 6 students, who conducted interviews with five former drug addicts. The accounts were then passed on to a group of Year 5 volunteers who transfigured them into literary works.

YeAr 14 oPen HoUseover 4,800 Primary 6 students and their families attended the Year 14 open House, which had the theme Great Expectations. It featured performances and displays by CCA groups, campus tours, classroom experiences, DSA (Direct School Admissions) talks, as well as a sharing session by Principal of RI.

22 may

25 may


stAFF dAYThemed forging Ties, fusing Bonds, this years Staff Day gathered all 706 staff members of RI to celebrate RIs fIRE values and strengthen inter- and intra-department bonds.

31 may

rAFFLes AMBAssAdor series (norWAY)His Excellency Mr Tormod Cappelen Endresen, Ambassador of the Kingdom of norway to Singapore, gave a lecture to the Year 34 students on norways economy and foreign policy, as well as the challenges it faces due to its strong economic growth.

28 may

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HIGH NOTES letter from the rpaBY sheela MariaMah

The Raffles Parents Association (RPA) Management Committee (MC) ended its 24th term on a high note. Many activities had been planned and executed successfully throughout the term by our dedicated parents, the last being a week-long community service trip from 12 to 18 December 2012 to Baray, Cambodia. The maiden trip, initiated by outgoing chairperson Mrs Goh Swee Hong, saw 14 adults and 13 children, including principal Mrs Lim, paint a school, visit an orphanage and distribute clothes and groceries to the needy. It was such a success that were hoping to make it an annual affair.

Mr Richard Wong Chairman

Dr Cao Lin Vice-Chair (Year 56)

Ms Sheela Mariamah Vice-Chair (Year 14)

Ms Cathleen Ho Secretary

Ms Jo Lee Assistant Secretary

Ms Priya Ramanujam Honorary Treasurer

Mr R Muthaiah Assistant Hon Treasurer

coMMittee MeMBers (YeAr 56):Ms Rekha GunasingheMrs Vandana KackarMs Susan Tjen-WijayaMrs Theresa Teo

coMMittee MeMBers (YeAr 1 4)Mr Jasman ShahMr Tom MasciMr Timothy ThongMr Karsten BetzlerMr Hendy Shi

AUditorsMs Lan Luh LuhMr Tan Tzann Chang

co-oPted MeMBersMs Lock Yin MeiMr Hubert LimMs Lim Sook LuanMs Elsie ThienMs Esther ChowMs Viji JagadeeshMr Fred Low

MediAGabriel Ng

IntroducIng the 25th rPA MAnAgeMent coMMIttee

The new team of office-bearers was elected on 23 March 2013. Whilst many previous MC members remained, some new ones were roped in as well.

letter froM the rPaSchool Scene

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on a personal note, this is my fourth year serving in the RPA MC and Im proud to be part of this dynamic Raffles family. It is indeed a pleasure to contribute in whichever way I can and I hope that more parents can come forward to help, as well as participate.

sheela MariaMahVice-Chair (Year 1 4)Raffles Parents Association

We also have our ongoing Zumba classes which see many mums (and some dads) dancing their way to a slimmer figure. And if dancing is not your cup of tea, you can also try our yoga classes.

Please check out our RPA facebook for photos of past events and visit our website http://raffles-pa.blogspot.sg/.

The new committee has planned several events that parents can look forward to.

So far, weve had an nS Talk on 9 March, where our outgoing MC member Brigadier General Ishak Ismail shared about how parents can help prepare their sons (and themselves too) for national Service. next, we had our family Connect event on 6 April, a morning packed with fun and games for the whole family. The fun-filled activity was attended by 60 parents and their children.

In the pipeline are career talks, townhall meetings, lunches and breakfasts with the principal, Teachers Day celebrations, PSLE Maths workshops, the Supervised Study Programme (SSP), A-Level Dinner, Scholar Hosting and perhaps another community service trip.

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. winston churchill

letter froM the rPaSchool Scene

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As Rafflesians, we are all familiar with the Rafflesian Spirit. Some say that it is something that cannot be defined, yet others believe that it is the sense of belonging, pride and shared camaraderie as well as our primary DnA. However it is defined, it is the common bond that is shared by every person who has walked through the halls of the school. It is manifested in every competition that we win or lose. It is the engine that drives us to do our best, come what may. The Rafflesian Spirit was what set us apart when we were in school.

Unfortunately for many of us, it is also one of the things that we leave behind when we move on to bigger things. for some, it may just have evolved into something else.

Reinvigorating the Rafflesian Spiritletter from the oraBY nick Yen

for others, the effervescent flame somehow fizzles out as our priorities change. for too many, the stirring in our hearts when we hear our school song quickly becomes just another distant memory.

It is ironic that at Raffles we talk constantly about the Rafflesian Spirit and how it pervades everything that we do in school, yet we abandon it so quickly once we leave it. In recent times, other institutions have surpassed us in maintaining their school spirit.

As such, the resuscitation of the Rafflesian Spirit among the alumni became a top priority for the current oRA council when we took office last year. our mission extended beyond the social events that

had always been popularit encompassed a re-examination of the role of the oRA, and the word that encapsulated our mission was connections.

As alumni, we are the sentinels of the Rafflesian Spirit. We are entrusted as torchbearers and we have the responsibility to stoke the flames that keep the spirit alive. And if the flame fizzles, then what better way to rekindle this flame than to go back to the source of it allour Mount olympusour alma mater.

Starting with the Business Leaders Programme that was launched last year to the amalgamation of the oRA dinner with Homecoming at RI this year, we continue to reach out and forge new ties

We are entrusted as torchbearers and we have the responsibility to stoke the flames that keep the spirit alive.

letter froM the ora School Scene

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oraSchool Scene

sir sonG onG siAnG 18711941

Sir Song ong Siang (RI, 1888) was the first President of the oRA, which

was founded on 28 April 1923 by Headmaster D A Bishop.

Sir Song was a recipient of the Guthrie Scholarship and the

Queens Scholarship, and was the first Malayan Chinese to be

awarded the Knight Commander of the Most Excellent order of the

British Empire (KBE).

A strong advocate for education and educational reform, he co-founded Singapore Chinese Girls School in

1899 and the Hullett Memorial Library in 1923 with Lim Boon Keng to mark

the centenary of the founding of Raffles Institution.

with alumni from different generations. To leverage the value of the Rafflesian network, we have organised various sessions for alumni to share their experiences and knowledge. numerous activities have also taken place in and out of the school to encourage alumni to re-connect. In the coming months, we will continue to put into place various initiatives and platforms with the school to promote connections and re-connections.

The council hopes that as we approach the 190th anniversary of RI and the 90th anniversary of the oRA this year, we can look forward to a reinvigoration of the Rafflesian Spirit as well as the alumni network. We believe that this is the beginning of a better age for the school and for the oRA. Auspicium Melioris Aevi.

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In Conversation with Principal Mrs Poh Mun SeerGS report

What Was RGs like duRinG youR time as a student, and hoW does it feel like to come back to RGs afteR moRe than 20 yeaRs?

Im excited to be back, to return to a place that gave me and my friends so many fond memories, the firm foundation for higher education, and also the right attitudes towards life and work. I see this appointment as an opportunity to contribute back to my alma mater, and of course with the new campus development, its also a chance-of-a-lifetime to create a leading-edge campus to support our vision and mission. Its a lot of work, but my team and I are very excited.

So what was it like back then when I was a student? I think many things have remained the same. firstly, RGS is still a school of choice for many girls, and we continue to take in students from many primary schools. I remember how, as a Sec 1 student, I had multi-talented friends who came from a spread of primary schools from different parts

of Singapore. Secondly, I was also very impressed by the prefectorial board, by how the prefects led in the forefront, and how they assisted the teachers in running the school. Today, student leadership development is a cornerstone of our character education and the prefects are still leading and serving with impact. Thirdly and most importantly, the RGS school spirit has remained strong and our school events have continued to be very vibrant and of the highest standards. Back in those days, we had to audition to perform on founders Day and Speech Day, and we were always ecstatic to be selected. That sense of pride and affiliation to the school, where the girls eagerly volunteer to participate in school events, has been firmly anchored in RGS.

So what has changed? We have certainly grown in size

rgs rePortSchool Scene

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in every sense. other than our larger school campus (we have taken over the land that was once used by Anderson Secondary School), we now offer many new subjects and programmes that were not present during my time. The assessment system has also changedinstead of major mid-year and final-year exams, we now have continual tests throughout the year.

Because of the many programmes that we offer, the girls now spend longer hours in the school. I used to be able to go home at 2pm on two to three days each week, but I doubt our students can do that todaymost leave at 5pm or even later, especially when they have CCA training. And to run so many programmes, weve also hired more teachers and staff. over the last two decades, our staff strength has doubled to almost 200. These are some of the visible changes for the RGS visitor today. RGS is a very busy place now much busier than before.

as an old GiRl, hoW Would you descRibe the alumni scene in RGs, and What can alumni do to Give back to the school?

Although Ive only been here for three months, Ive had the good fortune of meeting up with various members of the alumni. The school is now collaborating with the alumni to raise funds for the new campus. There is, of course, the RGS chapter in the oRA, and then we also have old girls who are very active in the Parents of RGS (PRGS) association. Besides these two groups, there are also alumni out there who are passionate about giving back to the school, and some of them have stepped forth to volunteer their time, expertise or donations to support the development of the new campus.

I think we can be more systematic, going forward, in reaching out to batches of RGS girls and letting them know how they can support the school not just for the new campus, but in every way possible. They could give talks, offer attachments in their companies, link us up with potential donors, or even join the Board. Right now, we are trying to set up the RGS alumnae, but this is still a work in progress as the leadership is not yet firmed up. We hope to establish the alumnae in these two years.

could you tell us moRe about RGs upcominG move to bRaddell-Westlake?

The plan is to move into the new campus in Dec 2017, but this is an ambitious timeline. our current land area is 5.5 ha, and at the new site, well have 7 + 1 ha7 usable hectares of land, and the remaining hectare is the land that covers the drains so we may not be able to build above it, but its still open space that the school can call its own. The campus will be built in phases and some of the facilities, especially non-standard ones, will not be ready by Dec 2017. A lot will depend on the amount of funds that the RGS community can raise in the next decade and MoEs approval to construct those facilities.

We also recognise that being near RI would mean that we can leverage some of the facilities and programmes in RI, leading to an even more meaningful exchange between the two schools. Were working on a narrative for the campus now, having done one round of consultation with students and staff, and we hope to build a campus that can reflect our characterinnovative and trailblazing, inspiring in our mission and actions, and retaining the rich heritage that RGS is proud to have.


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is theRe GoinG to be a bRidGe linkinG RGs and Ri?

Yes! Theres been talk about building that bridge, but weve not settled on whos paying for the bridge yet! (laughs) I hear that the old boys from RI are very keen to help, though!

What do you envision the RGs of the futuRe to be, and hoW do you aim to achieve this vision?

In RGS, we have a dual mission. first, as a premier girls school, we have a responsibility to nurture the future female leaders of Singapore. Second, being an independent IP school, we are expected to be a trailblazer in our programmes and policies, setting the pace and bringing value to entire community. We have been doing that very well, and weve come a long way. So the question is: how do we stay ahead of the curve? Singapores education system has also matured, with many countries

benchmarking against us in our practices and policies. So for a school in the forefront like RGS, there are not many models that we can copy and replicate. So where do we look to for inspiration? I think, for the next phase, we will have to look within and tap on our three strengthsour students, our staff, and our partners.

The first strength is that of our students, for them to become co-pedagogues, and to co-create the curriculum and pedagogy with their teachers. This may sound like a tall order for students, especially when they have not been schooled in educational theories and curriculum design, but our students are very talented and they will be able to provide valuable input to enhance the lessons and enrich their learning.

The second is that of our teachers, for them to be instructional leaders by being masters of their craft and sharing their knowledge and skills with the fraternity. And we can draw upon their repertoire of knowledge to improve the way we teach and the way students learn. Ultimately, our

teachers must be pioneers in their work and be able to help uplift the quality of instruction in Singapore.

The third is that of our parents and the alumni, for them to contribute to our success. Recently, weve been seeing a lot of people who want to give back to the school in whatever way they can, and we want to further engage them to shape our work.

In other words, we hope to tap on our own people and partners to create a world-class institution. But what does a world-class institution really mean?

If you were to enter a world-class restaurant, regardless of which waiter serves you, or which item on the menu you pick, you would expect nothing less than good service and a delicious dish. Even if you were served by a temporary waitress, or if your dish was cooked by a replacement chef, you would still expect to have nothing short of excellent food and service.

So the same concept applies: if we were a world-class institution, we should be able to showcase any lesson or

So where do we look to for inspiration? i think, for the next phase, we will have to look within and tap on our three strengthsour students, our staff, and our partners.


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programme, anytime, anywhere, and to anyone. And that is a powerful idea, because it means that everyone is on the same pagewe know our standards and we are able to deliver a consistently excellent experience for everyone. It also means that anyone stepping into the school will feel warmth, vibrancy, and an embracing culture. And when one steps into a classroom, one observes lessons that generate excitement and enthusiasm about the subject.

So that idea of high and consistent standards is something that I would like to work towards, and I also want to create that open culture of sharing, where our teachers and students are always prepared for people to visit and collaborate, and to see for themselves what RGS is really like.

if we are a world-class institution, then we should be able to showcase any lesson or programme, anytime, anywhere, and to anyone. and that is a powerful idea.

finally, we must ask ourselves, who is the RGS Girl?, as these girls are likely to be future leaders of Singapore. Three qualities of the RGS girl stand out for me: capable, reflective, action-orientedbut are there other traits that we want to see in an RGS girl? Were having further conversations with our peoplethe parents, alumni, staff, students and community, and we want to sharpen the notion of the RGS Girl, so that our girls will become female leaders of distinction to serve the nation and society.

WheRe Would you say RGs is cuRRently, in teRms of youR vision?

Were definitely off to a good start, as we have wonderful students, a collegial staff, a great school culture and established systems and processes. Indeed, we have come a long way as a school, due to the contributions of our predecessors. What we need to do now is to articulate our definition of high standards and decide collectively how to arrive there. There is still much to be done to become a world class institution.


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BY isaac leong 4A

Back in 2011, my friend and I were at the 10th anniversary batch dinner of the Class of 2001 helping out with the sale of Raffles Merchandise. All of a sudden, an alumnus came up to us and told us to treasure our time at Raffles. He looked slightly drunk, and it wasnt surprising since the occasion must have been full of fond distant memories for him. nonetheless, it did make both of us think about the way we spent our time in school and whether we were making those moments count.

Looking back at this encounter, my friend Cayson Chong (4E) coined the term YoRo (Youre only in Raffles once) to sum up the mans advice. We first shared this at our Student Leaders

#YOROthe prefect

the Prefect#YORO

Isaac is fourth from left

this sense of being part of a bigger community extends outside of my class, and it is the reason why i choose to throw myself into school life and prefectorial work.

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Camp last year when we talked about making the Rafflesian experience memorable for our peers and juniors. As a batch of student leaders, we came up with various plansfrom getting CCAs to put emphasis on the process of training hard as a team, instead of only focusing on winning medals; to initiatives, like the fortnightly TGIf events, that encouraged students to take some time out of their busy school life to bond with their friends. These plans have been an overall success thanks to the hard work of many student leaders, but their effectiveness on a personal level may be more difficult to ascertain.

In the past year, many of us have become increasingly indifferent to matters in school and gotten caught up with our own world of workits not uncommon after all to find some amongst us who see their GPA (Grade Point Average) as the only thing to work for in RI. But the Rafflesian experience is so much more than that, and it is really up to the individual to decide the kind of memories and experiences to bring away after six years at Raffles.

My first three-and-a-half years have been specialnot because of big achievements and events, but because of the great people and the little things that have come to define my memory of Raffles. Whether it was supporting my classmates for inter-class soccer, or doing wild (and sometimes insane) things together with themlike the numerous birthday pranks we pull on each other or the last-minute decision to go topless for our Merchant of venice Drama

Challenge in Year 2these experiences are what I look back fondly to. on hindsight, I cannot be sure whether it was the fun or the stress of schoolwork that made the experience so memorable. Even the most strenuous projects that had us working till midnight were amazing because of the experience of slogging it out with like-minded friends.

This sense of being part of a bigger community extends outside of my class, and it is the reason why I choose to throw myself into school life and prefectorial work. Though it sometimes comes at the expense of grades and schoolwork, knowing that Ive only got six years to make an impact on the people around me is what drives me. Perhaps these experiences have also taught me how to put aside the instinctive feeling of awkwardness to do what I really love and feel for, be it

going crazy at match support, or contributing the wackiest ideas at orientation planning meetings. Some were bad ideas that eventually failed, and many others we laughed off for being impractical. But amidst all these wacky ideas, there were some that made us rethink our approach to various issues. Sometimes, this made all the difference.

At the end, living the Rafflesian experience to the fullest involves throwing yourself into it and sometimes failing, but looking back, doing these things with great people will be truly worthwhile.

So, dont hesitate to cheer your heart out for friends fighting on the pitch, be willing to take part in Dramafeste even if youve never acted before, initiate something to help a classmate in need, and give your best to make the best of this once-in-a-lifetime exprience!

the Prefect#YORO

Isaac Leong is currently the Headboy of the RI

Prefectorial Board.

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The Rafflesian Privilegethe councillor

This is amazing! Seeing this library, I already feel like studying! now I know why Raffles people always do so well With every exclamation, I could feel my face uncontrollably turning redder as I brought the two guests, councillors from another school attending 33rd Students Council Investiture, around our campus.

The pair marveled at the photo display of CCAs around Block J; they compared our three-storey library, complete with entire shelves of past year papers, a photocopying room and think tanks, to the single storey one in their school. Their genuine wonderment at the things we have become accustomed to seeing every day was a striking reminder of how lucky we are. I found myself repeatedly rushing to finish every introduction of each place with and we are very lucky to have these resources.

Indeed, we Rafflesians are a privileged bunch. We enjoy two years or more of quality education and have an abundance of resources to tap into. Being a councillor meant that I was a privileged subset in an already advantaged group.

Councillors are equal to our fellow school mates, yet are privileged because we have the responsibility of

organising school-wide events and targeting the needs of the school community by introducing initiatives. We are granted resources such as funds, a spot in the calendar and the advice of teacher-mentors to fulfill this end, and it is our duty to put them to good use.

Throughout my council term, I have been repeatedly reminded how easy it is to forget how incredibly blessed we are. Many a time, councillors would complain about our limited fundsdespite the fact that our budget for events is already many times that of other schools. our demands and expectations are so high, because we habitually receive so much. We appear to carry around an invisible knapsack, a term coined by Dr Peggy McIntosha set

BY ashlYnna ng 13A01B

the councillorThe Rafflesian Privilege

of unearned resources that we carry around by virtue of our identity. More often than not, we are not aware of what these unearned resources are. There are many resources that councillors possess, such as keys to the games room at the Hodge Lodge or rooms to store logistics and hold meetingsand at times we saw this as a right, rather than a privilege. Thankfully during our term, the student population kept the council grounded. If we made mistakes, or misused our privileges, our friends were there to remind us that the provision of these resources are for the sole purpose of better serving the school.

Similarly, for the wider school community, we too have our own Rafflesian privilege. I do not say this with elitism, but rather

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Ashlynna is second from left

the councillorThe Rafflesian Privilege

of commons of which we have drawn from so extensively. It is no longer just about Rafflesians contributing back to society. It is also about our attitude in doing so. Many Rafflesians go on to become doctors, lawyers or public servants who can contribute significantly in their respective fields. But will we be authentic in our intention to save lives, provide legal protection or serve the people? or will we fall into the trap of dismissive condescension which has reared its ugly head in recent prominent cases on social media?

The real world will not be as forgiving as our school mates if we abuse our privileges, or are arrogant in our actions. We have to be cognisant of our well-endowed position and realise that where we are today is partly due to factors independent of our own effort. With that awareness, it is silly to not be humble and sincere in our actions.

As we graduate from this school, I am grateful for this chance to be in this position of privilege. It is an odd combination of events that has allowed me to end up where I am today. Thank you for allowing me to serve in Council and in so doing, take away these invaluable lessons, which moving forward, I hope to apply when serving Singapore. The future beckons and I earnestly hope that Rafflesians can continue to contribute actively to our community and be true to our motto, Auspicium Melioris Aevi.

the humble acknowledgement that we have been (fairly, or not) endowed with more. This is a list of things that many of us have taken for granted, or at least, do not actively acknowledge. At the most basic level, we have ample academic support. We have supportive teachers, comprehensive notes and a conducive environment for studying, which allow us to push ourselves academically and stand a better chance at getting onto the traditional routes of success.

So what are Rafflesians to do with this privilege? With all the recent talk about the effectiveness of meritocracy and how it is unfashionable to be a Rafflesian (as my literature teacher is known to say) given the socio-economic trepidations Singapore is undergoing, we need to work twice as hard to contribute back to the treasury

But will we be authentic in our intention to save lives, provide legal protection or serve the people? or will we fall into the trap of dismissive condescension which has reared its ugly head in recent prominent cases on social media?

Ashlynna ng is the President of the 32nd

Students' Council.

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BY izYan nadzirah

Restaged the Raffles Way

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The Wanton Sisters

great exPectationsGloria Lewis, Harold Tan & Richard Tan

We were ambitious, I must admit. But we pulled it off, shared an amused Harold Tan (RI, 1976) on putting up Great Expectations in 1975. The first thing you need to hold a successful performance is good leadershipto direct and to filter the ideas that everyone will suggest time and again that may be unbeneficial to the development of the performance. The second thing is possibly healthy stress. of course, some of us were stressed to our wits ends, what with juggling multiple extra-curricular activities and our academics. But the stress of holding a play all on our own at the age of 17 was a challenge that enabled us to discover our personalities. It was worth it.

Harold was the musical director of Great Expectations performed by Raffles Players and is currently the Director for Real Estate Advisory at vestAsia Group, a company that provides real estate consultancy and executive training.

In 1975, a group of Pre-University students in RI broke with theatrical tradition to stage a student-written and student-directed performance to a national crowd comprised of youths from various schools. Instead of the yearly Shakespearean play in RI, the Raffles Players, together with some choir members, staged a musical adapted from one of the greatest victorian classics, Great Expectations.

To write the musical, the Players combined two centuries worth of entertainmenta 19th

Mr Harold Tan

Ms Gloria Lewis

The sTress of holding a play all on our own aT The age of 17 was a challenge ThaT enabled us To discover our personaliTies. iT

was worTh iT.

harold tan

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century bildungsroman novel focusing on the moral character of society with adaptations of 20th Century love pop songs (most of the lyrics were changed to suit the scene). The cast also borrowed the idea of a Greek chorus, with a 29-member strong choir singing the adapted pop songs that formed the narrative backbone of the musical.

They even introduced new characters not found in the

great exPectationsRestaged the Raffles Way

from left: Soh Chye Guan, Harold Tan, and Richard Tan in 1975

whaT kepT us going was The rafflesian spiriT To never give up wiThouT giving iT our besT shoT.

harold tan

novelthe Wanton Sisterswho provided much hilarity, glamour and an Asian context to a quintessentially English text. The resultant musical was uniquely Rafflesian, and held much appeal, particularly with Literature students.

As Harold had let on earlier, staging the musical was no mean feat. Gloria Lewis (RI, 1976), who resides in Perth, Australia and who is also an

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Dr Richard Tan

amateur watercolour painter and a beauty therapist with her own business, recalls dividing her time between softball, Raffles Players and academic work. In the period leading up to the national tournaments, her days would start at seven in the morning in the school field (at the Grange Road campus) to train for softball. After running laps and practising her throws, she would head for assembly and then diligently bury her head into her books before rushing off to Great Expectations rehearsal in the afternoon.

In the evening, when the sun was not too hot, she would continue her softball practice. It was quite funny sometimes. I would be playing in the field at around 4 pm and I could hear the Players practising the songs at the music room next to the field. often enough I wished I could be at both places at the same time!

Gloria, who was a recipient of the Colours award (an award given to students who excelled academically and in sport) for her dedication to softball, admits that her grades suffered for a considerable period of time. The many hours put into both softball and Raffles Players left her feeling drained by the time she reached home, and she spent less time revising. Harold agreed that it was hard to force oneself to persevere with studies at times, especially after a draining rehearsal: There were moments when we were all just ready to give up. There were hours when all of us would be sullen, tired, and half-hearted. But those moments, thankfully,

were rare. What kept us going was the Rafflesian spirit to never give up without giving it our best shot.

That same year, two out of the four literature teachers left RI. The teachers that remained had to juggle extra classes which affected their dedication to the Raffles Players. When asked if the lack of teacher contribution and direction at the start affected the morale of the Players taking part in Great Expectations, they each gave a momentary pause. I think we did great, no matter. What help they gave us we valued greatly, but looking back it was an opportunity to step forward and take charge, said Dr Richard Tan (RI, 1976), currently an aeromedical doctor with the Singapore Aeromedical Centre, and the director of the 1975 musical.

Initially, one of the teachers did not welcome the idea of scrapping the Shakespeare play. He questioned us a couple of times on our decision to break with tradition but we were clearwe were a batch that was inspired by the changes we saw over our years in RI.

When asked to expand on these changes, Richard smiled and leaned forward. 1973 was a unique year for us. The cohort was very much involved in the mass display for the opening ceremony of the national Stadium that July. We spent long hours practising in the hot sun to the extent that we were straggling behind in our studies. Can you guess what the teachers did? He paused


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for dramatic effect before continuing conspiratorially, They gave us major hints on what was coming out for the exams! Here we were furiously copying down notes, cramming last minute points into our heads in class before rushing off to the stadium for rehearsals, and there were the teachers at the blackboard writing and underlining key phrases and going through the same few topics over and over again.

That was change to us. That incident showed us how we neednt be bound unnecessarily by tradition, and how we could adapt to any situation. After considering many factors, we readapted Great Expectations and didnt look back.

But the Raffles Players (RP) did not stop there. not long after they decided to put aside Shakespeare for the year, they were determined to stage a musical instead of a play. This idea was the brainchild of the RPs Executive Committee, of which Harold, Richard, and Gloria were members. Their explanation was simplethere were many hidden talents within RI and staging a musical would allow the school to unearth such talents.

Mr Philip Liau, our principal then, was very supportive of our new direction. In fact, he challenged us further. Great Expectations wasnt our first choice; initially we wanted to borrow a musical directly from the operas but Mr Liau suggested writing an original musical. We took two weeks to crack our heads to come up with a musical and when Mr Liau gave the go ahead, the rest, as they say, is history, Richard revealed.

In fact, the second page of the programme booklet archives for posterity how the musical came about. Titled How It All Started, the page provides a brief history of the Annual Play and how they arrived at the decision to stage Great Expectations. It also explains how the musical was one the Players could truly call their own.

Second page of the Great Expectations booklet.


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When Performance Day came around, all the drama unfolded. one of the Players had a breakdown, crying uncontrollably throughout the last rehearsal, and many members suffered a case of last-minute nerves, suddenly doubting their ability to go through with the play. fortunately, when the curtains were finally raised, they had calmed their nerves and the show proceeded apace.

Things, however, did not proceed wholly in their favour. for starters, the hall was not air-conditioned and the month of August, as Singaporeans know, is notoriously humid. As the audience packed the small hall and waited for the play to start, complaints were voiced about the heat.

We also had to deal with the acoustics in the hall, which were horrid, claimed Harold. The back audience could barely hear the actors who were attempting very hard to project their voices louder and louder. It was an open hall, without any doors to contain the sound. Multiply that with the grousing of the audience and the whirring of the fans and you can only imagine the chaos.

Additionally, the external audience who came for the play was unaware that the musical did not entirely parallel the literature text that they had come to know. The Players admit it was their own faultwhilst hawking musical tickets at other schools, they had portrayed the musical as a must-see to better comprehend

A poem detailing the toils and tribulations experienced

behind the scenes by the Raffles Players

ThaT was change To us. ThaT incidenT showed us how we neednT be bound

unnecessarily by TradiTion, and how we could adapT To any siTuaTion.

richard tan

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the text! Instead, the audience was surprised by pop songs with refurbished lyrics, and a trio of goofy sex-bomb characters inserted into the adapted text of Great Expectations. In their defense, Harold and Richard admitted that they had been over-zealous in their efforts to get bums on seats.

Richard and Gloria agreed wholeheartedly that the musical was uniquely Rafflesian. I feel that, ultimately, the audience understood that we were a group of inspired youths who wanted to showcase our talents, Gloria pointed out. furthermore, the audience was never privy to what went on behind the scenesthe pain that went with it, the homework piling up, the sore throats and the lethargy. In fact, all this was expressed in a nine-stanza poem in the programme booklet!

When all three alumni were informed that the school had picked Great Expectations for its 190th anniversary theme, inspired by the musical they had staged some four decades ago, they were amused. Us? Really? Why? asked Richard.

The school had a couple of reasons, the main ones being that it was a pioneering effort, breaking with tradition when faced with the need to do so, and had done so in a creative, charming way. This much the school could glean from the review in the 1975 issue of The Rafflesian Times.

We certainly wish the school well. I feel that as Rafflesians, we learn the importance of hope and we strive hard to make things better, whether physically or figuratively, at every juncture of our lives. We learn how to bounce back from failures and take it all in stride, and are not afraid to question. Yes, as Rafflesians, we carry out our duty with great expectations, mused Richard.

i feel ThaT, ulTimaTely,

The audience undersTood ThaT we were a group

of inspired youThs who wanTed To showcase our

TalenTs.

gloria lewis


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Rooted in ServiceLegacies of a family of old Rafflesians

BY June lee

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Lim Boon Keng and Tan Tock Seng have been much credited with the development and building of early Singapore. But an interesting contest run by the old Rafflesians Association (oRA) in 1979 revealed much more.

The oRA RooTS contest sought to find the family with the largest number of old Rafflesians. The winning family had 45 Rafflesian members at the time, with the runner-up and second runner-up having 22 and 18 names respectively.

Among these 45 members is famous author and playwright of Emily on Emerald Hill, Stella Kon (RGS, 1960). I went to the RGS at Queens Street, which was the same school my mother and grandmother attended, she said proudly. Her sense of pride also stemmed from the fact that Stella is the great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Tan Tock Seng and the great-granddaughter of Lim Boon Keng.

As we traced her family roots of old Rafflesians, we discovered that they spanned four generations with the oldest graduating in 1893. Among the 45 names were five Queens Scholars: Dr Lim Boon Keng; his grandson, Dr Lim Kok Ann; Tan Thoon Lip and his sister Dr Maggie Lim, who were both great-great-grandchildren of Tan Tock Seng; and Lim Hong Bee, Dr Maggie Lims husband. The Queens Scholarship was the colonys most prestigious academic prize at that time as it enabled two promising students in Malaya to enrol at a British university each year. The coveted

Hullet Road was given its name by Lim Boon Keng, who was by then a successful doctor and legislator, in honour of his teacher and headmaster, R W Hullett

scholarship, therefore, went only to the best and the brightest.

There were also three Head Boys in the family: Tan Thoon Lip, Seow Sieu Jin (great grandson of Tan Tock Seng) and Lim Hong Bee.

our research has not only revealed the deep roots the two eminent families had with

RI but also how many of them have come to this institution in search of the best education, and gone on to serve the country well.

Many have left indelible marks in the nations building history. We put the spotlight on a few of the areas where this family of old Rafflesians has left its legacy.

rooted in serviceLegacies of a Family of Old Rafflesians

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enHAncinG tHe Lives oF tHe cHinese coMMUnitYAmong the familys numerous notable alumni, Dr Lim Boon Keng (RI, 1887) was a phenomenon. He was a medical doctor, legislator, scholar, educator, entrepreneur, community leader, social reformer and philanthropist.

Even though Boon Keng was an outstanding student, he almost didnt graduate from RI. Three years after he entered RI, his father passed away. As his father was the familys sole breadwinner, Boon Keng was expected to leave school and find a job to help support the family. However, his headmaster, R W Hullett, did not allow it. Hullett was so impressed with Boon Kengs intellect and thirst for knowledge that he personally tutored him. He also called on Boon Kengs fathers former employer, Cheang Hong Lim, to get him to persuade Boon Kengs grandmother to allow him to continue with his schooling after Boon Kengs father passed away.

Thanks to the persistence of the headmaster, Boon Keng went on to become the first

our research has not only revealed the deep roots the two eminent families had with ri but also how many of them have come to this institution in search of the best education, and gone on to serve the country well.

Chinese in Singapore to take up the Queens Scholarship. Incidentally, much later in 1914 at the request of Boon Keng, a road on Emerald Hill was named in honour of his beloved teacher and principal.

Upon his return from studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh, Boon Keng started a clinic and soon built a strong reputation as an able and astute doctor. But the multi-talented doctor gave up full-time practice and taught pharmacology and therapeutics at the newly-established King Edward vII Medical School (founded 1905) and later at the Straits and federated States Government Medical School. During this time, Boon Keng also published a number of articles in the Journal of the Straits Medical Association.

His philanthropic activities began when he started a King Edward vII Memorial fund when the king died in 1910. The fund he raised grew considerably and by 1912, a sum of $120,000 Straits Dollars was donated to the fledgling King Edward Medical School where his grandson, Dr Lim Kok

His brilliance, heart for the people and boundless energy

helped Dr Lim Boon Keng to be the medical doctor,

legislator, scholar, educator, entrepreneur, community

leader, social reformer and philanthropist that he was.

(Photo courtesy of the national Archives of Singapore)


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the ever-progressive Boon keng also believed that chinese girls needed an all-round education, so he and a small group of British-educated peranakan chinese men like Song ong Siang and tan Boo liat founded the Singapore chinese Girls School (ScGS), the first English school exclusively for chinese girls in 1899.

Ann would later be a lecturer, a Professor and eventually the Dean. Since 2005, it has been renamed the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.

But his reputation as a physician spread far and wide. In the last days of Chinas Qing Dynasty in 1911, Boon Keng was appointed Medical Adviser to the Ministry of the Interior under Prince Su as well as Inspector-General of the hospitals in Beijing. Boon Keng represented the Chinese government as their delegate in international medical conferences in Paris and Rome. He was also a director of the International Hygiene Exhibition in Dresden, Germany.

When Dr Sun Yat-sen became provisional President of the Chinese Republic in 1912, Lim Boon Keng was appointed Suns confidential secretary and personal physician.

Beyond the medical field, he also became very active in public affairs. He was made Justice of the Peace in 1897, and also served as a legislative councillor (18951921), Municipal Commissioner (19051906) and member of the Chinese Advisory Board (18971898 and 19131922). Serving in these capacities put Boon Keng in a position to petition the British colonial government for various improvements to the lives of the Chinese.

As a community leader, he also urged local Chinese to join the re-organised Singapore volunteer Corps, formed to tackle lawlessness on the island. To lead by example, Boon

Keng enlisted as a private in the Chinese Company of the Singapore volunteer Infantry when it was established in 1901. By then, he was already 32 years old but his age did not seem to put a stop to his zest.

Around the same time, together with other prominent Straits-born Chinese, Boon Keng founded the Straits Chinese British Association (SCBA) to promote interest in the British Empire and loyalty to the Queen. Boon Keng served as its president in 1904 and 1906. The SCBA also led in advancing the welfare of Chinese British subjects in the Colony and encouraging higher education.

During World War I (1914-1918), Boon Keng garnered support among Straits Chinese for the Prince of Wales Relief fund which was used to purchase war planes. He also donated generously and raised funds for the British Red Cross to the tune of more than $40,000 in 1916. In recognition of his work on behalf of war charities, he was awarded the order of the British Empire (oBE) in 1918.

The ever-progressive Boon Keng also believed that Chinese girls needed an all-round education, so he and a small group of British-educated Peranakan Chinese men like Song ong Siang and Tan Boo Liat founded the Singapore Chinese Girls School (SCGS), the first English school exclusively for Chinese girls in 1899. SCGS has become one of the top girls schools in the nation today.


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Lim Kok Ann (middle) with his grandfather Lim Boon Keng (right). (Photo courtesy of the national Archives of Singapore)


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rAFFLeSIAn tIMeSpresents

THE laRGEST RafflESIaN

faMIlY(That we know of)

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Lim Boon Keng 1887

Lim Ko Leng

Dr Lim KoK Ann1938

Head BoyQueens Scholar

Dr Lim Su minLim Sing Po (SteLLA Kon)

1960

Dr Lim Su Chong Lim Su huiPre U.I

Lim Sing Yuen

tAn thoon hor

roSie Seow (Kheng Lim)

1938

eiLeen tAn1941

gLADYS tAn1953

DoriS tAn1956

LuKeeriC


THE laRGEST RafflESIaN faMIlY

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tAn Boon LiAt1893

PoLLY tAn 1915

mr tAn

LiLiAn tAn1951

tAn Chew neo1915

tAn hAn neo1917

tAn hin neo1916

grACiA tAY1939

PhYLLiS tAY1940

Seow Poh LengTaught in RI between

1902 - 1904

ChiA Yee Soh

LioneL teo

Jennifer teo1974

eLizABeth teo(Pre-U)

AmY Seow Dr Seow eu Jin1939

John Seow

normAn

LiLY tAn 1919

wee Siew Kheng1934

JuLiette tAn1941

tAn Choon LAY

Sist

er


THE laRGEST RafflESIaN faMIlY

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DuKe Seow Siew Jin1925

Head Boy

gorDon

JefferY

Lim geK LAn1927

o tAY

Lim geK hong1929

Lim geK Kim1928

tAn tiAn teCK1925

tAn Koon in

eveLYn tAn1952

PhYLiS tAn1952

tAn Cheow Pin 1895

tAn Kwee LiAng 1896

Sist

ers

tAn Chee Sim1941

Seow Poh Leng

Lim Koon teCK

LiLLiAn tAn

DAiSY Song

BettY Seow

tAn toCK Seng

tAn Kim Cheng

tAn Soon toh

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Lim geK Choo1930

Lim geK neo1934

tAnn Yen Choo1950

Lim geK im1932

Lim geK Siew1929

tAn SoCK huA1934

Lim hong Bee1963


AnnA Lim1960

(Professor Patricia Lin, Ph.D., Comparative

Literature & Critical Theory)

giLLiAn Lim1962

(Ph.D., Architecture)

tAn Kwee Swee 1897

tAn Kwee wAh 1898

tAn thoon LiP1929


mAggie tAn(Dr mAggie Lim)

1930Queens Scholar

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The family tree of the winners of the 1979 Old

Rafflesians associations ROOTS competition

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cHAMPioninG PUBLic HeALtHJust like his grandfather Lim Boon Keng, Dr Lim Kok Ann (RI, 1938) was a Queens Scholar and a brilliant doctor. The father of Stella Kon was also a Head Boy at RI. Kok Ann gained worldwide fame in 1957 when he was the first to isolate the flu virus at the height of an Asian influenza epidemic which had caused the deaths of over a million people worldwide, and he also worked on a vaccine that brought the epidemic to a stop.

Affectionately called the flu fighter, Kok Ann had a long and successful career as a research scientist. In 1949, as a young lecturer, he conducted the worlds first clinical trials of the new Sabin polio vaccine for the World Health organization (WHo). Kok Ann oversaw the process of administering the vaccine to thousands of Singapore school children. Because of these trials, the once-dreaded disease of polio has been almost eradicated throughout the world.

Besides being the head of Microbiology Department at the University of Singapore for nearly thirty years and later Dean of the Medical School, Kok Ann also worked for the WHo in Singapore and elsewhere in the world.

It was while working at the Houston headquarters of the WHo in 1959 that he recorded his most memorable professional achievement: devising a simpler way to identify enteroviruses (viruses which cause enteritis). Instead

of running 49 different identification tests for the 49 known types of enteroviruses, Kok Anns method only required six rounds of testing, with each round testing for a combination of several viruses.

It was the principle of the football pools; another instance of the playful element in the Lim character, being put to good use, Stella explained in a tribute to her father.

Maggie and John were best friends in Cambridge

(Photo courtesy of Professor Patricia Lin)


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the idea of available birth control was perhaps (my mothers) most daring innovation, one that placed her at the forefront of both international recognition and controversy.

Patricia lin

Stellas grandaunt, Dr Maggie Lim ne Tan, was also a trailblazer in her time and a well-known doctor who battled unwanted pregnancies and fought for better medical care for women and children in Singapore.

Maggies father was the great-grandson of Tan Tock Seng. The extraordinarily intelligent girl began her studies at Raffles Girls School in 1919. She skipped several grades and completed the then equivalent of secondary school at age twelve. In those days, students deemed to be material for the Queens Scholarship were placed in special preparatory classes in RI and the minimum age for contenders was 16. (My mother) had to wait three years before being permitted to join the Queens Scholarship class in 1930, related Professor Patricia Lin (RGS, 1960), her eldest daughter. Maggie made history by becoming the first female ever to win the prestigious scholarship, a year after her brother, John Tan Thoon Lip, won it himself.

Like her ancestor Tan Tock Seng who was moved to build a hospital for the poor after he saw the plight of the sick left to die on the streets, Maggie had a keen sense of societal inequities. Her husband Lim Hong Bees (RI, 1936) passionate views about social justice also helped to crystallise Maggies commitment to the health and welfare of the poor.

Maggie specialised in maternity and child health. She was concerned by the number of women who had more children

than they could afford. Time and again, women drained by childbirth or poverty would beg her to buy the newborn infant they could not hope to support. over and again she faced the consequences of botched abortions, related Professor Lin.

In 1949, she joined the newly-founded family Planning Association of Singapore as its Honorary Medical officer. The association provided information and services relating to birth control. In her capacity, Maggie expanded the associations work by developing a network of maternal and child care clinics in the 1940s and 50s in Prinsep Street, Tiong Bahru, Joo Chiat and outram Road. Before these clinics, there was nowhere mothers with sick children could turn to, or receive pre-natal check ups and advice, her daughter added. Maggie would volunteer her time after work to advise patients. And it was in her work in these clinics that she encountered the plight of poor women faced with unwanted pregnancies.

The idea of available birth control was perhaps (my mothers) most daring innovation, one that placed her at the forefront of both international recognition and controversy. The notion that women could regulate their own fertility went against the established place of women in a society that was locked in centuries of cultural practices that essentially negated the idea of female individuality. Even among the upper classes, the whole notion that a woman could control anything,


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perhaps the biggest gift my mother made to the world was the fact she was a forerunner of the women of my generation who would make up the womens movement of the 1960s.

Patricia lin

including her reproductive rights, was seen as an act of rebellion. There were women who had their devices and later pills thrown out not only by husbands but outraged mother-in laws, Professor Lin shared.

The opposition that Maggie and her team faced for empowering women to control their own fertility was recorded in family Planning Association of Singapores annual general meeting in 1964: [they] faced open opposition...consigned to [burn] in hell for [their] wickedness in interfering with nature, and were accused of corrupting the young and scheming to depopulate the earth. Apart from this and the reluctance of women faced with the stigma and embarrassment, Maggie and her team also faced some official indifference.

for her part, (Mother) knew that the directions she took were right: right for the poor, right for the thousands of women and children who came through the doors of the clinics, and right for the times. She was supremely aware of her role as a trailblazer and wasnt falsely modest about her charge, said Professor Lin.

But thanks to the elected Peoples Action Party in 1959, the government was willing to sponsor an ambitious publicity programme that Maggie proposed. The programme reached tens of thousands of people, and within a few years the number of visitors to the associations clinics doubled.

In 1963, Maggie became the head of Ministry of Healths Maternity and Child Welfare Department and succeeded former President Benjamin Sheares as the President of the family Planning Association of Singapore. In her capacity, Maggie attended many international family planning conferences and was elected to the International Planned Parenthood federations regional council.

Perhaps the biggest gift my mother made to the world was the fact she was a forerunner of the women of my generation who would make up the womens movement of the 1960s, Professor Lin proudly concluded.


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John Tan Thoon Lip was the first Asian to serve as Registrar of the Supreme

Court of Singapore and was instrumental in establishing Southeast Asias first state-

run Legal Aid Bureau. (Photo courtesy of Professor

Patricia Lin)

MAKinG JUstice AccessiBLe to tHe Less PriviLeGedMaggies brother, John Tan Thoon Lip, was equally brilliant, privileged and compassionate. In his education and legal career, he had achieved many firsts. He became the first Singaporean Queens Scholar in 1929. It was a victory that went beyond a personal achievement. for several years, this prestigious scholarship had been awarded to candidates from Penang. His achievement was collectively shared by Singaporeans who had for several years felt themselves to have been overshadowed by Penang, and RI even declared a special holiday for the whole school, Professor Lin said of her uncle. John went on to study law at St Johns College, Cambridge and served as secretary of the oRA in 1934. Beyond this, John was also the first Asian to serve as Registrar of the Supreme Court of Singapore, the first Chinese police magistrate in Singapore and is best remembered for making justice accessible to all, especially the less privileged.

When he returned from England, Johns talent and brilliance was quickly recognised and put to good use. He became one of the first two Asians accepted into the Straits Settlements Civil Service (SSCS) and in 1940, John joined the new Straits Settlements Legal Service which was established to enable college-educated young Asian or Eurasian British subjects to work in junior ranks of government.


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he was absolutely missionary and evangelical about it. his mission was to have a chessboard in every home.

stella kon

After the war, John was recruited by the postwar British Military Administration as an assistant legal officer. After civilian rule returned in early 1946, John was appointed an acting district judge, and shortly following that, he became Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court and Sheriff of Singapore in 1947only the third native Singaporean elevated to the Colonial Legal Service. He was also Commissioner for Workmens Compensation.

His most significant contribution came when he became the first Asian to serve as Registrar of the Supreme Court of Singapore in 1952. In 1955 Singapores new Chief Minister David Marshall sent him to new South Wales to study its legal aid programme. John returned with recommendations for a Singaporean programme, which led to the launching of Southeast Asias first state-run Legal Aid Bureau in 1958. It became a vital part of Singapores legal system in facilitating access to justice for the less privileged.

The whole direction of his career was directed at the accessibility of legal services for the layperson. At heart, John was an infinitely compassionate man and I believe this part of his career was motivated by his concern over access to justice, the right to representation and equality before the law for all. Johns work in the municipal and later Supreme Court were career moves that were directed at providing assistance to people unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system, said Professor Lin.

PUttinG sinGAPore on tHe cHess WorLd MAPBesides making a name for Singapore in the medical arena, flu fighter Dr Lim Kok Ann also put the small country on the chess world map. Many in Singapore would also remember him as a spokesman and promoter of the game. for over forty years, he has taught the game to others, organised competitions, collected funds and generally built up this area of the national sports field. It is mostly due to his efforts that in 1992, Singapore could muster a national Team for the Chess olympiad in Manila, and from our small population, there were three International Masters on that team, recalled his daughter, Stella Kon, in an article she wrote about her father in 2003.

Kok Ann became Singapores first national Champion in 1949. The chess advocate then went on to win the national and British veteran titles twice over, and dedicated himself to developing the chess scene in Singapore.

He was absolutely missionary and evangelical about it. His mission was to have a chessboard in every home. He gave a great deal of his time going around schools teaching and coaching and building up the chess clubs, Stella recalled. He taught schoolboys and schoolgirls, university students, and even blind students, using his own teaching system called the Bartley system (having first been used at Bartley School).


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Singapores 1st National Champion, Dr Lim Kok Ann devoted much of his time in

popularising chess in Singapore and putting in place training

and selection structures


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Actors who played Emily (from left): neo Swee Lin, Ivan Heng, Stella Kon, Pearlly Chua and Jalyn Han (Photo courtesy of Peranakan Museum)

He set up the Singapore Chess federation, became its first President, organised competitions and tournaments, and raisedalmost singlehandedlymillions of dollars for chess events. Singapores welfare and survival depends on our own intellectual and social skillsnot manpower numbers but on brainpower. Moreover, mere technological know-how would not be sufficient; you need wisdom, too. A chess player learns to develop his mental skills: wisdom comes from within by interaction with other chess players, Kok Ann would say to potential sponsors of chess events, telling them that playing chess was good for both the individual and the nation.

After retiring from the medical fraternity, he went to Switzerland in 1982 to become the Secretary General of the World Chess

federation (fIDE). In 2012, 10 years after his death, fIDE honoured Dr Lim Kok Ann with a Candidate Master title. This year, the federation organised a Lim Kok Ann Memorial Blitz Tournament to commemorate his 10th death anniversary.

tHe Art oF BrinGinG sinGAPore onto tHe WorLd stAGeThe love of theatre ran strong in Stellas family, stemming from her grandfather, Seow Poh Leng, whom she had never met. Poh Leng, was one of the few English-educated Chinese deeply imbued with English literary tradition and even took part in amateur theatricals in the early 1930s. And as a great lover of Shakespeare, Poh Leng named one of his housesa seaside bungalow in SiglapTitania; and his house

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Rosie Seow aka Kheng Lim was a serious actress, theatre buff and play-goer, having amassed a huge collection of theatre programmes of plays seen in Singapore and abroad (Photo courtesy of Professor Patricia Lin)

A family photo of Seow Poh Leng, Polly Seow (whose life was the inspiration behind Stella Kons character, Emily, in Emily of Emerald Hill), Rosie Seow and Dr Seow Sieu Jin (RI 1939, Head Boy) (Photo courtesy of Stella Kon)

and as a great lover of Shakespeare, poh leng named one of his housesa seaside bungalow in Siglap, titania; and his house on emerald hill, oberon. oberon has since been, in a way, immortalised in Singapore theatre, as the mansion in emily of emerald hill.

on Emerald Hill, oberon. oberon has since been, in a way, immortalised in Singapore theatre, as the mansion in Emily of Emerald Hill. I suppose this would have pleased him! laughed Stella.

Poh Lengs love of theatre must have also greatly influenced his daughter and Stellas mother, Rosie Seow, who became an actress and went by her stage name, Kheng Limthe Chinese form of her name Guat Kheng after her marriage to Lim Kok Ann.

Kheng studied in Raffles Girls School and then Raffles College (which later became the national University of Singapore) in 1939.

In December 1941, while she was still an undergraduate in Raffles College, Kheng acted in oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest. She was the governess, Miss Prism, and acting opposite her was former Minister Mentor, Harry Lee Kuan Yew, who played Canon Chasuble. The cast also included former Law Minister Eddie Barker. At the height of the final rehearsals, with the looming threat of the Japanese invasion, we lost our director who was called up as a reservist by the British Army.

our geography lecturer who took over was also working in the evenings at Radio Malaya Broadcasting, monitoring war news. So he could only come after his duty period and we would begin rehearsing after midnight, she wrote in her memoirs.

She left for Britain when war broke out to join her then fianc, Lim Kok Ann, who was studying medicine in Cambridge. Between 1952 and 1953, at the age of 30, Kheng entered the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, one of the worlds most prestigious drama schools. She performed as Lady Hardcastle in She Stoops To Conquer.

She was a serious actress in Singapore theatre in the 50s and 60s, Stella said. on the Singapore stage, Kheng acted as Desdemona in Othello, the Empress Dowager in the Chinese Imperial drama, Motherly and Auspicious, Silver Stream in Lady Precious Stream, as well as Ariel in an open-air production of The Tempest by Peter Wise.

With such great influences in her life, it is no surprise Stella found her flair in writing and theatre. Like her mother and grandfather, Stella has put her stamp in Singapore theatre. The award-


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Stella performed in King Henry vIII put up by the Raffles Players(Photo courtesy of Stella Kon) winning playwright brought Emily

of Emerald Hill, the enduring and famous one-woman play onto the world stage.

The play won the first Prize in the national Play-Writing Competition 1983. Since then, Emily of Emerald Hill has been presented more than a hundred times, by eight different performers, in Singapore, Malaysia, Hawaii and Edinburgh. It has been translated into Chinese and Japanese and even broadcast over Radio Iceland.

Her love for writing began as a nine-year-old girl studying in Raffles Girls School. In the old school, there were two porches at the entrance. In those porches was a little annex

where girls would wait. So that became a tiny theatrette and the end-of-term plays were performed there, she recalled.

Stella had many opportunities to develop her talent at RGS. The first play she wrote was one that was assigned to her and her schoolmates. My teacher asked us to write a play based on a story she had called The fisherman and the King because she happened to have a very big wicker fish. The rest of the girls said it could not be done. I went ahead and wrote it in my little jotter book, Stella related. The play was later performed by her classmates.

At the age of 15, Stella directed and produced a class production of Twelfth Night which featured her aunt and playmate, Professor Lin, as Sebastian. They attended RGS at the same time.

Developing stories came naturally to Stella even as a child: I had been watching my mom act in drama for years. I was also acting out my little stories and dramas for myself, so it didnt seem a long stretch to write it for others, she explained.

Stellas writings focus mainly on themes that are distinctly Singaporean, such as national awareness, moral values, cultural and social heritage, and personal integrity, and she has been highly successful at portraying the Singaporean consciousness. Quite evident in her works, too, are her Catholic heritage and strong interest in fantasy. Stella had most of her writing successes in the early eighties. She


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Professor Patricia Lin (Anna Patricia Lim), pictured on the far left, was one of the pioneers in Tv presenting. (Photo courtesy of Professor Patricia Lin)

if i look at my earlier plays, they are full of lyrics. ive been writing lyrics all this while without realising that a musical would be the perfect vehicle for my expression.

stella kon

won first prize on all three occasions when the Ministry of Culture organised the national Playwriting Competition in 1979 (The Bridge), 1982 (The Trial and Other Plays) and 1985 (Emily of Emerald Hill). Her favourite work, ESTON, won a Merit Award in the Singapore Literature Prize Competition of 1994.

Even at 69, Stella continues to be actively involved in shaping the theatrical landscape in Singapore. She is currently working on EmilyThe Musical, writing lyrics for the songs. If I look at my earlier plays, they are full of lyrics. Ive been writing

lyrics all this while without realising that a musical would be the perfect vehicle for my expression, she quipped. EmilyThe Musical, is slated to be staged at the end of the year.

Besides theatre, another member of the family also broke new ground in the area of Singapore television. Professor Patricia Lin became one of the first presenters on the then Tv Malaya at 16 years of age. I went for an audition and screen test. Maureen (the producer) looked me over, said Youll do Along the way, I was absorbed into the radio staff as an announcer and fell delightedly


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along the way, i was absorbed into the radio staff as an announcer and fell delightedly into producing and recording a variety of radio programmes.

Patricia lin

Professor Patricia Lin (Anna Patricia Lim).

into producing and recording a variety of radio programmes, she recalled fondly. Professor Lin went on to obtain her PhD and taught at the California State University, Pomona, for over 30 years. She is now retired. Professor Lin, together with Stella and some other family members, has been actively

keeping historical records and writing about the contributions of their eminent ancestors.

And thanks to their efforts, it is clear to see that this family of old Rafflesians were trailblazers in the fields of medicine, law, the arts, philanthropy, and even chess; making a difference in lives of people and helping to build the nation they passionately serve. This family of old Rafflesians has indeed left behind a legacy and indelible footprints for future Rafflesians to follow.


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The Time Machine

Teacher Pranks from

the 1990s

BY doMinic chua

Mrs Lim Jee Nee, an English Language and Literature teacher who has been with the school since its Grange Road days, shares with us her recollection of pranks which RI teachers played on their hapless

students from the early to mid-1990s.

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Shantis New Element

all this while, we (the teachers)

were completely oblivious of

the commotion going on in the General Office,

with mrs pauline lim scolding a

seemingly endless stream of boys! We really got it from her at the end of that day.

the tiMe MachineTeacher Pranks from the 1990s

#1

Ap

Ha

Fo Da

Mrs Shanti Sundram was a Chemistry teacher, and one of the first few teachers to teach the first batches of the Gifted Education Programmes (GEP) secondary programme when it started. She had an MSc, and very few teachers had a Masters in those days.

So she went and told her class, one April fools Day, that a new element had been found and discovered. The reaction of half of the class was one of incredulitythey asked her questions like How is this possible? and Whats going to happen to the Periodic Table? The other half of the class never asked any questions and just copied whatever she was telling them.

At lessons end Shanti (Mrs Sundram) flashed a transparency with the words Happy April fools Day!but there was a bigger point to her prank: those who questioned had thought critically while those who didnt had a long way more to go.

In Search of the

ID10T Form

#2

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Lim, the admin officer and unofficial queen of the front office? The whole office went into a frenzy looking for ID10T forms!!

The teachers had sent the monitors to the office to pick up the forms, and the monitors were duly scolded and returned to their classes empty-handed. Then we sent the assistant monitors. All this while, we (the teachers) were completely oblivious of the commotion going on in the General office, with Mrs Pauline Lim scolding a seemingly endless stream of boys! We really got it from her at the end of that day.

Those of us teachers who were in the school from 19921993 never forgot this jokewe thought it was brilliant. And you know what its likewe were sitting in the staff room, and the 1st of April was just around the corner. I told everyone about what Mrs Shanti Sundram did for April fools, and then Mrs nora de Silva, always creative and quick-witted, hit on the idea of the ID10T form. And in those days, before the advent of mass computing, there really were a lot of forms in the office. If you changed address, you filled in a form, you changed citizenship, you filled in a form. There were forms named form G, form S and so on, which the office would have, sitting in all these pigeonholes in the General office. It was in the vocabulary of the studentsthese forms with alpha-numeric names.

The first time we played this joke was on the Sec 1 GEP boys in 1991we sent the students to the office to get the ID10T form. And the next year when we did it again, we played with all the Sec 1s, including the Express boys. But the first year was doubly hilarious, because when we played this joke, we forgot to inform the office! And you remember Mrs Pauline

the tiMe MachineTeacher Pranks from the 1990s

Back row, extreme right: Mrs nora de Silva

Sitting on the right in the front row is Mr S

Magendiran, our schools current Senior Deputy

Principal of Student Development &

Alumni Relations

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So after that, April fools Day became something of a tradition during which RI teachers would prank their students, with the only criteria being that it had to be an intelligent joke. In 1992, Ms Jeanne Marie Ho and Iboth English Literature teacherscame up with a prank around the Secondary 2 boys literature text, William Goldings Lord of the Flies in class.

The story we spun was that William Golding, a teacher (he really was a teacher) had brought a group of boys out to an island (we invented one). In our version of history, William Golding was inexplicably separated from his class for a full day, and this incident formed the inspiration for the writing of Lord of the flies. And so we told our classes to do researchto find out

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