Tanjong Katong Girls’ School Alumni Newsletter … Alumni...28th Annual General Meeting On 11 April 2015, 18 members present at the 28th AGM held at the TKGS Studio elected the 15th

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TANJONG KATONG GIRLS’ SCHOOL ALUMNI NEWSLETTER 2016

I am happy to present my maiden write up as the newly-elected President of

TKGS Alumni. Since graduating from TKGS in 1983 (oops, I think I have just given away my age), I have never left the school emotionally. I have continue to participate in all Alumni events.

Over the years, these events have enriched my life in more ways than I could imagine. This is also the very reason why I agreed to accept the challenge of being the President of the Alumni, i.e. I hope to bring together as many ex-TKGians as possible.

Our alumni was established in 1987 and we have come a long way since then to maintain the true spirit of our alma mater. Our key mission is to promote the ties between ex-TKGians (alumni) with current students. Since we banded together, the Alumni has helped to organise or carry out various school programmes. These include conducting floral arrangement lessons for the Secondary Two cohort, being guides

during the Secondary One learning journey to the old TKGS campus (yes, our old school building opposite Katong News Agency) as well as helping in various charity projects with the Secondary Threes.

All these have been possible due to the hard work of the current & past committee members who have brought TKGS Alumni to this level. Thus we celebrated together with the school when it was awarded the Best Practice Award (BPA) for partnership as well as the School Distinction Award in 2015. I would like to mention my predecessor, Ms Wong Yoke Lin who has indeed left some big shoes as past Alumni president for me to fill. Moving forward, I aim to bring our Alumni to the next level by building stronger ties amongst ex-TKGians through more activities and networking sessions. I hope that in this way, we can indeed be a more cohesive group of partners for the school.

My committee and I will also look at ways to attract younger members, particularly those who graduated in the 1990s, and early 2000s. They are probably economically active now, with “bandwidth” to contribute to our alma mater. The formation of the youth chapter can ensure the Alumni stays rejuvenated. Times have changed. For us to reach out to younger ex-TKGians, we will need to review how we engage them. Social media and platforms will have to be the mode of engagement. Hence you can expect a more active TKGS Facebook page from now on!

My committee and I hope that our Alumni will be active and strong so that we can lend our support more effectively to the school which has nurtured all of us. I thank you in advance for your service to your alma mater.

Kwek Hui Ping Sharon (Class of 1983)President, TKGS Alumni

Tanjong Katong Girls’ School Alumni Newsletter 2016

President’s Welcome

28th Annual General MeetingOn 11 April 2015, 18 members present at the 28th AGM held at the TKGS Studio elected the 15th Management Committee.

President : Kwek Hui Ping SharonVice President : Sally Lee-Low Kwee HuaHon. Secretary : Aishah Bte Ahmad AlkaffHon.Asst. Secretary : Surianah Sufarman Hon. Treasurer : Ang Soo LangHon. Asst. Treasurer : Catherine Lee-Choo Committee Members : Foo Su Ling Florence Koh Ong Sin Yen Yeo Siew MeiNominated School Rep.: Yante YahyaAuditors (2015-2016) : Wong Yoke Lin Cynthia Lee

From left to right, Stella Ang, Wong Yoke Lin (Auditor), Koh Sauk Yee, Ang Soo Lang (Hon Treasurer), Cynthia Lee (Auditor), Sally Lee (Vice President), Catherine Lee-Choo (Hon Asst Treasurer), Aishah Alkaff (Hon Secretary), Surianah Sufarman (Hon Asst Secretary), Florence Koh (Comm Member), Kwek Hui Ping Sharon (President) Not in photo: Foo Su Ling, Ong Sin Yen, Yeo Siew Mei and Yante Yahya

THE SPIRIT OF

Tanjong Katong Girls

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&The TKGS Alumni is 28 years old! As

Singapore celebrates its 50th year in 2015, the Alumni looks back to capture and relive memories, events and people from over the ages. We remember veteran teachers who left their marks on our lives. We reached out to alumni and Tkgians who had played a role in the forming of the alumni.

Going into 2016, we are also looking forward. The Youth Chapter was formed to engage the younger Tkgians. To date, they have organised and conducted several activities, amongst which is a ‘Makan Session’ to acquaint current and potential alumni members with each other, participated in the Networking Forum series and is looking into providing a form of mentorship to the current batch of students.

In today’s digital age and with the prevalent use of internet, the Alumni will be disseminating events and notices by email from April 2016. Only the notice of AGM will be sent by post to members who have not provided an email contact. We appeal for your support in our drive towards paperless communications and a more haze-free Singapore. Please give us your email contact to allow us to keep in touch.

In the years ahead, the Alumni will continue to play an active role to support our alma mater to enrich the Tkgian learning experience for our girls. We look forward to many more years of collaborative activities with our School and our members. I wish for good health for all so that we can enjoy the beauty of the world, the warmth of friendship and the love of family.

Sally Lee-Low (Class of 1971)Vice President, TKGS Alumni

Mrs Judy Kong, former teacher/HOD (Student Leadership) of TKGS for over sixteen years

is one amazing woman who joined the Singapore Women’s Auxiliary Naval Service (SWANS) in 1964 when Singapore had just become a part of Malaysia. She was only 16 years old then! The ladies at SWANS played an integral role in Singapore’s national defence and acted as a reserve force. They were trained in sea defence and sea warfare during those early turbulent years. Judy learnt boat handling, drill and musketry. She did radar plotting, voice procedure, learnt navigational skills and also patrolled our waters and islands.

I know you lead a very active life beyond TKGS. Please share with us some of your other activities. Professionally, I had covered a full circle, having worked with pre-school education, primary and secondary schools, junior college and as Specialist Inspector in MOE HQ. I had been posted on secondment to the Singapore Sports Council for six years and was also on a two-year work stint as Executive Director of Netball Singapore and another two years as Education Director with Bollywood Veggies. Voluntary work had been a regular feature in my life, serving the S’pore Women’s Auxiliary Naval Service, the People’s Defence Force (Women), the S’pore Council of Women’s Organisation, a number of National Sporting Associations, and now with the Senior Citizens in the grassroots organisation. I find it fulfilling to be engaged in meaningful programmes to contribute to the community at large. I believe firmly in the TKGS song “….But we can fill a lifetime with kindly acts and true. There’s always noble service for noble souls to do…”

Tell us something of your family too?I am married with two grown-up sons. Both of them work in the media industry. They have set up their own families. My husband fully supports what I do and joins me in many of my activities.

S P E C I A L F E A T U R E

Patriotic Humble Loyal Brave

Judy is an active supporter of the TKGS Alumni, always finding time to attend the Alumni’s events as well as champion whatever causes and activities the Alumni takes on. The Alumni caught up with Judy one afternoon for a chat.

Why did you become a teacher and when did you join TKGS?I was active in sports during my school days in RGS and so it was natural for me to become a PE teacher. After a secondment term to the Singapore Sports Council from 1973 – 76, I joined TKGS and served from 1977 - 87 before moving on to Temasek JC and MOE HQ. I returned in 2002 to teach in TKGS till my retirement in 2007.

In what ways do you feel that you have impacted the lives of your students?I have always believed that character development is of utmost importance in an all-round education. As sports secretary, I impressed upon the students the importance of having ‘a sound mind in a sound body’. As NCC officer, I expected a high standard of discipline and moral integrity from the cadets. As HOD, it was my ardent wish to see every TKGian become ‘accomplished young woman of character

and grace’. It is most gratifying to see our students doing well in their chosen fields and epitomising the values of the TKGS education.

Tell us about your time at TKGS.During my time in TKGS, I had served under six principals – the late Miss P Bandara, Mrs Huang C L, Mrs K Chan, Mrs Loke-Yeo T Y, Mrs P Lim and Mrs M Seah. Each principal had forged her distinctive mark in shaping TKGS as an institution for quality education and I had benefitted from their leadership. Because of the camaraderie among staff members, we worked happily with much vigour to provide a positive learning experience for our students. In the early years, my team and I had organised events/activities which the students participated in with great enthusiasm. These included the 1st X-Country Run, the St John’s Island Camp, our own Swimming Carnival, the Sports Day Mass Dance and the first schoolgirls’ dragon boat team. The NCC Unit was outstanding in winning the national award for best girls’ unit in Singapore over eleven consecutive years. There were also the Musical Productions which saw sell-out performances and the weekly Assembly concerts which showcased the talents of each class. The strong TKGS spirit continued even long after teachers and students had left school. TKGians met up regularly over reunions and supported the Alumni’s homecoming and school functions.

E D I T O R I A L N O T EK U D O S T O M R S J U D Y K O N G

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Floral art lessons with Ivy Lee and Sally Lee which began in 2010 are special programmes where the Alumni works with the School to expose the pupils to

varied areas of interest. Besides stretching the minds and developing new passions, the floral art programme was designed for art-related learning. This year’s lesson held as a post examination activity on 8 October 2015 was enthusiastically received and enjoyed by our Secondary Two girls. They worked with fresh flowers and foliage and came up with beautiful bouquets which they proudly brought home.

The TKGS Alumni - Ivy Lee Realty Floral Art Programme

The girls shared with us their thoughts and feedback after their lessons...

Raihanah Begum Sec 2E6 (2015)I liked the flower arrangement activity. It was very fun as we were able to use our own imagination and creativity to create beautiful bouquet of flowers.

Jolin Sec2E6 (2015)It was a fun experience to create my own bouquet by myself! I will definitely use this skill I have picked up when I have the chance to do so in the future! I love how everyone has almost the same materials but can make many different unique bouquets. I had fun thinking of how to make my bouquet different from everyone else’s!

Bowie Tan 2E5 (2015)I find the flower arrangement very fun and engaging. We got to learn how to arrange flowers and get to bring them home. I like this activity and like my flowers!

Lin Xin Rose 2E5 (2015)This is a really useful and meaningful lesson. This allowed me to understand and learn more on how to arrange flowers for friends and family members in the future.

Megan Eve Yeo Mun 2E2 (2015)I loved how all the colours of the flowers complement each other when I put them together to form a beautiful bouquet

Poh Yoke Sin 2E2 (2015)I learnt to arrange the flowers as main flowers and fill up the empty spaces with fillers and leaves. Arranging the flowers was best as it was fun and easy.

Honouring Our Pioneers

The Homecoming event held on 6 August 2015 was indeed a special one as it was in commemoration with SG50.

Indeed, true to the spirit of celebration, many turned up decked in red and had a great time meeting friends both old and new and celebrating everything that is truly TKGS. This Homecoming had a focus on our pioneers, those who lifted TKGS on their shoulders and gave us the foundation on which we built the school.

Pioneers who attended the event include former Principal Mrs Huang Chai Lean and Geography teacher Ms Koh Sauk Yee. Alumni members including Mrs Sally Lee, Vice President, and Miss Sharon Kwek, President of the TKGS Alumni took turns to give tributes to their teachers who had made an impact on them. Mrs Rosalind Quek, a past President of the Alumni also took time to share with the younger TKGians her advice on how we could keep the school spirit strong. Generations of TKGians owe it to our pioneers for giving us not only a school but also a second home where some of the best memories were made and friendships were forged.

Mrs Rita Lopez, a senior teacher, hosted a game that triggered our memory using images and anecdotes from the past. It also made us feel that everyone in the room was connected one way or another, in this unique sisterhood, despite differences in age, race and language. All in all, it was a wonderful platform to connect and recollect. It was perhaps most apt to end the event with a nostalgic singing of the school song accompanied by old images of faces and places of TKGS. Indeed, once a TKGian, always a TKGian

Vaishnavi Vasudevan (Class of 2010)Chairman of TKGS Youth Alumni

S C H O O L P R O G R A M M E S

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Service Learning ProjectTUNG LING ELDERCARE CENTRE

T he Alumni plotted four days of student activities for January 2016. We brought the Secondary Threes on a service learning programme

with the Tung Ling Eldercare Centre and the Secondary Ones on a learning journey to the old TKGS campus at Tanjong Katong Road.

For these programmes, Alumni members partner the School to provide a vibrant curriculum that extends learning beyond the classroom. As part of the Service Learning Project on 18 and 19 January, we raised funds for households of needy seniors and low income families staying at Dakota Crescent rented flats. Alumni members also worked with the girls on the way to go about buying for the home within a budget.

Foo Su Ling (Class of 1978)

Some thoughts from the girls who participated in the programme…

Shahin (3E5), Bashwa, Danielle, Badheera, Elizabeth (3E6)“Not being able to join Outward Bound School Singapore was disappointing for most of us, but nevertheless, the community service we did instead was able to make up for it a thousand times fold…Because of this program, we were able to learn more about our community, as well as bless others with everyday items and human company that we might have taken for granted.”

Fayeeza, Hajara, Nabina and Joanna (3/5)“It was a new experience for many of us. We really enjoyed helping the residents. The smile on their faces made us satisfied with our work.”

Amanda Chia, Babu Sneha, Chen Bo Qing, Wei Ling“From the conversation we had, we found that most of the residents were 70 – 90+ years old and some have mobility issues. But they have a positive attitude towards life. ..This made us realise that we will be able to overcome hardships or challenges in one way or the other.”

Shristi Gurung (3E6)“This was a truly inspiring and impactful experience for me and my friends, and I was glad to be able to grow closer to them whilst contributing to society at the same time.”

Rhonda, Sara, Yidan and Nibras (3E7)“A simple deed could give the residents so much happiness and made us rethink the way we look at our own lives. We often forget we live a much easier life compared to others….This experience was quite an eye opener for us!”

Aditi, Anuhya, Nicole Chew, Esther Clare“When we interacted with the elderly residents, we found out that most were frail and weak and financially unstable…This experience allows us to be more aware of the social issues in Singapore, especially the aging population.”

L E A R N I N G B E Y O N D T H E C L A S S R O O M

Learning JourneyTO OLD TKGS CAMPUS

On 20 and 21 January, alumni members brought the girls on a tour of the

old TKGS campus at Tanjong Katong Road. We shared with the pupils about our School’s heritage and memories of the days we spent there.

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A L U M N U S S P E A K S T he TKGS Alumni was formally registered on 15 October 1987. The idea of forming an alumni was brought on by Mrs Huang Chai Lean, a former

principal of TKGS. It has been 28 years for the Alumni and 62 years for TKGS; and as Singapore celebrates its 50th year of independence, the Alumni reach out to past principal, teachers and alumnus for their thoughts on the alumni

Mrs Huang Chai Leanformer Principal

…what mooted her to start the AlumniMy first impression of TKGS when I took over as Principal in 1985 was that TKGS reminded me of a mission school rather than a government

school. Coming from my background of teaching in several mission schools, I noted that there were many long-serving teachers in the school and the staff room had a warmth which came from older teachers helping to settle in the younger new teachers. But when I asked if TKGS had an alumni like most mission schools have, I found that it did not.

My impetus came when I met Mrs Rosalind Quek who came to school to present the BK Quek Book Prize which she donated annually. Here was an ‘old girl’ who wanted to give something back to her school. I sounded her out about forming an alumni and that started the ball rolling. Mrs Quek was elected as its first President, and the rest as they say is history.

Ng Gek Tiang, Tan Lay Hiong, Wong Yoke Lin and several other old girls came on board to be office-bearers. These ladies have now become my good friends. So my message to the younger generations of TKGians: if you join the Alumni, you may make precious friendships and at the same time you’ll have a chance to give back to the school which has done so much for you.

Mrs Rosalind Quekformer student and past President of Alumni

…what the alumni means to herAs I see it, the Alumni is the

natural extension of TKGS where generations of students sharing a common background can touch base and call ‘home’ and where the spirit of TKGS is kept alight.

It is where friendships are renewed and new friends made. It is a refreshing place to ‘catch up’ with one another, to network, to share experiences and to reminisce about girlhood days.

It is not only a place of renewal for the ‘old girls’ but a strong Alumni in close collaboration with TKGS forms a strong support group for the students, mentoring, nurturing, advising them and bringing the ‘outside’ world to them in the form of extra-curricular activities, talks and opportunities which TKGS may not be able to provide.

All ‘old girls’ can contribute no matter their station in life, however humble. The Alumni is a rich pool of resources which TKGS can tap to give the students a more rounded and meaningful education to fit them for the day they leave school. The possibility is immense and far-reaching.

Mrs Ng Gek Tiang former student, teacher and Vice Principal of TKGS

…uniqueness of the TKGS spirit/identityI have been very privileged to be a founding member of

the TKGS Alumni when it was formed in 1987 and to serve as its first Vice President in the committee headed by Mrs Rosalind Quek as President. An unique experience that I had was I was a former TKGS student from 1959 to 1962 when my Principals were Mrs Maude Scott (our founder Principal), the late Miss See Tin See and the late Mrs Tan Seng Hock. In 1968 I joined my alma mater as a beginning teacher and in 1979 I served as the first Vice Principal of TKGS under

the late Miss Paramita Bandara.My unique experience as former

student, teacher and Vice Principal of TKGS as well as Vice President in the Alumni has given me rare insights into the history, important milestones, leadership and staff of TKGS especially for the period 1960s to 1982s when I left for further studies after which I assumed principalship of three other secondary schools and had brief stints in the Ministry of Education. I am really proud of TKGS which began as one of the first post-war government secondary schools and has developed and progressed into one of the best secondary schools in Singapore. Many of our graduates have contributed much to many sectors of our economy as nurses, teachers, lawyers, doctors, business women, and even as politicians. Whatever career or contributions to Singapore we all share a common background, having gone through the portals of our alma mater, wearing the distinctive green pinafore and striped lighter green blouse and singing our school song with gusto and emotions.

Mrs Judy Kongformer teacher

…the character of TKGS girlsNo TKGian will ever forget the school song. The lyrics encompass the lifelong values of their all-round education - to be kind, true, selfless, to serve nobly and in honour of our country. All our alumnae, now leaders in their own field, had passed through our portals, strong in character, well-honed in skills to take on any challenge that comes their way. We are indeed proud of each and every one of you.

Mrs Mary Seahcurrent Principal

…the role the Alumni can play to bring the TKGian cohort together As Singapore marks its Jubilee year, TKGS stands proud at its 62nd year of being. As a parallel celebration, it was a great pleasure to welcome back the pioneer educators to our Homecoming event held in conjunction with our 62nd Speech Day and our SG50 celebrations. TKGS would not be who she is today, if not for the selfless sacrifices and the valuable contributions by the pioneer educators. It was heartening that the TKGS Alumni supported this event wholeheartedly with sponsorship, work behind the scenes, by turning up in full force on the day itself and most importantly, in taking the lead to honour our pioneer teachers!

Such celebrations are an outward reminder of who we are - both as an institution and for all of us who belong to it, as individuals. As a school, we started the TKGS Truly programme and portal to make a deliberate effort in instilling a special sense of TKGian pride in each and every student. We do this in many ways, such as by connecting them to volunteers from the Alumni, who bring them back to the original campus along Tanjong Katong Road for an afternoon of stories and oral history. Throughout the four formative years of every TKGian, each would have been touched by members of the alumni at multiple platforms, including the youth alumni as mentors for their Overseas Values-in-Action projects as well as Career and Educational Guidance talks. At the graduation milestone, the Alumni makes their presence felt by conferring on each girl the TKGS Alumni T-shirt and by gracing both the graduation ceremony and the Prom Nite events.

The TKGS Truly initiative, as well as the starting of the Youth Chapter in

plays, choreographed dances, managed the stage including the lightings and sound system and designed their costumes. What leadership training opportunities! The very good items were featured on the annual Speech and Prize-giving Day. These, whether dances or songs, were as good as those on TV shows then. Youth Day Fancy Dress Competition was a display of the girls’ imagination and creativity. Imagine a class of forty girls dressed up to be a caterpillar, a few girls dressed up as a flushing toilet as in a TV advertisement and many more such creative ideas were presented. And the days of the school musicals at Victoria Theatre were an enchanting time in TKGS!

The teachers and girls had great pride in their work and the school name. They found meaning in what they did, which was to build the school community and identity. TKGS was where the students and teachers felt a sense of community. We felt “at home” at TKGS. Was that what drew us back to TKGS again and again? TKGS forever!

Vaishnavi VasudevanChairman of TKGS Youth Chapter

...what draws her to the AlumniBeing part of the TKGS youth alumni has been one of the best way for me to contribute back to my alma mater. I knew, during my stint as the Head Prefect of TKGS, that there was always something that drew me back to TKGS, making it my second home. Today I am happy to say that we have helped to organise homecomings, helped the school raise funds via sales of TKGS memorabilia and most importantly, we have helped batches of TKGians rekindle friendships.

What draws me back to TKGS is the sheer number of familiar faces, both amidst the students during my relief teaching stints and amidst the teachers in the staffroom. It is nothing but the people that make an institution, and I’m proud to be a part of a growing institution!

the Alumni, meet important educational goals in themselves. At the core of an education in TKGS is the discovery of self. It is our sincere hope that each and every TKGian who come through our portal understand how special it is to be TKGian and for each to leave bearing the pride and taking on the mantle of nurturing future generations of TKGians. In this process, each TKGian experiences how history shapes the present and how the present should always strive to leave a lasting legacy for the future.

Mrs Yu Sing Tongformer teacher

…the sipirit of trust and communityMy thirteen years in TKGS from 1977 to 1989 were happy working years. I taught History, English Language, General Paper and Literature (in the Secondary and Pre-University levels) and was one of the four Guiders running the School’s two Girl Guides Companies. The School had a culture that facilitated learning. The teachers believed in the students. They gave the girls opportunities to explore their interests and talents. They guided the girls as they took on leadership roles and responsibilities. The teachers, many of whom had worked for years in TKGS, respected and trusted each other. In that environment, teachers like me were also nurtured. It moulded me and others to be leaders in our areas of work. Today, my closest and dearest friends were my colleagues in TKGS.

The TKGS girls were a real delight to teach. In the late 1970s and 80s, the girls in TKGS were academically strong and very talented. The school’s brass band and uniform groups were well known for their quality performances at national competitions. The girls’ creativity, talents and capability were clearly seen when they participated or took charge of school events, such as their class concerts, Youth Day Fancy Dress Competition or when they were in charge of the end-of-year programme for the School. They wrote scripts for class

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P I O N E E R E D U C A T O R S

MISS IRENE JOSEPH

The TK Band was a major part of my life in TKGS. In fact I

should say the band IS my TKGS life! When one refers to the TK Band one name immediately comes to mind - Miss Irene Joseph!

During my band years from 1968 to 1973, Miss Joseph was energetic, creative, determined, focused and believed in her students. She was demanding but at the same time compassionate when the situation called for.

As a teacher, Miss Joseph was really like a ‘big sister’ to the band members. She was always strict during practice sessions, but was able to relax during breaks or after the band practice sessions ended. She made it her business to know every single band member and yet when she learned of a band girl and band boy becoming an item, she would always say ‘why am I the last to know!’

Although she knew every band member, she sometimes struggled to remember their names. She would give nicknames such as blue shoes, concave chest, superman, etc. It was hilarious

MISS PARAMITA BANDARA

Miss Paramita Bandara was Principal at TKGS from 1977 to

1984. During her 8-year stint at TKGS, her visionary leadership led her to promote the students’ personal, social and moral development as one aspect of her core education programme.

Miss Bandara encouraged the blossoming of the students’ artistic, creative, innovative and entrepreneurial skills. She made assembly performances by every class compulsory. This paved the way for the emergence of TKGS as an arts and drama powerhouse. In 1983,

the school was selected by MOE for the Music Elective Programme (MEP), one of the only four schools to offer Music as an examinable ‘O’ level subject.

It was also during Miss Bandara’s stint that the school motto ‘Moribus Modestus’ received an English translation – Demure & Resolute.

Sally Lee-Low (Class of 1971)

Poon Pui Fun (Class of 1983)Before my Seccondary 2 NPCC squad went for our Annual NPCC Drill Competition at the Police Academy, Miss Bandara called for the squad to meet her at her office. She gave us words of advice and encouragement and rolls of POLO mints as good luck charms.

Yohanna Abdullah (Class of 1983) I remember her as a prolific principal, ever present all over the school walking with her distinctive swagger which says “Relax, I’m in charge,” She was a motivational speaker and was supportive of showcasing each student’s talents especially through class concerts. She was and still is in my mind one of the influential people in my teenage years.

whenever we recalled and talked about the nicknames after all these 40 years!

Years later whenever I visited Miss Joseph at her house, she would always be very happy to see me and would tell me stories of the different years of band competitions. She had never forgotten me and we would also talk about my days with the band and recalled how she would drive me to the tailor to pick the band uniform material and the accessories. Miss Joseph insisted on a beret for the headwear even though I told her that it felt really hot when I was trying one out. Till today I am very glad she did as it did give the band a unique look!

Miss Joseph is no longer with us but she made a major impression on many of the band members! Through her determination we learned discipline, commitment, the drive to achieve, and not to give up easily. And last but not least, practice makes perfect!

Seow Boon Hong (Class of 1973)First Band and Drum Major of the TK Band

TKGian in the NEWS!Mrs Lucy Tan (nee Lee), class of 1962 was mentioned by Minister of

Finance Heng Swee Keat in his 2016 budget speech as an exemplary citizen who has community spirit in her blood. Lucy is cluster director of Peace-Connect, a voluntary welfare organisation that has looked after the elderly needy in Kampong Glam since 1965. She had held many important voluntary appointments in work groups and committees of various voluntary welfare organisations and charities.

Her year-mate Gek Tiang described her as a friend with a very warm personality, and a vivacious and easy going person who laughs a lot. She is also one humble lady. When congratulated on her mention by our Finance Minister, she said “It’s really not the work of one person. I have an empowering management, a supporting grassroots community and receptive senior cohort.”

We are very proud of Lucy and her community work!

Tee for youThe Alumni sponsored tee-shirts for the

whole Secondary Four cohort of 2015 as a memento to commemorate their graduation. The teachers presented the gift on Graduation Day at the school hall and the girls promptly wore it for photo-taking.

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A Night to remember

TKgians past and present met on 7 November 2015 to celebrate the Alumni’s 28th anniversary at the NUSS Guild House. What stood

out was the camaraderie and warmth of friendship amongst the varied generations of TKgians. Thrilling the guests was a band who sang songs of love and happiness. Despite the initital shyness, many soon took to the floor dancing with enthusiasm. A great time was had by all that evening and we look forward to our next alumni gathering.

H A P P Y H O L I D A Y

Malacca – here we come!

T he Alumni organised a 2-day 1-night trip to Malacca on 4 July 2015. It rained that Saturday morning but it did not

deter the ten of us. We were happy to welcome an alumnae Lee Hwang who was in Singapore for a holiday and joined us on the trip. There was a morning congestion at the causeway but once we were through that, it was smooth sailing all the way to the Hatten Hotel, Malacca.

A holiday is not complete without Singaporeans’ pastimes of shopping and eating. Straight after checking into the hotel and a quick lunch, we were off shopping and sightseeing.

Whilst some went for a massage, a group of us visited the Peranakan museum. It was a beautiful long house with photos of the family members hanging on the walls. The guide gave a tour and we learned that the house was built that way because during the Dutch occupation, owners were taxed based on the width of their house. Therefore by building narrow and deep, they paid less tax. Interesting!

On the way back to the hotel, we bought souvenirs, coffee, local cookies and handmade ‘mee sua’ at the pasar malam.

The highlight of the trip was a wonderful dinner at a popular restaurant which served a mouth-watering dish of cheese baked crab ‘bee hoon’. Of all the delicious dishes we had, it was the most ‘yum yum’ and well worth the long wait. Thanks goes to our President, Hui Ping who checked out the restaurant whilst we were shopping.

After dinner, we had drinks and relaxed on the roof top of Hatten Hotel. We also had a birthday celebration for birthday boy, Gim Lee who is the husband of our alumnae, Sin Yen.

In Malacca, how can one not savour a Peranakan meal? So next day, before leaving for home, we went to a Peranakan restaurant for lunch. It was a most delicious meal. We also went to another Peranakan restaurant to buy goodies like pineapple tarts, ikan bilis, peanut crackers and vegetable crackers

Though short, it was an enjoyable and memorable trip and a great gathering of alumni members and friends. I certainly look forward to another trip with the Alumni.

Wong Yoke Lin (Class of 1969)

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I was delighted to learn that the building housing the former Tanjong

Katong Girls’ School hall was one out of 20 Heritage Schools and one of 7,000 buildings being given conservation status. Dahlia Samsudin, currently working with NLB and an alumni Life Member, and former President of NGO Singapore Heritage Society; was filled with excitement when relaying the information to me. Mr Kelvin Ang, URA’s Director of Conservation Management, also told Alumni members this piece of news when he gave a talk at our AGM on 29 March 2014.

The site is currently being leased to the Canadian International School. We first heard of the conservation talk a few years ago when the Canadian International

huge with parquet flooring and many large windows. The smaller hall before the main hall was called the mess–hall, where we would usually sprawl on the floor to read. We had PE classes at the hall where we had our first experience on the trampoline and the vault during gymnastics lessons.

Another activity which we always looked forward to was the class performances during weekly assemblies. Classes would try to outdo each other in putting up plays, musicals or comic sketches. Short sketches from “My Fair Lady”, “Pygmalion”, “Oliver Twist” and

R E F L E C T I O N S

HeritageSchool

“The Good Earth” were some of the performances that were put up. Comic sketches mainly copied local comedies such as “Wong Sa and Ya Fong” and “Abang Apek”. The costumes and props were borrowed or made by students. The hall was also where table-tennis and badminton were played, the brass band practiced, the uniformed groups gathered and the choir practiced. It was even used as overnight camping venues by uniformed groups.

In my fourth year, I recalled walking into that large hall with rows of desks and chairs to my seat to take my GCE

TKGS landmark school hall with its row of circular port windows had been conferred conservation status

An assembly of memoriesToo sweet to loseShades of greenGleeful and gigglyFriendships that stayThrough the yearsWarm and comforting we hold hands walking inand link arms da ncingalways youthfulknowing that the stagein the Hallestablishes the startof the parts we play today.

Florence Koh (Class of 1980)

Sketch by Chen Xiaoli, LisaSec 4/1 (1988)

School’s Principal mentioned it in his speech to the TKGS students who went for the Learning Journey activity. Some alumni members and I had volunteered as guides for the activity.

To quote an article from the URA Conservation Programme brochure – “Today, in recognition of the importance of schools as important social institutions and a cornerstone of local memories, a number of old schools have been recognized as national monuments or conservation buildings. They will continue to serve as personal and community landmarks to those who have passed through their gates, or have simply passed them on their daily journeys. Tanjong Katong Girls’ School established in 1953, was

the first post-war government English girls’ school built in colonial Singapore. The landmark school hall, with its row of circular port windows, is a distinctive feature along Tanjong Katong Road.” The stretch of Tanjong Katong Road facing the former school, with the then popular bookshop Katong News Agency, would also be conserved.

I came to TKGS in 1970, stayed for 6 years there and later came back to assist with hockey coaching. I came from a primary school that did not have a proper school hall. Concerts, performances and prize-giving ceremonies were held at the canteen! When I first joined TKGS and saw the hall, I was thrilled. Not because we held our classes there, but…. it had a REAL stage, which was

‘O’ level examinations. Each student would have her index number pasted on a corner of the desk.

In 1993, the Alumni organised a farewell to TKGS as well as celebrated the School’s 40th anniversary in the school hall. Many former TKGians who came shared fond memories and recollections of their years at their alma mater.

For the past forty years, thousands of young ladies have sat on the same floor – mothers, daughters and maybe granddaughters! My two daughters had even sat in that same hall. Recently, when I had the opportunity to visit the school, I saw that the familiar parquet flooring, the wooden stage, the grilled windows and green mosaic tiles remain unchanged except for the fact that the hall was now air-conditioned. This is definitely a hall well used by generations of TKgians!

Aishah Alkaff (Class of 1975)

Sketch by Li Liping JasmineSec 4C Sc. (1988)

Collection of TKGS Postcards

16


Women in focus

A networking session was held on 27 September 2014 at the TKGS Studio

with panelists Ms Bertha Hanson, former editor and journalist with SPH, currently an adjunct professor at NUS and a media consultant with a recent book publication; Ms Aadilah Aidid, an experienced educator and currently at SENSE – Mendaki as Assistant Head of Education and on the Academic & Exam Board; and Ms Florence Koh who practised as an advocate and solicitor in Singapore from 1988 to 2002, and currently a real estate developer and private equity investor and a Partner at Golden Land Group, Indonesia.

It was an interesting and successful session, enjoyed by all who attended. Many also felt that forums of this nature would benefit our current batches of TK girls and proposed that the Alumni continues with the programme and expands it to include the participation of our Secondary Four girls.

N E T W O R K I N G F O R U M

TKGS ALUMNIc/o Tanjong Katong Girls’ School, 20 Dunman Lane, Singapore 439272

Email: [email protected] facebook.com/TKGS-Alumni

There are several planned activities coming up. Look out for our postings on facebook.

Documents

Tanjong Katong Girls’ School Alumni Newsletter … Alumni...28th Annual General Meeting On 11 April 2015, 18 members present at the 28th AGM held at the TKGS Studio elected the 15th