Heritage Exhibition - Chinese Schools: Our Lasting Legacy 华校校史展——“消失的华校 国家永远的资产’’ (13-20 July 2014)

2014年華校校史展：''消失的華校''展覽會-國家永遠的資產''

华校校友会联合会举办“2014年华校校史展：消失的华校”展览会即将于7月 13日至20日上午9时至下午5时在华侨中学正式开锣。这是华校校友会联合会继2008年举办“新马24所华校校史展”后的第二个校史展。为了向过去百年为新加坡培育人才的华校致敬，我们陈列了已经完成使命，走进历史的华校的文物和历史，展示当时的教育工作者是如何在店屋、仓库、戏台、树下，没有电灯、电扇的困顿环境里，坚持教导学生艰苦学习并勤恳待人。我们希望通过回顾那段历史，新加坡人能够借鉴先辈披荆斩棘、勇往直前的办学精神，从而更加珍惜现在。

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当年华校的除名与保名

联合早报 2014年4月17日 刘家明 

“更生，更生，1939矗立狮子城，弘扬文化，乐育群英，先贤惨淡经营……”。我的两个姐姐和妹妹，在一年级还没有认得多少个中文字的时候就开始唱（背）这首小学校歌了。当时谁都没有去问什么是“先贤惨淡经营”，当然，就算问了也是一知半解。更生小学的校址是由当地热心教育的猪农和乡绅们捐赠的，所以上学的路上常是“遍地黄金”（猪粪），上课时偶尔也有迷途的猪只闯人课室。

校门上“更生小学”四个字乃出自书法家张瘦石先生之手，负责学校在1962年扩建的绘测师，正是已故王鼎昌总统的父亲。到了我上小学时的60年代，在红山区亨德申路的更生小学已算是颇有名气了。

更生小学1960年度修业式 

更生小学1960年毕业学生留影

更生小学乐队庆祝1974年国庆

到了70年代中期，由于全国华文教育逐渐没落，学校的收生人数降到不及300人，在大势所趋之下，更生不得不与Strathmore小学和Friendly Hill 小学联合成“混合小学”经营。新联合学校迁到亚历山大路，校名仍保留为“更生”，但改用Friendly Hill小学的校徽，以及Strathmore 小学的校歌。

新“更生小学”于1980年6月27日，由当时红山区的国会议员林子安开幕。联合小学成立后，三间小学其实都已名存实亡了。2002年1月2日，新联合的更生小学再与亚历山大山小学和亨德申小学联合，并改名为颜永成小学，更生小学正式被“除名”，从此在本国的教育史里消失了。

1955年是我国的“动荡年代”，由于当时学潮、工潮不断，殖民政府下令关闭了参与学潮的民办华文中学，并成立政府华文中学。华义政府华文中学便是在这大环境下于1956年10月14日建立的。校舍先设在当时加东附近的法礼路（Fowlie Road），翌年迁到纽顿的蒙克山小学的临时校舍后，同年再搬到女皇镇的玛格烈通道。庄重奋发的校歌是由著名音乐家丁祝三作曲，林弘道填词的。60年代后期到70年代中期是华义的全盛期，华义政府华文中学是当时数一数二的华文高级中学。在1969年更史无前例地在学校旁边，成功建筑了第一个由政府向社会人士劝募的大运动场。

好景不长，虽有校歌里“负时代之使命，挽狂澜之既倒，作砥柱于中流”之大志，但由于华文教育之势微，华校学生人数递减，华义不得不于1983年迁到直落布兰雅的德普路新校舍，同时转型为英文中学，“华义政府华文中学”则易名为“华义中学”。学校渐渐重上轨道后再迁到目前的裕廊西校舍，新校舍由当时的林文兴部长于2002年揭幕。幸运的是华义没有被“除名”，所以过了将近58年，华义学校的老、中、青三代校友，还有机会于2014年3月29日，在大操场被铲平之前，及时在玛格烈通道的旧址来个名为“往事只能回义”的千人大聚唱。

最近又传出有80多年历史的“侨南小学”因为收生人数不足，被“除名”与其他小学整合为新学校的报道；同时又巧遇华校校友会联合会向公众征求150多间已消失的华校的资料，看来许许多多过去由“先贤惨淡经营”的小学都已经过了除名、易名的宿命。话还要说回来，英文小学其实也经历着同样的命运，许多小学如前面提到的Friendly Hill， Strathmore和亚历山大山等等，也一样在社会的巨轮向现代发展时被淘汰、除名，只不过这类新闻没什么上报罢了。

收集文物纪念消失的华校 An Exhibition on the Lost Chinese-Medium Schools in Singapore

为纪念消失的200多所华校，本地华校生，发起收集华校文物的活动，3个月内收集几十样物件，包括校服、照片、成绩单、毕业证书等。 　　

看着桌上泛黄的黑白照、以中文书写的成绩单、毕业证书以及校服，不禁让人想到五六十年代的新加坡，华人如何出钱办校，让孩子上学。 近200所华校关闭 华校校友会联合会会长潘国驹教授说，在50年代的顶峰时期，本地有多达283所华校。这些华校中9所成为特选学校，一些则转型成政府学校，近200所华校后来关闭。 　　

为了纪念这些消失的华校，潘国驹和华校校友会的同伴们决定在7月11日至20日之间，在华侨中学举办“消失的华校”展览。 　　

“年轻一代都没念过华校，我们希望他们能认识这段历史。我们也想通过这个展览，传承华文教育和道德传统。” 　　

为了筹备展览，华校校友会自去年11月起，在报章上刊登广告，呼吁仍保留着对母校的回忆和相关资料的校友们，把它们贡献出来。 　　

目前已收集到三四十所学校的文物，其中有一个还是著名书法家施香沱当校长时所赠予学生的字。他们也邀请了6所特选学校的学生参与。

Source: http://mypaper.sg/chinese-news/shou-ji-wen-wu-ji-nian-xiao-shi-de-hua-xiao-20140220


联络方式 Email：txls89@gmail.com 

Do you have any grandparents, parents or relatives who used to study in one of the 283 Chinese-medium schools in Singapore? If you like to share your story, or your old school mementos, such as the school certificates, report book, badges, uniforms and photographs, leave a comment or drop me an email! Thank you =)

保校 (侨南小学)

联合早报 2014年3月23日 陈秋华

 一九五三年新加坡温州会馆三十周年纪念

“我校名侨南，矗立在狮岛……”

这是侨南小学校歌的首句歌词，现在看来令人不胜唏嘘，相信曾在侨南孕育下成长的校友都会有此感触。

本报日前报道《六小学合并成三所》的新闻，内容透露了历史最悠久的侨南小学校名不获保留的消息。报道刊登后，引发不少关注，读者主要是为80年老校走入历史感到惋惜。为了保住校名，侨南校友会日前向教育部请愿，希望能有一次对话的机会，说出当年的“约定”。

同许多华校一样，侨南在上世纪80年代也因收生人数骤减而面临关闭。那时的侨南还只是补助学校，而非政府学校。校董最终因无法筹足经费，只好将学校交给政府，条件之一是要求政府保留“侨南”校名。

坦白说，在政策改变、优化资源的大前提下，我对不时上演的学校合并和易名之事早已习以为常。因此在报道这则新闻时，最令我感到意外的不是校名不获保留一事，而是校友会在这之前竟然毫不知情。

访谈中，侨南校友会主席林永强不止一次提到，最令他无法接受的是，校友会是在有关事宜尘埃落定后才接获通知，他甚至以“迅雷不及掩耳”来形容消息来得突然。林永强在说这一番话时，语气尽显无奈。

诚然，以目前整体的教育景观而论，侨南其实只是教育部众多学校中的一所，当年既然已“过名”给政府，教育部在做任何决定之前确实无需征询校友的意见。但是，制度不外乎人情，不是吗？

教育部在做出这么重大的决定之前，没有直接与校友会联系并协商、探讨其他可能性就定案，在情理上似乎说不过去。尤其是像侨南这样历史悠久、桃李满狮城的学校，在处理上是否应该更具人情味一些？

关闭一所学校、除去一个校名，不仅仅是在教育部的学校名单上抹去一行字而已。抹去的，是一整代人的情感记忆；切断的，是校友与母校之间的联系。

林永强说，当初他与另外三名友人成立校友会，就是因为有此隐忧，希望有朝一日能借校友之力保住学校，没想到最终还是没有获得对话的机会。

他这一番话，不禁让我想起多年前华中初级学院和华侨中学的更换校名事件。回想起来，华中要比侨南幸运多了，至少校友能决定校名应怎么改，不像侨南只落得“被通知”的结果。

事实上，侨南从创校至今曾多次努力尝试保校，目的就是为了不辜负先贤对办学的坚持。它除了接受学校成为政府学校，也曾多次主动要求教育部让侨南搬迁以改善收生情况。

然而，反观教育部在做出合并和改名的决定时，它是否事先探讨了各种可能？以校名与侨南调转的南侨为例，该校在金炎路的旧校址一度也面临关闭的命运，并经历了保校还是保地的挣扎。但南侨在搬到盛港后，就如浴火重生的凤凰一般获得新生。

一所学校的创立、迁移或停办，折射的是一个时代的历史和精神。听林永强说，侨南创办人王希元在二战时期宁可冒着被日军杀死的危险，也要坦荡荡地表明自己是一名教师，最后果真被痛恨知识分子的日军给枪毙了。如此对教育义无反顾的热血，令人动容，也体现了侨南的精神。如今，有关方面选择以“事后通知”的方式结束一所拥有80年历史的学校，显得仓促。

写这篇文章之前，听说教育部已经接到请愿书。跟侨南校友一样，我也在静心期待着教育部的回复。希望教育部这回不会再轻易翻过我国学校历史重要的一页。

Source: http://origin-realtime.zaobao.com.sg/forum/views/opinion/story20140323-324077

Singapore's unsung pioneer schools should be more than just footnotes

By Leong Chan-Hoong

Most of us would not have heard of Qiaonan Primary, at least not until last Thursday.

No thanks to the decline in the fertility rate, some of the less popular schools in Singapore’s mature estates have witnessed a drastic decline in student enrolment numbers over the years. In a few extreme cases, there were barely enough pupils to fill up a class.

Last week, Qiaonan, Bedok West, Griffiths and Hong Kah primary schools became the latest victims of our population conundrum. In the name of optimal resource allocation, the Ministry of Education issued the schools with marching orders.

From next year, Bedok West Primary and Hong Kah Primary will be absorbed by Damai Primary and Lianhua Primary, respectively, while Qiaonan Primary and Griffiths Primary, both of which are in Tampines, will merge to form Angsana Primary.

In one fell swoop, the names of the four primary schools, Bedok West, Griffiths, Hong Kah and Qiaonan, will be erased from the national directory of schools.

This is by no means an isolated case. Ghim Moh Primary was absorbed into New Town Primary in 2009; and in 2000, Li Hua, Hong Dao and Ang Mo Kio North Primary were amalgamated to form Anderson Primary.

While the consolidations may appear as mere footnotes in the annual education report, the closure of the schools is likely to elicit more than a tinge of poignancy for some. Former pupils, teachers and even long-time residents will lament the unrelenting march of history that reshapes familiar neighbourhoods.

From a broader perspective, the demise of these institutions will also have repercussions on the discourse on Singapore’s future. How we deal with our past will have an impact on our sense of place and identity as Singaporeans.

 Qiaonan's Remarkable Story

Previously known as Kiau Nam School, Qiaonan Primary was founded by the Wenzhou Clan Association. In 1933, its first intake of 20 pupils started classes at a rented unit in the now-defunct Lorong Koo Chye. In 1940, the director of the school board donated his house at Paya Lebar Road to be used by the school and its pupils. It was closed during the Japanese Occupation, but reopened after the end of the World War II.

Student enrolment figures soared to 480 in the late 1950s. Makeshift classrooms were added to accommodate the influx of pupils. Classes were purportedly conducted within the confines of a Chinese temple at the peak of its space crunch. In all, the school clocked more than 80 years of history, a period that is longer than Singapore has been independent.

The Qiaonan narrative is not unique. Started in 1950, Griffiths Primary shared an equally illustrious past, chalking up 64 years of dedicated teaching.

Illuminating Singapore's future through history

At a time when Singaporeans agonise over the meaning of citizenship and identity, we may do well to take stock of how we treat our history.

Qiaonan and Griffiths may not rank among the league of more established schools such as Raffles Institution, Anglo-Chinese School and Methodist Girls’ School, which draw a larger number of applicants each year than they can accommodate.

The humble beginnings of these neighbourhood schools, however, are the founding pillars of modern Singapore and no less important. Pioneer institutions such as Qiaonan were built on sacrifice, in the name of philanthropy and communal obligations. Their rich histories epitomise the unyielding spirit of resilience, hope and faith — a quintessential ingredient in the Singapore narrative.

These floundering schools served the needs of our society at a time when the prognosis for the little red dot was bleak. Behind such institutions are numerous unsung, nameless individuals who dedicated themselves to the missions of the schools. The school closures, announced unceremoniously, are akin to us flipping the pages of our history with scant recognition of the role of Singapore’s pioneer generation.

Can we do more to preserve our local heritage? Has due consideration been given to relocate the schools to housing estates with younger families? Or rejuvenation of the schools through combination/affiliation with secondary schools? Or revamping of the schools to teach other education models, such as social enterprise?

We can also consider honouring the pioneers of these neighbourhood schools by naming community spaces or buildings after them.

The closures of these schools may be inevitable in light of an ageing demographic landscape. Nonetheless, their humble beginnings and role in educating the pioneer generation of Singaporeans hold lessons on perseverance, hard work and collective ownership, which should be taught outside the classroom.

Remembering these schools and their founders can be our way of remembering our forefathers who trod the rocky path of independence on our behalf.

Reproduced with author's permission.

Source: http://www.ipscommons.sg/index.php/categories/featured/165-singapores-unsung-pioneer-schools-should-be-more-than-just-footnotes

Goodbye Hong Kah, Qiaonan, Bedok West & Griffiths Primary Schools

The past week had been an really intense week for me as I was really caught up with my Honours Year Project, leaving school after midnight every day. However, I still managed to catch the huge buzz online as MOE announced the impending merger of 6 schools next year, where 4 schools will officially go into the history books in 1 Jan 2014 - Hong Kah Primary, Qiaonan Primary, Bedok West Primary & Griffiths Primary School.

Stay tuned for more stories about these 4 wonderful schools. If you have any personal stories of your time in these schools, drop me a mail at txls89@gmail.com =)

Regards,

SK

Hong Kah Primary School

Qiaonan Primary School (Formerly Kiau Nam School at Lorong Koo Chye and Tai Seng)

Click here to listen to school song

Bedok West Primary School (Formerly Kaki Bukit Primary School)

Griffiths Primary School (Formerly Griffiths School at Towner Road)

Schools in Tiong Bahru, Bukit Ho Swee and Outram

As I was writing this post, I was reminded by a television serial which I had watched in 2002 when I was in secondary one. Named 河水山, or Bukit Ho Swee in mandarin, the backdrop of the serial was set in the kampongs around Bukit Ho Swee in the 1950s prior to the infamous 1961 fire which destroyed more than 2200 attap houses and put 16000 people homeless. Till this day, I could still remember the lyrics and melody of the serial, which was produced at a time when Channel 8 was producing local dramas which I loved to watch.

 

Bukit Ho Swee was named after Tay Ho Swee, a prominent figure in the Chinese community in the 19th century. In the early days, Bukit Ho Swee was the site of a disused Chinese cemetary and a large number of squatter huts, which gradually turned into a crowded attap slum as the poorest of the population, including labourers, hawkers and secret societies, moved into the area. (Source: Blog to Express) After the 1961 fire, a big national development plan was undertaken by the newly formed Housing and Development Board. Victims of the fire were housed in the recently built flats in Queenstown and St Michael's, while land in the Bukit Ho Swee area was acquired to facilitate the building of over 8000 flats. It was also after the fire when Jalan Bukit Ho Swee, the key road in the area, was built, where more than 10 schools where built in its vicinity. This included Bukit Ho Swee East Primary, Bukit Ho Swee West Government Chinese Primary, Bukit Ho Swee Secondary, Tiong Bahru Primary, Tiong Bahru Secondary, Delta Circus Primary, Delta Secondary and Seng Poh Government Chinese Primary School.

To the south of Jalan Bukit Ho Swee lies the estate of Tiong Bahru built in the 1930s. Interestingly, most of the streets within the estate are named after the early Chinese pioneers in Singapore, such as Seah Eu Chin, Tan Chay Yan, See Eng Watt and Tan Seng Poh. (Source: Remember Singapore). In fact, the word 'Tiong' means 'to die' in hokkien and 'Bahru' means 'new' in malay as the area was previously used as a burial ground for the Hokkien community. (Source: Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail)

Moving southeast from Tiong Bahru lies the Outram district. Commonly known as 'si pai por' , or Sepoy Plains in Hokkien, Outram and Pearls' Hill was the site of the Sepoy barracks housing the Indian soldiers who were employed by the British to maintain law and order in the British settlements. The key roads in the area, namely Outram and Havelock Roads, were also named after the 2 Generals who led the English army in the 1857 Indian Mutiny. Due to its proximity to the nearby Chinatown, Tiong Bahru, Bukit Ho Swee and Kampong Bahru districts, Outram was also home to numerous schools, including Outram Primary, Outram Secondary, The Chinese Industrial & Commercial Continuation School (later Gong Shang Primary), Pearl Park School (Pearl Bank School and Park Road School amalgamated), Pearls' Hill School (Pearls' Hill School and Pearl Park School amalgamated), Silat Primary School and Chiang Teck Public School (later Zhangde Primary).

Schools in Tiong Bahru, Bukit Ho Swee and Outram (Click to enlarge)

SN	School		Motto
1	Tiong Bahru Primary School  (Formerly Kai Min Public School/Jiemin Pri)	立达小学	Modest & Self-Reliant
2	Chuen Min Public School (Quan Min)	公立全民学校
3	Kai Kok Public School (Jie Gu)	公立介榖学校
4	Bukit Ho Swee East Primary School	河水山东小学	Kema Juan-Progress
5	Bukit Ho Swee West Government Chinese Primary School	河水山西政府华文小学
6	Bukit Ho Swee Primary School	河水山小学
7	The Chinese Industrial & Commercial Continuation  School (Gongshang Pri)	南洋工商补习学校	勤俭诚敬 / Perseverance, Thrift, Integrity and Respect
8	Sepoy Line Malay School
9	Pearl's Hill School	珍珠山学校	Perseverence, Honour, Success
10	Pearl Bank School
11	Park Road School		Truth & Honesty
12	Pearl Park Primary School
13	Outram Primary School	欧南小学	Stribe & Perservere
14	Silat Primary School	石叻小学	Pelajaran Asaskemajuan
15	Chiang Teck Public School (Zhangde Pri)	公立彰德学校
16	Delta Circus School	立道学校	Determination, Consideration, Progress, Success
17	Seng Poh Government Chinese Primary School	成保政府华文小学
18	Bukit Ho Swee Secondary School	立达中学	Belajar Dan Berkhidmat / Learn & Serve
19	Delta Secondary School	德才中学	Towards Knowledge & Virtue
20	Tiong Bahru Secondary School	立道中学	Maju & Jaya
21	Outram Secondary School	欧南中学	Labour Omnia Vincit
22	University of Singapore	新加坡大学

Schools in Tiong Bahru, Bukit Ho Swee and Outram