1978 Sec 4 Science 1, 2, M, 4 Tech 1, 2 and Arts classes here ;
Photo taken during 30th August 2008 Alumni Reunion Dinner
Standing L - R : Michael Chong,Chew Ping Nan,Edward Ong,Jimmy Lee,Pang Seng Meng,Andrew Lee,Sunil Sabnani,Gurdeep Singh,Paul Ezekiel,Aldrin Ow Hing Choy, Kenneth Fong Kar Yew, Paul Lim, Tan Loke Khoon,Vijeysuria, Chandrakanth Mahawar, Malcolm Lim Kian Leng
Seated L - R - Hong Heng Chow, Phoon Kok Kwong, Me, Faisal Alsagoff, Subramaniam I, Thedaisidas,Freddy Choy,Ng Tong Yang and Peter Chin.
12th September 2009 is a much awaited day for me and a lot of my fellow Saint Andrews friends. It will mark 31 years since we 'graduated' from Secondary 4 St. Andrew's School. Last year, 2008, was a landmark year whereby we had 30 old Saints turning up to meet with our ex-classmates and year mates.Time may have aged us physically but when we met, we were chatting, joking and reminiscing just like we were 16 year olds.
The time was especially meaningful as we exchanged notes on our lives,how many kids we have, where we are working, what happened to so and so and sadly, those who have passed on a while ago.
2 of our friends, Andrew Fok and Raymond Goh have passed on some years ago, as had our former principal, Mr. Harry Tan and the St Andrews Junior College Vice Principal, Mr. Raymond Ong. They will forever remain etched in our memories as of a certain age and though they are gone, they are not forgotten.
Happy Memories
While we can't go back in time, we can always make an effort to meet up and rebuild the bonds of friendship and belonging which were, in many ways, very pure and noble back in the years 1977 and 1978. Many of us have made it to the top of our various industries,some in banking,some in finance,some in teaching but all these are meaningless when we all get together, one of our cohort is a Government Minister, S. Iswaran, who incidently was the top boy or dux in our school in 1978 for the 'O' Levels.
I have kept in touch with but a few, Andrew Lee, Faisal Alsagoff, Yap Tzin Haen, Chiu Loo Kwong and Chew Ping Nan. I have also made it a point to meet up and increase this circle of friends to double the number. As the saying goes, when you are a baby, time crawls, when you are a youth, time walks, when you are a young man, it runs, and when you are middle aged, time flies. How true as we are more caught up with a lot of schedules with work, family, church, friends, associates and even more so,business related travel.
Aldrin Ow Hing Choy, Phoon Kok Kwong and Jay Soo Kian Teck
Our Form teacher, Mr. Victor Wee is still very active and we were so touched when he could remember most of our faces as 30 years ago is a long time !! My special mention is to Mr. Tan Loke Khoon, a top lawyer with Hill and Knowlton based in Hong Kong,flew all the way down to attend the dinner last year. In addition, he paid out of his own pocket for a film crew to video and cut a DVD of the momentous event last year. What a gesture !
Some of our more famous Saints, Dr. Woffles Wu- plastic surgeon, Mr. S. Iswaran- Minister of State Trade and Industry, Mr. Arthur Lim - eye surgeon, Mr. Koh Boon Hwee - Singtel Chairman, Mr. Harry Elias - top lawyer just to name a few.
Peter Chin, Ng Tong Yang and Ng Heng Chow
I end this blog entry with the chorus of my alma mater, Saint Andrew's School.
"We are arming for the fight,
Pressing on with all our might
Pluming wings for higher flight
Up and On !
Up Boys,
Truest Flame, lies in high endeavour
Play the Game
Keep the Flame
Burning Brightly Even !"
Up and On !
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