19: Met an old Chinese Literature Teacher

Recently, I met an old colleague of Thomson Govt Ch Mid School at Thomson Plaza. She was then (1964) the highest qualified teacher at TGCMS with her MA in Chinese Language. Here's how she looks now, 46 years later.

Here's how she (Mdm Kok Poh Lee) looked in the 1960s:

18: Latest Contact with TGCMS Colleague

The latest contact on-line came from a MyFanBox info email:

And so I looked up the PhoneBook for his telephone number and rang him.
"Hi, Lam Sang. What's this that you are sending me from MyFanBox?" I asked, and we chatted to update our contact channels after so many years.
And here's the class that we taught in Thomson Govt Chinese Middle School:

And here's another:

17: VCD Surfaces an Old TGCMS Colleague

Reflecting on the past, I viewed a VCD of events of 2005, the year when I was involved in RC and CC functions in the Thomson Constituency.And it surfaced a dinner photo at a Grandparents Nite Celebration of Thomson Community Club.

The couple on the left are Mr & Mrs Lim Jit Lit, and that's my wife and me on the right. I almost couldn't remember his name after more than 3 decades, but Jit Lit introduced himself. Then I remembered: he was the Maths Specialist teaching in the Pre-U classes at Thomson Govt Chinese Middle School.
It turned out that his wife was a Line Dancing expert. Yes, we were also learning this recreational skill at the Thomson-Shunfu RC at that time. What a happy coincidence, and a chance to rekindle old ties and friendship.

16: Three Retired Principals

Yes, three retired government school principals met again at a GYM (Glowing Years Ministry) gathering at PMC on 25 Aug 2010. The one in the centre, Bee Young, was a colleague from Thomson Government Chinese Middle School. He also taught English at that time.

15: It's Always Good to Meet an Old Colleague

Yes, indeed. There he was, Dominic I mean, brisk walking along the Peirce Reservoir dam when I brisk walked there with my wife.  His wife was doing the taichi with a group of friends. We exchanged news to catch up with old times. Yes, indeed, it's always good to meet up with an old colleague from Thomson Sec School!

14: Years later, met an old student

It was in the new millennium, Jan 2009 to be specific, that I met an old student of Thomson Govt Chinese Middle School, one with a name that I can never forget. First, he was in my Pre-U 2 class, a well-behaved, respectful and very intellligent student. Now who can forget such a student, especially when his name was Lee Hai! After his retirement from the Peoples' Association, he became a Tour Director. And that was how I met him again - on a tour coach giving instructions to the Tour Guide.

13: SEAMEO Scholarship

In 1976, after many years in Thomson Secondary School as Senior Subject Teacher of English as a Second Language, I applied for and was awarded a SEAMEO (SouthEast Asian Ministers of Education Organization) Scholarship to study for a Diploma in Teaching English as a Second Language at RELC (Regional English Language Centre as it was then called).

12: We were Chess Champions

Something that I, as their Chessmaster, was especially proud of was the accomplishment of the School's chess team. The boys did us proud by winning the Championship Trophy in the Inaugural International Chess Tournament for Non-English Stream Secondary Schools organized by the Singapore Chess Federation in 1966.

11: Annual Staff Dinner

The school annual dinner for the staff was something that the Principal Mr Chen See How recognized as a fitting reward for the hard work accomplished by the staff. He would arrange for us to dine at his favourite Teochew restaurant in ChinaTown ie: Lau Hang Kang Restaurant.

10: Excursion

Apart from school work, the teachers co-operated in taking the students out for excursion to widen their view of the environment outside school. The following photo shows Chinese Arts teacher Ng Yew Kiat and me at Clifford Pier to arrange for a harbour tour for the students.

9: My Classes in Thomson Secondary School

The Vocational School that became part of Thomson Sec School was called Block B while the 3-storeyed building of Thomson Govt Chinese Middle School was referred to as Block A.
With the merger, I also had classes in the English stream to teach in Block B.
The following is a photo of my students there:<p>

8: My Second Thomson School

My second Thomson School was actually a merger between Thomson Government Chinese Middle School and Thomson Vocational School to become Thomson Secondary School. The new school badge reflects the change in name.

7: More 1964 Classes

6: Staff Photos

5: Here are some more of my classes in 1964

4: During a Lesson

I usually supervised my students in their composition skills by walking around the class and giving individual guidance.

3: My Students @ Thomson Govt Chinese Middle School

This was my first class: Sec 4F (1963) - a good and lively class of learners:

Here's another eager and vivacious lot of students (1964):

2: The Staff of Thomson Govt Chinese Middle School

That's me again below in the Staff Photo. Yes, you've guessed it: I'm the guy with the dark specs!

And here again some years later among my students in the school hall:

1: My First Thomson School

My first Thomson School was called Thomson Government Chinese Middle School at 500 Thomson Road. I was posted there in 1963 to teach English in a Chinese-medium secondary school.
Here's me wearing sunglasses carrying out my duty in the school field on Sports Day :

And that's me below taking part in a Teachers' Team relay in 1964: