23/08/2023
I thoroughly enjoyed reconnecting with my Raffles Institution classmates last Saturday at our 200th-anniversary celebration. After 43 years, catching up with old friends, some of whom I had not seen since our school days ended in 1975, was terrific.
A true highlight was catching up with Mr. Himmat Singh Gill, my form teacher in 1976, Hockey Master and Gardening teacher all rolled into one. At the sprightly 93 years of age, he was still as energetic and engaging as I remembered. His secret to a long and happy life? "Drink water as if you're tending to that Tembusu tree (still the Gardening Teacher 5 decades later ๐) and play golf daily!"
I also enjoyed seeing Ms. Yeoh, my Further Maths teacher from 1979. She instantly remembered me as one of the more rambunctious students - though I saw it as keeping the classroom lively! I'm grateful to Liu F**k Thim , my classmate, for ensuring our former teachers could join us that evening.
Spending time with Mr Gill and Ms Yeoh reminded me that while we may forget the theories and facts learnt, we always remember the educators who shaped us. They imparted more than textbook lessons - they modeled compassion, wisdom, and integrity during our impressionable years. What good is education if not to help us become better people? I believe Raffles Institution did just that for all of us students, thanks to devoted teachers like them and the many others we've lost touch with over the years.
Our school motto, "Auspicium Melioris Aevi", spoke of hope for a better age. That hope was nurtured by teachers who educated us with care and dedication. I salute all of them - those I reconnected with that night and those who could not be there. On behalf of former students like myself and my carpark-soccer schoolmates ๐, thank you for inspiring us toward lives of meaning and purpose.
Ascensus Institute Raffles Institution 78/80 Raffles Institution