He moulded many generations of ACSians
BORN on July 5 1903, Mr
Chan Siew Jiang, who passed away on Aug 23, was 102 years old.
Completing his Junior and Senior Cambridge years at Anglo-Chinese
School (ACS), and Normal training class, he became a qualified
teacher of Standard 4 at ACS on Feb 1, 1922 - when the Rev J.
S. Nagle was Principal and Bishop Bickley Resident Bishop.
Forty-five years later, he retired as Deputy Education Secretary
for Methodist Schools in Singapore in 1967. During his long innings,
he taught and influenced many generations of ACS students.
He pursued his profession actively in and out of the classroom
and being recognised for his abilities, was transferred to the
Secondary School in Cairnhill at the end of 1931 and appointed
Sports Secretary. It was a position he served with distinction,
coaching teams of very successful school athletes until the Japanese
Occupation in 1942.
In the ensuing time of troubles, he spent two years in Java, and
returned as Acting Principal of ACS from Nov 2 to June 22, 1946,
a role in which he showed great energy, ability and tact during
a period of reconstruction. The quick recovery of ACS was due
to his fine work -- the rehabilitation of the Coleman Street building
and ensuring that the Cairnhill building was safe for occupation.
Possessing a fine turn of phrase, he thanked the teachers and
heads of the ACS units:
"Heroes have their feats
sung and their merits recognised by citations. Though faithfulness
and goodwill be unsung heroes, and virtue be its own reward, I
should be slow indeed, were I to allow this occasion to pass without
recording my appreciation and devotion of the Heads and staff
of the three schools. During a period of acute shortage ... their
tolerance and ésprit-de-corps were the more appreciated."
Mr Chan was next appointed Headmaster of the ACS Primary/Junior
School at Coleman Street in 1952 and served until 1958, then Headmaster,
Oldham Methodist School from January 1960 until he was appointed
Deputy Education Secretary for Singapore Methodist Schools in
1964.
When he retired in April 1967, Dr Thio Chan Bee, then Education
Secretary, paid tribute to his 45 years of faithful, conscientious
and efficient service, a real pillar of strength. Throughout his
professional career, Mr Chan was noted for his dependability and
careful attention to detail in carrying through any given task
from the beginning to the end.