St Andrew Junior College

This is about the old SAJC. Not the one at Potong Pasir. We were the 2nd batch to occupy the building. Actually also the second intake.

Was so sad to see my former alma mater looking in such bad shape. Since SAJC moved out, it was temporary taken over by River Valley High but nows it looks in a pretty bad stage of disrepair. I have a lot of memories of this place. It was here that I made a lot of new friends. It was also here that I was somehow got 'lost'. Maybe JC was really too fun then but I managed to funk the A level and ended up with zilch.

This was the main administrative building. It houses the staff room, Principal office etc. I have the 'privilege' of sitting in the then Principal, Tan Teng Wai's car to go to school a few times. He was so kind - he would stop and pick us up if he sees students at the bus stops on his way to school. But my neighbour and I would try to 'siam' if we see his car coming. Didn't do our image any good to be called Principal's pet. Ha ha. I also had the honour of being summoned to the Vice Principal, the late Raymond Ong's office for being late, truant ....... That was in the 2nd year when instead of working hard like the first year, I went bonkers and screwed up my life.

This was the cluster of auditoriums where we have our lectures. The lecture form of teaching was new to us coming straight from government schools and we guys would sit behind and talked. Consequently I had the dubious of having the Accounts lecturer, Ms Loo shouting out my names in front of the whole theater and threatening to throw me out. But I like her. She was possibly the best of my JC teachers. She brought us to outings, her church and was kind to all of us despite her fierce exterior.

Too bad I can't climb over the fence to take this shot. The building behind house the canteen on the ground floor, the library on the 2nd floor and the classrooms on the third. The open concept means the student body can stand there and look at the football field and the activities going on. This means of course that it was the place where we gather the most. Story has it that a pair of student was caught by the 'jaga' for having sex on the high jump mattress which was placed next to the canteen. But I remembered this building the most because I took a picture of it and it was made into a bookmark and sold to the student body to raise funds.

Unlike the JC of today, those of my days were not so stressful. In fact, I enjoyed my time there very much. Too much maybe. I was involved in photography and even took over the society when the then president was caught breaking the rules (he brought a girl into the dark room!). I was active in prayer group (at least for the first year) and attended every school events including the infamous rugby match at ACJC when the then coach, Michael Seet  led our team in a mass walkout halfway through the game. If this was today, it would have make the headlines but in those days. Life in the 2nd year was even better. At least for me. I skipped lectures, dropped math and Chinese and of course funked both subjects in the end, went to JC only in the late afternoon when all the lessons were over. 

A lot of regrets now but what is over is over. Still it is sad to see the buildings in these sorrow stage now. Wonder what is going to happen to it now. It is such a waste but I think most likely because it is sitting on prime land, it will together with Gillman camp become another condominium project. Sighed.