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Older ACSians who studied in the Coleman Street campus will be
familiar with the above verse which was written high up around
the walls of the Chapel Hall. Contrary to the ominous implication
of ‘the writing on the wall’, it was a constant reminder of Christian
ideals that have inspired and guided generations of students.
 The Chapel Hall is no longer where it stood but before it was
demolished in the mid-1950s to make way for a playground and
a new auditorium, a balsa wood model of it was built by a team
of six ‘wannabe architects’ from the 11th Scout Troop. These
scouts - Patrol Leaders Leong Kwok Thye and the late Ong
Whee Kiat, and Scouts Leong Kwok Onn, Cheong Kun Lum,
Choo Teck Yong and the late Loong Seow Hiang - took almost
a year working every Saturday morning to complete the model
under the guidance of Rover Scout Tang Chee Yuen.
Crafted painstakingly in detail from balustrades to the ceiling
cornices, the model is a priceless work of art. The team of scouts
responsible for it is indeed very proud of their masterpiece
considering it was constructed with rudimentary tools, and at a
time when digital measurement and visualisation wonders like
Minecraft were miles away. The model is now on display at the
ACS OBA Heritage Gallery.
The ACS Echo hooked up with the Leong brothers, Teck Yong
and Kun Lum via WhatsApp for a chat recently. It was a walk
down memory lane for them and here is what they shared with us.
 Echo: How did you guys get involved in the project?
Kwok Thye: As it was more than 65 years ago, none of us really
can recall exactly how we were roped in for the project. I can
only surmise that it was initiated by the then Principal, Dr Thio
Chan Bee, who sent us a ‘thank you’ note after the model was
completed. The Chapel was originally the Methodist Episcopal
Church built in late 19th century and I reckon Dr Thio wanted
the model built as it is part of the Methodist Church’s history
in Singapore. We are glad that it is now being displayed in the
Heritage Gallery for posterity.
Echo: The model is an amazing miniature replica of the Chapel.
How did you  manage to duplicate it with such great detail?
Teck Yong: It was a lot of hard work. First, we had to get the
scale model dimensions right and this was where our scouting
skills on estimation came in handy. Photographs were taken of
the balustrades, doorways, pillars, ceiling cornices, etc for us to
replicate the details as closely as possible. Then we went through
phases of preparation like planning, purchasing materials and
assigning workloads before the real building work could start
with supervision from Rover Scout Tang in his apartment along
Armenian Street which was just a stone’s throw from the Chapel;
in fact, looking out from Rover Scout Tang’s apartment window,
we could see the Chapel.
 Echo: What tools did you use to build the model?
Kwok Onn: We used only basic tools – measuring tapes,
pencils, rulers and erasers for the blueprint, ordinary blades
and sandpaper to cut and shape balsa wood into balustrades,
window frames, ceiling cornices, roof eaves, etc, and then glue to
assemble the different components of the building together. The
tricky part was carving the balustrades and columns exactly to
shape and detail without nicking our fingers, which was a regular
occurrence. However, whenever that happened, our scouting first
aid skills were put to good use.
Echo: Were there any challenges along the way?
Kun Lum: We did not encounter any major challenges. Initially,
we were bothered by the dust from sandpaper and the strong
smell of glue, but we soon got used to it. Luckily, we completed
the project before anyone of us became addicted to glue!
 Echo: Under such pressure, did you guys manage to get along?
Were there squabbles or misunderstandings?
Kwok Onn: It was true that we were under pressure to get
the project completed but there were never any squabbles
or misunderstandings between us. On the contrary, our
participation in the project bonded us closer together.
Kwok Thye: Yes, it was the ACS ‘can do’ spirit that kept us
going. We took everything in our stride and kept our spirits high
by trading camping and hiking experiences and jokes as we
went on with our tasks. It was hilarious to hear confessions of
cooking mishaps, flooding tents and stories of graveyard camps.
 Teck Yong: And after a hard morning’s work on the model, we
always looked forward to a yummy char kway teow and ngoh
hiang lunch at the famous Armenian Street coffee shop which
was just a flight of stairs below Rover Scout Tang’s apartment!
Echo: Looking at how perfect the model turned out to be, one
would have thought it was built by professionals and not by a
team of schoolboys. “Well done” to all of you! Did any of you
aspire to be architects then?
Kun Lum: The thought may have passed through our minds
but none of us turned out as architects. Had we been, I can
imagine that we may have possibly teamed up again to build
ACJC, ACS (Independent) and the new Barker Road campus!
Echo: You must be very proud that the model is now on display
at the Heritage Gallery for posterity and here again, full marks
to you guys. Do you have any parting words to share with our
readers?
Teck Yong: We held the chapel dear to our hearts and were
indeed immensely proud to be part of the project. When we were
working on it, we often shared fond memories of assemblies, being taught hymns and watching or taking part in plays at the
chapel during our younger days but little did we know then that
we would be called upon to build a model of it years later.
Kwok Onn: Being greenhorns, we were awed by the
monumental task but perseverance and the ACS ‘can do’
spirit took us through to complete the project. We attribute
this accomplishment to the inimitable ACS brand of holistic
education and the strong Christian values inculcated in us.
Kun Lum: Teamwork which was not something new to us
as fellow scouts also play a major role. Being on unfamiliar
grounds did not deter us; we worked feverishly together as a
team encouraging one another constantly to see us through
to the end.
Kwok Thye: Working together on the project gave us many
happy memories, fulfilment, and lifelong friendships. It was
an experience none of us would want to trade. We consider
ourselves very blessed.
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