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 The ACSOBA is pleased to
announce the donation of a rare
Anglo-Chinese School artefact
to the Archives of the Methodist
Church in Singapore (MCS) by
Mr Kanan Bala (ACS ’73) on 5
July 2021. This treasured artefact
was a book prize presented to his
great grandfather Mr R. Sopaya in
1889 by Bishop William Fitzjames
Oldham himself for outstanding
proficiency in grammar.
The book (A Border Shepherdess
by Amelia E. Barr and Published
by James Clarke & Co. in 1887) contains an award certificate
signed by Principal W. F. Oldham which indicates R. Sopaya
as the recipient of the 1st prize medal for grammar.
Prior to the donation of the
artefact to the Methodist
Archives facilitated by
Rev Dr Andrew Peh, the
ACSOBA interviewed Mr
Kanan Bala as well as
his nephew Dr Kannoo
Ravindran who had helped
to connect him with the
ACSOBA.
ACSOBA: We are so excited
to learn of this amazing ACS
artefact. Kanan, could you
please tell us more about
this artefact and who it
belonged to?
Kanan Bala (KB): I found this book in my maternal grandfather’s
vast library and as I flipped open the cover of the book, I realised
that my great grandfather, R. Sopaya, had won the grammar
prize on Founder’s Day of 1889, three years after the school’s
founding so it was really very exciting for me. Unfortunately,
my great grandfather died in the early 1930s long before I was born and, like most young children, I did not think to ask my
grandparents about their lives or about previous generations.
It is only when you grow older that you wish you had asked
such questions so that you better understand your heritage and
history. I do not know where my great grandfather was born
but I have gleaned some information about him over the years.
Given that he attended ACS in 1889, he was probably born in the
1870s. My great grandfather lived in a house at 268 Serangoon
Road. It still stands today and houses several local businesses.
Professionally, he served as the Chief Tamil Interpreter in
the district court before he retired in December 19261. At a
Legislative Council Meeting in 1927, he was presented with
a Certificate of Honour and a Medal by H. E. the Governor on
behalf of H. M. the King (King George V) in recognition of his
loyal and valuable service to the Government of the Straits
Settlements for 36 years in the Administration of Jutice2. My
great grandfather had 13 children and my grandfather, the late
Dr R. S. Kannoo, was one of them. All the males in our family
attended ACS.
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ACSOBA:
That’s lovely! Tell us more about yourself and what
ACS means to you.
KB: Both my grandfathers, my father, my siblings, and my
uncles and cousins attended ACS too. There has always been
something special about ACS. I think that ACS grounds you. It
is not just about education but also social interaction, inclusivity
and how you get along with others. This is why the ACS
fraternity is so strong. I had known that both my grandfathers
attended ACS, but I did not know that my great grandfather
had attended ACS as well until I discovered this book. This is
a great book and as someone who loves history, I like to keep
records and artefacts that show us our heritage and where we
come from, how things progress, so this book has been in my
possession ever since. I was the first batch nationally to take
the ‘O’ levels in 1971 and the first batch again to take the ‘A’
levels two years later in 1973. After national service, I took up
an accountancy course in the University of Singapore and later
worked in a public accounting firm for a while before working
in a bank for 39 years. I retired recently in 2019. I continue
to meet up regularly with my friends from ACS including my
primary one ACJS classmates and there are about 100 of us
connected via an alumni WhatsApp chat group where we
celebrate achievements and mourn together when we hear
news about bereavements.
ACSOBA: Thank you for your service and contribution to ACS
even in your retirement years through the donation of this
artefact. What do you hope to tell ACSians who get a chance
to see this book in the future?
KB: I hope this book gives them a sense of perspective and
excitement in terms of how the school has progressed. This
book was presented so early in the initial years of the school’s
founding and it is visceral to have something of this nature.
Old boys recognise that ACS is their alma mater, and they are
always so proud of the school long after they have left her. I
hope that younger ACSians receive the education that ACS
provides not only in terms of book study but also in the social
domain to contribute to society as useful citizens and to lead
a fulfilling life. My ACSian schoolmates also go the distance to
help one another out in many ways so I hope that ACS alumni
will continue to do the same moving forward.
ACSOBA: Thank you once again Kanan for your generous
donation and for sharing your insights with us. Ravi, could
you also share with us how the donation of the artefact came
into being?
Kannoo Ravindran (KR): I came to know of this artefact over
dinner with my uncle Kanan when we were talking about ACS
and our memorable teachers. At that point in time, Kanan
asked me if I knew that my great grandfather’s dad (R. Sopaya)
went to ACS. I replied, “You are pulling my leg, right? I will
only believe it if you have proof of this.” Kanan invited me
back to his place after dinner to show me the artefact that he
had in his possession. The first things that went through my
head were, “Oh my goodness! Wow! What are you doing with
this artefact Kanan when this should be placed somewhere
where the public can better appreciate it?” I took the liberty of
sharing the image of the artefact with Dr Ang Peng Tiam, our
former ACSOBA President, privately over the following days.
He also shared my excitement and went on to tell me about the
existence of an ACS Museum. Once I understood that there
would be an institution possibly interested in displaying the
artefact, I informed Kanan about it and he readily agreed to
the donation. I got in touch with Dr Ang again who then gave
me the contact information of Morgan, and the rest, as they
say, is history.
ACSOBA: Thank you, Ravi. We are so glad that your efforts at
engaging us has brought us together and that Kanan will be
donating the artefact to the Methodist Archives. Please share
your personal reflections on this artefact with us.
KR: As an educator, I was ecstatic to be the quarterback who
brought all the relevant stakeholders together so that present
and future generation of ACSians can take pride in the rich
history of ACS. I am excited that ACSians will now get a chance
to appreciate this artefact and savour some of the foundations
that contributed to the ACS spirit. To me, this artefact serves
as additional proof that Bishop Oldham’s vision of Christian
education – which included children of all races, creed, class,
colour and culture – was not just hearsay or passed down
by word of mouth but something that can be substantiated
with tangible proof. As a professor, I feel very blessed every
time I teach a class. Whether the class is large or small, this
spirit of education allows me to celebrate the differences of
opinion, culture, mindsets, personalities, class, beliefs that
students bring to the classroom while empowering them with
the necessary skills to be successful, open minded, hopeful,
and happy in life.
ACSOBA: Thank you very much, gentlemen. To God Be The
Glory, The Best Is Yet To Be!
'
The original artefact (held by Mr Kanan Bala in the photograph
above) will be stored in the Methodist Archives and preserved
for posterity while the first edition of the same title from the same
print run (procured by the ACSOBA and held by Dr Kannoo
Ravindran in the photograph above) will be put up for display in
the ONE ACS Heritage Gallery later this year. The ACSOBA is
looking to reproduce the award certificate found in the original
artefact and to include this reproduction in the display copy.
“A book prize awarded to Sopaya and signed by Oldham
himself! This is so precious and makes my service in the
council of archives so rewarding,” said Rev Dr Andrew Peh
as he received the artefact from Mr Kanan Bala during the
handover. If you are holding on to artefacts from the early
years of the founding of ACS and the Methodist Church in
Singapore, please consider donating them to the Archives
or to the Heritage Gallery.
To God Be The Glory, The Best Is
Yet To Be!
1 https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/
singfreepressb19270114-1.2.69
2 https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/
maltribune 19270824-1.2.35
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