HEADLINER

Spotlight on an Amazing Centenarian

                      – Mr Chan Siew Jiang

He has devoted more than half of his life to teaching, mentoring, sports and education administration in Methodist schools.

He was the outstanding Sports Secretary who played a key role in laying the foundations of sporting activities in ACS by introducing a systematic approach to training.

He was responsible for the design of the ACS school flag incorporating the existing School crest, which was first flown at the Cairnhill premises just after the Second World War. 

Mr Chan celebrating his 100th birthday
with his wife, Mrs Chan Boey Lan, grandson Jonathan and granddaughter Sheryll

He is the highly respected and well-loved ACSian Mr. Chan Siew Jiang, who recently celebrated his 100th birthday on 05 July 2003!  

Mr. Chan’s teaching career spanned 38 years, notably as a Mathematics and English teacher, and Headmaster of Anglo-Chinese Junior (later Primary) School in Coleman Street (1951 – 1960).

His contributions continued in the Methodist Board of Education as the energetic Assistant Education Secretary (Administrative) in 1960, until he retired in 1968. He also served in the ACS OBA Management Committee, Building Fund Committee and the Paya Lebar MGS Board of Managers at various times.

Not one to take retirement quietly, Mr. Chan continued to privately tutor Mathematics and English well into his seventies, when he decided it was time to call it a day.

Mr. Chan is well remembered for his passion in coaching and motivating our athletes, which resulted in our school winning the prestigious Sir Arthur Young Trophy in the Annual Inter-Schools 4 x 100 yards relay – a laudable achievement then for a school without a decent sports field. In 1938, he set the sporting ethos of the school with these words of wisdom, which are as applicable today as they were then:

“He who has taken hard knocks in the playing field, and can cheer heartily after a defeat, has met his Cross in the way the Cross was taken on Calvary.

You leave behind you a part of yourself to enrich the history and traditions of the School. That is a record you may well treasure above many things and which others who follow you may well try to emulate.

What have we to offer you in return? Nothing much. We offer you the traditions of the School to keep, safeguard and uphold and we trust that in whatever walk of life you may be, you will endeavour to be sporting – sporting, in all the true sense that the word implies.”

Mr. Chan’s students remember him fondly as a charming and handsome man, who was always immaculately attired, often with a bow tie. They were also most impressed by his precise and clear speech, which was never superfluous.

According to Mr. Sng Cheok Kye from the Class of ’51: “His style and mannerism was unique. His typical parting shot, which was like a sort of ‘benediction’ at the end of each teaching session, still rings clearly in our ears”.

Standing erect with his record book tucked under his arm, he would utter in perfect diction (almost) to the class: “You ‘un-stan’ (short for ‘understand’). You get what I mean? Is that clear?”  As dead silence prevailed, he would then purposely stare at the entire class for the last time and as if to answer his own question, he would then declare emphatically one last word, “Yes!”.  With that, he did an about turn and walked out of the class. 

“No boy in the Class of ’51 in those days would dare utter a word, let alone to say ‘No, Sir!’ after these last words”, Mr. Sng added.

Mr Chan Siew Jiang with ACS teachers and
Principal, Rev. P. L. Peach, December 1924

As a teacher, Mr. Chan was a role model for ACSians to emulate. He has left an indelible mark on his students, many of whom went on to be ACS teachers.

This amazing centenarian is indeed a famous son ACS is proud to have and boast about.