2103 Hippo SJI Scout Group
" Our effort is not so much to discipline the boys , as to teach them to discipline themselves " - Lord Baden Powell .
As we are celebrating the 125th . Anniversary of St . Joseph ' s Institution th is year , preparations are being made to celebrate the 20th . Birthday of the school ' s 2103 Hippo Scout Group next year .
Despite the fact that scouting came to S . J . 1 . as early as the year 1919 when a " 4th . Open Scout Group " was started by Mr . Leo Da Silva , the 2103 Group is a young group founded just 19 years ago . The Group was set up on 15th . March 1958 to cater for those interested Josephians who could not be absorbed by the existing 4th . Pelandok Group . Some scouts were separated from the 4th . Group to form the core of the new Group , then known as the 3rd . Singapore Scout Group . Rev . Bro . Joseph Kiely was the founder and first Group Scout Leader .
Initially only the Scout Troop with five patrols was functioning . At the beginning of 1959 , the 3rd . Senior Troop consisting of 3 patrols was formed and by 1960 , the Rover Crew was added to the Group .
The progress made by the new Group was rapid . Five months after the formation , the first " 1 st . Class Scout " was produced . He was PL Wong Toon Book who also represented the Group at the 10th . World Jamboree in Philippines in 1959 . The activity which put the Group in the limelight in the early days was mountaineering . Two expeditions were held at Peninsular Malaya . In late 1960 , Gunong Pantai was conquered by our scouts wh ile a team of twelve Rovers successfully cl imbed Gunong Rembau the next year .
In 1964 , efforts were made by the Group to produce a scouting magazine since local scouting literature was scarce . The magazine " BP ' s Aim " was produced by the Group that year , with a second issue in 1966 .
In 1965 , with the reorganisation of the Singapore Scout Association , the Group was renamed 2103 Hippo Scout Group . Later the Rover Section was abolished in Singapore and only 2 units in the Group remained : the Scout Unit and the newly established Venture Scout Unit .
Throughout the years , 2103 participated actively in many scouting activities at various levels . Our scouts were particularly outstanding in the field of competitions . At the last lnter-District Scout Sports held in 1971 , our scouts emerged Overall Combined Unit Hunners-Up . Though no competition on a national scale was held after 1971 , we performed extremely well in District Competitions having been Champions of Scout Sports in 1972 and 1973 , Pioneering Competitions in 1971 and 1972 , Signalling Competitions in 1972 , 1973 and 1976 and Scout Quiz in 1974 and 1975 . Last year alone , we bagged 2 champion titles and another 4 runners up prizes .
In the field of badge achievements the Group produced several Queen Scout Award holders in the past . This year two of our Venture Scouts will be receiving their President Scout Award at the Istana .
Our activities are not only confined to Singapore alone . Our scouts were sent for overseas goodwill tours and jamborees from time to time . We also organised our own tours to Malaysian destinations . So far we have visited Kota Tinggi in 1971 , Port Dickson in 1972 , Cameron Highlands in 1973 and Penang in 1975 . This year in June , a contingent of scouts left for a week ' s training programme at the Malaysia National Park , Pahang .
On the local scene , the Group organised a Scoutcraft Exhibition in the school field in 1974 in conjunction with Scout / Guide Day . Last year in an effort to promote community service in the movement , a " Service to the Community " week was organised during the December hol idays for scouts and guides .
Our members besides being active in scouting were also outstanding in academic performance . Since 1974 , 9 of our members have been awarded the Tan Ah Tah Scholarship . Choo Chun Wei , Thomas See and Gan Juay Kiat , President Scholars and Pang Siew Kheong , and Siew Teng Kean , top G . C . E . students were all former scouts of the Group .
In the past 19 years , the Group has provided meaningful scouting activities for hundreds of scouts due to the selfless and dedicated leadership provided by our scores of scouters and former scouts especially our former Group Scout Leaders , Bro . Joseph Kielv , Mr . T . O . Aeria , Mr . Foo Chee Cheng and Mr . Foo Chi Kai . These are the people who made scouting flourish in the school and the " 3rd . Group on the Go "! Go "!