FEATURE | LUMEN
7
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We were taught to be humble and caring , and to put God before ourselves .
We started the day with a prayer . That gave us a sort of spiritual grounding .
“
Brothers has been invaluable . Without them , SJI could not have achieved the school mission of educating generations of Josephians since 1852 .
Amidst the glitz and glamour of the event , a strong sense of camaraderie and nostalgia was felt -- the feeling the alumni and past and present teachers shared of coming home . Radiant smiles formed on faces as recognition dawned on the guests , when they spotted someone from their precious days in SJI . Those moments were aplenty and memorable . As people reminisced of old times shared in SJI with their peers and former teachers , laughter abounded . The familial atmosphere was strong , reminding all that SJI is not about the environment or buildings .
When asked about their SJI school days , both students and teachers attest to the living legacy that SJI has left , and how it has made an impact on them . Michael Goh ( Class of 1965 ) proudly proclaimed : “ SJI had great significance for me . It is a very good school and an honor to be from this school .” Mother tongue teacher of 29 years in SJI from 1982 to 2011 , Mdm Tan Pek Leng commented : “ I cannot compare my time in SJI to other schools , because I only taught at SJI . But at SJI , I felt good and at home . The boys are nice and polite .” Important values nurtured in the students were not forgotten . Many , such as alumnus Francis Oen ( Class of 1977 ), confirmed this : “ SJI taught me humility and service . These two are quite important , most of the time . SJI
students are not proud , and they tend to be more helpful .” On a similar point , Peter Fong ( Class of 1971 ) stated : “ Even after you leave SJI , your positive attitude towards your work and your colleagues remains . Those are values you don ’ t pick up anywhere else .” In appreciation of the school culture , Fidelis Tham ( Class of 1984 ) opined that although SJI is a Catholic institution , it ‘ embraces all kinds of religions and celebrates diversity ’, while Calvin Chew ( Class of 1988 ) recalled , “ We were taught to be humble and caring , and to put God before ourselves . We started the day with a prayer . That gave us a sort of spiritual grounding .”
While guests took every opportunity to renew old ties and enjoy the company of friends and their teachers in between dishes , there were also performances that lined the evening . Out of Time , a band formed by our JC 1 students , the SJI Vocal Ensemble , and FIVERA , the " first and only " pop-opera band from Thailand whose concept is to bring classical music tunes to a new era with five tones of voice , blending international hits pop songs with opera style smoothly , provided entertainment for everyone . Interspersed between the songs , an auction was held to raise money for the school building fund .
Merchandise was also sold to contribute to our fund raising . Guests could choose from
an SJI bear , special edition Signum Fidei cufflinks , door knobs , to the brick of the old SJI Bras Basah campus preserved in glass vitrine . The brick was an integral part of the old Bras Basah campus , signifiying how our vibrant Lasallian culture has stood the test of time .
The dinner concluded with the 125th Anniversary Song , written by alumnus the late Rudolph ( Rudy ) Mosbergen , following which , our student leaders and alumni alike spontaneously chanted : “ Hail , Hail , Alma Mater ”. It was a momentous end to the evening .
The 165th Anniversary gala dinner was special on many counts . Most important of all , it confirmed for many what they already knew and believed : SJI is not about brick and mortar , but about the people whom the Lasallian legacy has touched . This same Lasallian heritage will continue to influence many generations to come . For that , we are indeed grateful to God . Ora et Labora !
Facing page ( top ): Rejoicing over the funds raised for SJI
Facing page ( centre ): Bro Michael Broughton providing a description of the water colour painting before the live auction
Facing page ( bottom ): Deciding on which SJI memorabilia to purchase
This page ( top left ): De La Salle Brothers
This page ( top right ): DPM Teo Chee Hean with former teachers Mrs Ellen Woo and Mr Tang Wing Kee
This page ( 2nd from top , centre ): A wefie is a must when old pals meet
This page ( 2nd from bottom ): Fivera mesmerising their audience
This page ( bottom ): A rousing finale to the gala dinner