6 LUMEN | FEATURE : SJI HERITAGE GALLERY
Significant events and people in the history of SJI are featured on the timeline wall . The events are organised in chronology and divided into four time periods : Beginnings of a Mission ( 1852-1942 ), Surviving the War ( 1942-1944 ), Growing with the Nation ( 1945-1988 ), and Charting New Directions ( 1988 to present ). A key figure in SJI ’ s history who is featured in this gallery is Brother Michael Noctor , Principal from 1900 to 1914 . He is credited for the redevelopment of the school at Bras Basah and the winged blocks and dome that are now iconic of our former school . Also on exhibition is Br . Noctor ’ s diary , a precious artefact that details his endeavours to expand the school , amongst other things .
SJI is fortunate to have had the Brothers who painstakingly kept journals of daily events . It is from such journals that we were able to glean insights of the functions and directions of the school over its illustrious history . While not all these journals have survived the test of time , those are still intact have been conserved and are displayed in the gallery .
Also on exhibition are the original and present school crests , the latter being carved out on a granite slab that weighed more than 20kg . Marcin Biesek , a Polish sculptor originally from the UK , was in Singapore to work on the tablet . To this end , the slab of granite had to be measured and cut , before placing it into a highpressure sandblasting cabinet that blasts abrasives onto the stone . The hard abrasives then lightly chip the surface of the granite to achieve the right depth . Subsequently , the ornamental elements of the crest were painted on and varnished .
Housed within the gallery are old school registers that date back to the 1930s . These registers have been treated to prevent further deterioration from mould and insect infestations . They were our primary repository of the identity of all students who have passed through our gates .
Missio 1852 also offers visitors a glimpse into past school life through the pages of school magazines from the late 1920s . While only a few magazines are on display , all the digitalised magazines can be accessed through the two touchscreen kiosks .
The theme of mission is again evident in the selection of the alumni who were featured in Missio 1852 . They were chosen because they have given much of their lives to the betterment of society , be it to SJI or to the nation . Their work has made our community a more inclusive place .
Missio 1852 endeavours to be a place where the history and heritage of SJI is consolidated into a continuous and meaningful narrative for all Josephians , past , present and future .
Missio 1852 will be an avenue for all Josephians to learn about the history , developments and milestones achieved by the school , where they can situate themselves within the SJI story and develop an appreciation of the SJI education for the present and future .
This page ( top ): Timeline Wall
This page ( bottom : Touchscreen kiosks where visitors can browse through the digital copies of old school magazines
Facing page ( top ): The school crest carved into granite
Facing page ( 2nd from top ): Marcin works on the granite slab for the school crest
Facing page ( 2nd from bottom ): Distinguished Alumni Facing page ( bottom ): The star in the Signum Fidei
Facing page ( top right ): La Salle Brother Gregory Thomas Lim , FSC , officiated the opening of Missio 1852 with the ringing of the original brass school bell from the former SJI campus at Bras Basah Road . This 1934 bell is a gift from Mr and Mrs P . C . Fernandez , which now hangs in its new home .