LUMEN | CELEBRATING THE BIRTH CENTENARY OF AN ARTS VISIONAIRE
Celebrating the Birth Centenary of an Arts Visionaire
By Eliza Lim
“ Creativity comes from within each person . So every school has a duty to allow the personality of every student to be expressed . It ’ s that precious gift that everybody has , that has to be nurtured . And if the school doesn ’ t nurture it , it will lie dormant and you ’ ll have a psychotic society . … I could not foresee setting up an art school until I finally retired …
Creative flair is not just for artists , everybody should develop their creative flair , if they ’ re going to use language properly , if they ’ re going to listen to music , no matter what they ’ re going to do , even doctors or engineers need a creative flair . It was reflecting on the past and looking to the future . And my idea was very strong that I would set up this school . Something has to be done to encourage creativity . I was just interested as an educator , and feeling hurt as an educator that art was seen as quite insignificant on the curriculum of the Institute of Education .” – Bro Joe , quoted in the documentary on setting up an art school in Singapore .
Born in Ballintubber in County Mayo , Ireland , Lasalle Brother Joseph McNally ( 10 August 1923 – 27 August 2002 ) dedicated 37 years of his life to teaching in Singapore and Malaysia . He arrived in Singapore in 1946 and began his long and fruitful teaching career at St Joseph ’ s Institution , before moving to Kuala Lumpur to become the Principal of St John ’ s Institution . In 1973 he returned to Singapore and spent 10 years in St Patrick ’ s School before retiring as its Principal in 1982 . He later gained renown as a sculptor and artist , and his unwavering belief
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