Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) One Spirit 10th Anniversary Dinner
I did say in a few posts earlier that I wouldn't even attend this dinner. And I wouldn't even support by taking photos. Guess what happened? I ended up going for the dinner, despite the fact that my whole class would be virtually absent from it altogether. And I also ended up taking a good number of photographs.
The dinner was slated to start at 6.30p.m. But the general rule of thumb for any ACS event is to add about 2 hours to the starting time to be an approximate arrival time. Its correct, one of my brother's friends sms-ed him at about 8 plus that the dinner just started. So this gave my family time to have dinner together at East Coast before heading down for the festivities at the new Barker Road campus.
Dad drove me and my brother there and when we arrived. It was just the start of the key events - that is, the laying of the time capsules for all 7 batches of "Barker-Roadians". Unexpectedly, I realised that a good number of those very old friends who I had lost contact with were present, as with those that had gone overseas immediately after the O-levels. Suddenly everyone speaks with either an English, American or Australian accent.
Thankfully, there was one good friend in the entire crowd - Mark. He too is another photography enthusiast, one of the original AC boys that introduced me to the subject of photography. He was in my secondary school class for four straight years and both of us took the bus home together on a regular basis. A very good friend. And Yes, and both our chinese language standards are an absolute disaster, perhaps even a catstrophe. Mark's exusable though, because he's a person of mixed blood, and can speak french fluenty. Bojour?
The new campus is really beautiful, the buildings, architecture, technology and all. All my life in ACS I had old boys from the past telling me that "I never enjoyed such a nice campus when I was an ACS boy". Now I do qualify to say the same since my batch was at the holding campus (next to SCGS!) for one year and my J1 in the ACJC campus was basically described as "dusty and noisy".
After the time capsules were laid to rest (those prefects carrying white boxes on the stage), there was a "special item" that consisted of a musical tribute to one of the retired teachers, followed by a memory-jerking powerpoint presentation of all the old photos taken during the period 96-98. We all laughed like crazy when we saw ourselves in the pink of our young age, with all the silly actions to boot!
Remember it was reported in the papers that a group of CHIJ girls were scolded by a member of the audience when they made too much noise during a performance? The emcee pointed out to us that apparently the person in the above photo talking to NEC is the one. Just had to be an ACS (BARKER) Boy, right? Some things just really never ever change...
Later, each of us was given a candle inside a styrofoam cup that had a hole punched in the base. NEC was the first to light the candle, followed by the teachers and later followed by the rest. We laughed, joked and sang to Auld Lang Syne, followed by the SCHOOL ANTHEM and then instead of our usual "Three Cheers for ACS!" it was an extended 3 round bout of "YAM SENG". First time ever I yam seng with a candle in my life. Just so appropriate a wasy to end the evening.
On the way out, my brother told me that I had forgotten to sign in. So I proceeded to sign the poster for the nights' event with my signature and was promtly "rewarded" with a goodie bag. Being the last and most kiasu one, I signed in the centre and directly across the Crest. Oops. I didn't mean too! Honest! I guess they're going to frame this poster up or something, so that future generations of ACSians can have a good view of a sample of signatures from the first 7 batches of ACS Barker students.
And that is the door gift for the night's event. Probably the best door gift that I ever received at any AC function. There has been shirts, watches, pens and teddy bears. But this one really takes the cake in design, quality and workmanship. Its really apt - a pocket watch engraved in an old rugged classic design. I shall take very good care of it.
In addition, everyone received limited edition copies of AC Memorabilia, and I finally laid my hands on a copy of "The ACS Story". A book that I've been wanting to buy since last the Fun-O-Rama people overpriced it at 100 dollars per book. Someday I hope that students from my batch, all those 12 year true blue ACSians could gather together to write a book about all our experiences in school. What nonsense we will all be guffawing about there and then!
In closing, The past we inherit, the present we create and for the future, our hearts our hopes our aims are one. Grow Old With Me! For Indeed, The Best Is Truly Yet to Be!
I did say in a few posts earlier that I wouldn't even attend this dinner. And I wouldn't even support by taking photos. Guess what happened? I ended up going for the dinner, despite the fact that my whole class would be virtually absent from it altogether. And I also ended up taking a good number of photographs.
The dinner was slated to start at 6.30p.m. But the general rule of thumb for any ACS event is to add about 2 hours to the starting time to be an approximate arrival time. Its correct, one of my brother's friends sms-ed him at about 8 plus that the dinner just started. So this gave my family time to have dinner together at East Coast before heading down for the festivities at the new Barker Road campus.
Dad drove me and my brother there and when we arrived. It was just the start of the key events - that is, the laying of the time capsules for all 7 batches of "Barker-Roadians". Unexpectedly, I realised that a good number of those very old friends who I had lost contact with were present, as with those that had gone overseas immediately after the O-levels. Suddenly everyone speaks with either an English, American or Australian accent.
Thankfully, there was one good friend in the entire crowd - Mark. He too is another photography enthusiast, one of the original AC boys that introduced me to the subject of photography. He was in my secondary school class for four straight years and both of us took the bus home together on a regular basis. A very good friend. And Yes, and both our chinese language standards are an absolute disaster, perhaps even a catstrophe. Mark's exusable though, because he's a person of mixed blood, and can speak french fluenty. Bojour?
The new campus is really beautiful, the buildings, architecture, technology and all. All my life in ACS I had old boys from the past telling me that "I never enjoyed such a nice campus when I was an ACS boy". Now I do qualify to say the same since my batch was at the holding campus (next to SCGS!) for one year and my J1 in the ACJC campus was basically described as "dusty and noisy".
After the time capsules were laid to rest (those prefects carrying white boxes on the stage), there was a "special item" that consisted of a musical tribute to one of the retired teachers, followed by a memory-jerking powerpoint presentation of all the old photos taken during the period 96-98. We all laughed like crazy when we saw ourselves in the pink of our young age, with all the silly actions to boot!
Remember it was reported in the papers that a group of CHIJ girls were scolded by a member of the audience when they made too much noise during a performance? The emcee pointed out to us that apparently the person in the above photo talking to NEC is the one. Just had to be an ACS (BARKER) Boy, right? Some things just really never ever change...
Later, each of us was given a candle inside a styrofoam cup that had a hole punched in the base. NEC was the first to light the candle, followed by the teachers and later followed by the rest. We laughed, joked and sang to Auld Lang Syne, followed by the SCHOOL ANTHEM and then instead of our usual "Three Cheers for ACS!" it was an extended 3 round bout of "YAM SENG". First time ever I yam seng with a candle in my life. Just so appropriate a wasy to end the evening.
On the way out, my brother told me that I had forgotten to sign in. So I proceeded to sign the poster for the nights' event with my signature and was promtly "rewarded" with a goodie bag. Being the last and most kiasu one, I signed in the centre and directly across the Crest. Oops. I didn't mean too! Honest! I guess they're going to frame this poster up or something, so that future generations of ACSians can have a good view of a sample of signatures from the first 7 batches of ACS Barker students.
And that is the door gift for the night's event. Probably the best door gift that I ever received at any AC function. There has been shirts, watches, pens and teddy bears. But this one really takes the cake in design, quality and workmanship. Its really apt - a pocket watch engraved in an old rugged classic design. I shall take very good care of it.
In addition, everyone received limited edition copies of AC Memorabilia, and I finally laid my hands on a copy of "The ACS Story". A book that I've been wanting to buy since last the Fun-O-Rama people overpriced it at 100 dollars per book. Someday I hope that students from my batch, all those 12 year true blue ACSians could gather together to write a book about all our experiences in school. What nonsense we will all be guffawing about there and then!
In closing, The past we inherit, the present we create and for the future, our hearts our hopes our aims are one. Grow Old With Me! For Indeed, The Best Is Truly Yet to Be!
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home