Bless the squire and his relations

Elvis is aliveOnce, when I was in junior college, the discipline master reprimanded a schoolmate for having his shirt tucked out while school was still in session. He said to the errant boy, “How dare you walk around with your shirt tucked out like that? What do you think this is? Your grandfather’s school?”

My schoolmate thought for a bit, then decided to say it. He said, “As a matter of fact, yes, it is”, as he pointed to the plaque at the college’s foyer, which informed all and sundry that the college was built thanks in no small part to the very generous donations of his grandfather, one of the pioneers of Singapore’s banking industry.

Of course, that schoolmate was punished to a few days’ worth of detention, but if I remember correctly, he also said, “damn, that was worth it – how often do you get to say that?”

So insensitive, this boy, for keeping the discipline master in his proper station.

But apart from the occasional derisive, “eh, your friend government school one ah?”, we got along fine at this institution, where we schooled with the likes of the Tans, the Shaws, the Tangs, the Wees and the Liens. (Other families went to a less fun college).

P.S. photo has nothing to do with this post, so don’t read anything into it. I couldn’t.

iTunes is playing an illegal copy of The Ground Beneath Her Feet from the album “The Million Dollar Hotel” by U2 & Daniel Lanois of which I have the original CD.

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32 responses to “Bless the squire and his relations”

  1. the DEATH of A MILLION is JUST A STATISTIC: SameNobody said this was a debate against charity. Yes. If you choose to be amoral … [Link] My Very Own Glob {Curiosa Felicitas}: Bless the squire and his relations [Link] mrbrown: L’infantile terrible of Singapore: One of the nicer ways of travelling up to KLI usually enjoy taking the Aeroline coach up to KL. Sure you can fly but a … [Link] syshen’s blog: รงยถยฒรฉย ยรจโ€กยชรฅโ€นโ€ขรฅล’โ€“รฆยธยฌรจยฉยฆ

  2. Han Avatar

    wahaha, lagi best story ever. I can imagine it must be the most satisfying comeback ever.

  3. Han Avatar

    wahaha, lagi best story ever. I can imagine it must be the most satisfying comeback ever.

  4. denise Avatar

    WHOA. that must have felt SO good. by the way, which JC were you from Miyagi??

  5. denise Avatar

    WHOA. that must have felt SO good. by the way, which JC were you from Miyagi??

  6. 555919 Blog Verification…

    555919…

  7. Marina making pictures Avatar

    Great story. I think the boy has done the right thing by protecting his own individuality against the master. I find this stroy is very motivating.

    Thank you for sharing this story with me !

  8. Marina making pictures Avatar

    Great story. I think the boy has done the right thing by protecting his own individuality against the master. I find this stroy is very motivating.

    Thank you for sharing this story with me !

  9. Muffy Wong Avatar

    No one ever accused you boys of being slow to react! Most of my friends who I hold in high regard when it comes to speaking good English are from your school.

  10. Muffy Wong Avatar

    No one ever accused you boys of being slow to react! Most of my friends who I hold in high regard when it comes to speaking good English are from your school.

  11. kayangmo TAN Avatar
    kayangmo TAN

    Can I share my own story in VJC? 1989 (1 year behind Diana Ser)
    I was walking along the corridor with an ice cream in my mouth. The super-on PE teacher (like to show off one), shouted at me, when he was holding a class in the indoor hall. He shouted to me to go to him (eating is forbidden).
    I walked damm slowly to him. Almost moon walk. When I arrived, he was fuming hot while the class was wondering who this “hero” was.
    Walking slowly up to him, he began to shout again and said why I walked so slowly. I told him, my leg was injured (luckily for me, it was true) and that I was not allowed to run or walk fast, doctor’s orders.
    He takboleh tahan!
    Since then I became “choot mia liao”…

    BTW Where you get the swinging Elvis? I cannot find leh!

  12. kayangmo TAN Avatar
    kayangmo TAN

    Can I share my own story in VJC? 1989 (1 year behind Diana Ser)
    I was walking along the corridor with an ice cream in my mouth. The super-on PE teacher (like to show off one), shouted at me, when he was holding a class in the indoor hall. He shouted to me to go to him (eating is forbidden).
    I walked damm slowly to him. Almost moon walk. When I arrived, he was fuming hot while the class was wondering who this “hero” was.
    Walking slowly up to him, he began to shout again and said why I walked so slowly. I told him, my leg was injured (luckily for me, it was true) and that I was not allowed to run or walk fast, doctor’s orders.
    He takboleh tahan!
    Since then I became “choot mia liao”…

    BTW Where you get the swinging Elvis? I cannot find leh!

  13. kayangmo TAN Avatar
    kayangmo TAN

    I can tell you another story from Dunman High School.

    Pants with pleats, versus Pants without pleats.

    IN short my longpants was with pleats, because down there I quite big, and also my thighs were big due to volleyball training daily. Pants without pleats made me very obscene and uncomfortable. (demo’ed to school teacher)

    From sec 3 to 4, we had to change to wearing long pants, and the school rules was “NO PLEATS”.

    In the end, I ended up in the discipline master’s room, with MY FATHER! He was from Chong Cheng High (famous for bus riot, remember? and student protests).

    He reasoned with the superstrict discipline master, who could not provide a calpable answer to why we must wear pants without pleats.

    In fact back in 1960s, pants without pleats were the style from the gangster pupils. In the end, I initiated a revolution change in school, and the school reluctantly allowed pants with pleats again.

    My father’s advice to me (very sound til today), was to REASON with the school management.

    Not to give in, unless we are convinced of the real reason behind the rules.

    Since then, I am fervent visitor to the Discipline Master’s room, but he can do me no harm, since I started to reason with him, instead of arguing with him.

    He soon left me alone, since I could outreason him.

    Sounds familiar? Bullying by school teachers are the most common thing in Singapore.
    ๐Ÿ˜€

  14. kayangmo TAN Avatar
    kayangmo TAN

    I can tell you another story from Dunman High School.

    Pants with pleats, versus Pants without pleats.

    IN short my longpants was with pleats, because down there I quite big, and also my thighs were big due to volleyball training daily. Pants without pleats made me very obscene and uncomfortable. (demo’ed to school teacher)

    From sec 3 to 4, we had to change to wearing long pants, and the school rules was “NO PLEATS”.

    In the end, I ended up in the discipline master’s room, with MY FATHER! He was from Chong Cheng High (famous for bus riot, remember? and student protests).

    He reasoned with the superstrict discipline master, who could not provide a calpable answer to why we must wear pants without pleats.

    In fact back in 1960s, pants without pleats were the style from the gangster pupils. In the end, I initiated a revolution change in school, and the school reluctantly allowed pants with pleats again.

    My father’s advice to me (very sound til today), was to REASON with the school management.

    Not to give in, unless we are convinced of the real reason behind the rules.

    Since then, I am fervent visitor to the Discipline Master’s room, but he can do me no harm, since I started to reason with him, instead of arguing with him.

    He soon left me alone, since I could outreason him.

    Sounds familiar? Bullying by school teachers are the most common thing in Singapore.
    ๐Ÿ˜€

  15. fynyx Avatar

    Hi Miyagi,

    I knew you said not to connect photo with post,
    but I couldn’t resist linking your title to your shot:

    So The King says to all & sundry,

    “Bless the squire & his relations,
    including Vader & the Stormies,
    Mike & the Monsters,
    Mr Tumnus & the Narnians …

    “Thank you very much.”

    By the way,
    I was from that less fun junior college for initial months,
    and its precursor for 4 years before that.

    Back then,
    I stood up for my individuality
    by once calling my peers proud,
    and promptly got branded for being a traitor,

    especially when I went to another junior college for the rest of the years,
    because I wanted to seek my roots.

    ๐Ÿ™‚ I’m still true-blue Singaporean.

  16. fynyx Avatar

    Hi Miyagi,

    I knew you said not to connect photo with post,
    but I couldn’t resist linking your title to your shot:

    So The King says to all & sundry,

    “Bless the squire & his relations,
    including Vader & the Stormies,
    Mike & the Monsters,
    Mr Tumnus & the Narnians …

    “Thank you very much.”

    By the way,
    I was from that less fun junior college for initial months,
    and its precursor for 4 years before that.

    Back then,
    I stood up for my individuality
    by once calling my peers proud,
    and promptly got branded for being a traitor,

    especially when I went to another junior college for the rest of the years,
    because I wanted to seek my roots.

    ๐Ÿ™‚ I’m still true-blue Singaporean.

  17. melvin Avatar
    melvin

    Mr Miyagi, The Best Is Yet To Be!

  18. melvin Avatar
    melvin

    Mr Miyagi, The Best Is Yet To Be!

  19. wenzi Avatar

    This entry really reminds me of my time in secondary school when my school always mocked that the best would never be, and in turn we got retribution by never ever winning rugby finals for 40 years.

    those were the days!! at least there was a sense of unity in the rivalry.

    hahas.. so its true that rafflesians rule the country but ACS owns it. =)

  20. wenzi Avatar

    This entry really reminds me of my time in secondary school when my school always mocked that the best would never be, and in turn we got retribution by never ever winning rugby finals for 40 years.

    those were the days!! at least there was a sense of unity in the rivalry.

    hahas.. so its true that rafflesians rule the country but ACS owns it. =)

  21. sixsphere Avatar
    sixsphere

    well you do get into this kind situation in poly too when you try to ‘smoke’ your way through assignments and presentations. The sky is really the limit in poly. so no matter what cock you say, just back it up with reasoning.
    Best to see all the lecturers with their LL face. =)

  22. sixsphere Avatar
    sixsphere

    well you do get into this kind situation in poly too when you try to ‘smoke’ your way through assignments and presentations. The sky is really the limit in poly. so no matter what cock you say, just back it up with reasoning.
    Best to see all the lecturers with their LL face. =)

  23. Lincoln Avatar

    Like Warran Choo saying.. “my father army what”…when Winston Choo was at the helm.

  24. Lincoln Avatar

    Like Warran Choo saying.. “my father army what”…when Winston Choo was at the helm.

  25. nonchannn Avatar
    nonchannn

    hahaha…now our dear PM’s son is in the army too…Orcifer somemore…i think he can say it’s “his father’s army too…” hahaha… i wonder if anyone of his trainers dare to tekan him or confine him…hahaha.

  26. nonchannn Avatar
    nonchannn

    hahaha…now our dear PM’s son is in the army too…Orcifer somemore…i think he can say it’s “his father’s army too…” hahaha… i wonder if anyone of his trainers dare to tekan him or confine him…hahaha.

  27. John Avatar
    John

    This is nice… So you caused trouble last time in school, Miyagi? Or to your Chinese teachers too? Haha..

  28. John Avatar
    John

    This is nice… So you caused trouble last time in school, Miyagi? Or to your Chinese teachers too? Haha..

  29. Mr Miyagi Avatar

    No. I was good. Go ask my teachers who are still alive.

  30. Mr Miyagi Avatar

    No. I was good. Go ask my teachers who are still alive.

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