Do you remember the Photo of Mr Kanda with an article written by him flashed on the screen last night? Most of you may not have had the chance to read what was written by him. So I am reproducing it here for you:
"I wish to express my thanks to the principal and the editorial committee for inviting me to write this article for your souvenir magazine.
As I reminisce about the years spent at BPPS, I feel terribly nostalgic. I joined the staff in 1954. At that time, there were three schools functioning in one building under different principals. The schools were Bukit Panjang English School,Bukit Panjang Afternoon School and Bukit Panjang Malay School. The wooden classroom furniture was in terrible condition. The classrooms were crowded and there were no fans. Fans were installed in 1976.
We did not have the modern sanitation. Instead there was the old bucket system. An old man used to come in daily to clean the buckets. Everybody in the School "sensed" this old man's presence without actually seeing him.
At that time, the quardrangle was covered with gravel. The assembly sessions during the afternoon resembled a sandstorm. The quardrangle was cemented when Mr Felix Choo became the principal in 1960. It costs the school $1310!
Mr Choo was succeeded by Mr C.B. Jesudason in 1962. He retired in early 1970. It was during this time that we experienced a terrible flood in February 1967. The quardrangle and the school field looked like a huge reservoir. All the teachers and pupils stayed back on the upper floor until the flood receded at about 11pm
One of the greatest fears of parents and teachers alike was the pupils having to cross the road in front of the school as there was no overhead bridge at that time. It was constructed only in 1976. During the sixties, the teachers had to perform the duty of patrol attendants - a rather nerve-wrecking task! Later this job was given to paid road patrol attendant. We had some rather interesting characters employed as attendants. One of them was an irascible old man. Another was a rather weak old lady who was succeeded by a robust fellow who claimed to be a magician. He used to disappear on certain duty days!.
In my 35 years as a teacher, the greatest joy was teaching the children of my former pupils. I retired in May 1989 with mixed feelings. I was happy that I could now spend my time reading all the 'penny dreadfuls" that i had accumulated over the years and sad at the thought of parting from my colleagues and pupils.
In conclusion, I wish the new school even further achievements in the years to come."
