the eye Singapore American High School
November 11, 2005/Vol.25 no 3
Over 3600 students, faculty and staff from all four four schools look skyward as a rented helicopter and photographer make one of five passes over the anniversary formation. Photo by Steve Nge. Inset: Morning Show reporter Sara Calvert shoots alongside photographer Steve Nge. Photo by Brian Riady
Heat prompts grumbling, but most agree flyover a success
Helicopter shot marks 50th year By Catherine Ward Two seniors tossed water bottles over students’ heads to each other. A sophomore girl in a white polo stretched out on the grass at the bottom of the ‘S.’ A group of students joked that they should flick-off the photographer in the helicopter over their heads. Students complained that the “That 50 Day” anniversary activity was a waste of time. “I thought that it was pointless,” one student said. Not everyone felt that way. “At the time I think people were unhappy about it, but now I think that it was worth it,” senior Andy Long said. The idea of using the entire student body, faculty and staff to spell a message on the field came up in an August faculty meeting. The photograph was initially planned for the afternoon, but was moved to the morning to avoid afternoon rains. One of the most difficult preparations was calculating the grid
pattern, done by Dr. James Kett and of the helicopter was $4000. “There are so many better causes senior Jason Zaman, then transporting that this money could go to,” junior it onto the field. “It took six days for the [facilities Rachel Witt said. Other students recognized the and planning staff] to get the grid out onto the field,” Director of difficulty in organization that this activity presented and appreciated the Development Susan Murray said. aerial photograph. Around twenty “They did people helped with the best that they copying the grid could,” junior Simi onto the field. Oberoi said. Murray asked With over 3600 photography teacher students, faculty Paul Griffin to find and staff on the a photographer with field, organizing aerial photography Monday morning experience. The Andrea Long was difficult. photographer, “I thought that Steve Nge, then they could have recommended the done it more efficiently,” senior David helicopter company. “It was like looking down on Bywater said. Junior Isabella Reid said that she Legoland,” Griffin said of being in the helicopter while the photograph was liked the photograph so much that she would buy it. being taken. “It looks really cool,” senior Students wondered how much the morning cost. Murray would not Caroline Joseph said. Despite an appreciation of the comment on the cost of the event, but an informed source said that the cost efforts that were put into the activity
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“At the time I think people were unhappy about it, but now I think it’s worth it.”
and the success of the photograph, some students still questioned if it was worth it. “It was a cool idea, but it was too hot and too slow,” Reid said. “It was too hot, but it turned out good,” junior Megan Anderson agreed. The heat was a source of discomfort for everyone. One student, who had recently been ill, fainted during the activity. Though it was not purely because of dehydration, heat was probably still a catalyst. Seventy-five students reported to Shelly Donahue in the Nurse’s office on Monday with dehydration symptoms. These symptoms included headaches and “things easily fixed with water and some Panadol,” Donahue said. Even if they disapproved of the event, most students were able to cope with it by taking it in with a light mood. “At least it provided a few laughs,” Oberoi said.
Top: Senior Kristine Tolentino makes small talk with primary school students. Middle: Intermediate School students wave at the helicopter as it comes into view. Below: High School students and teachers mull around as they get into place for the photograph. Photos by Laura Imkamp.
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the Eye
Vikings and Bulldogs face off during
In the minutes before the Homecoming kickoff, SACAC’s Vikings and the Bulldogsfraternize on the field.The game ended with a 9-8 win for the Bulldogs, who went on to play the Oilers on Oct. 29. The Oilers won that game. Photo by Kristin Liu.
By Joseph Sarreal SAS held its first halftime show during the Oct. 21 semifinals game between the Vikings and the Bulldogs. The game and its festivities were part of Homecoming celebrations to commemorate SAS’s 50th Anniversary. Prior to kick off, Middle School music teacher Pat Brown led the choir in the national anthems of Singapore and the United States, while a Girl Scouts honor guard bearing the flags of the two countries stood at attention in the background. The game ended without controversy with a Bulldog victory, 9-8, thus advancing the team
to the championship game against the Oilers held on Oct. 29. The Oilers won that game, 44-6. Notable moments and various characters defined the oddity of the night’s game. A character straight out of Stan Lee’s work, Spiderman, made an appearance at the game. It was not the Toby Maguire version, but rather a primary-schooler who lacked a mask, thus revealing his true identity. Several of his classmates scaled the tall green fence, amazing the crowd with their acrobatic feats. Noisemakers provided by Standard Chartered Bank were used as weapons in several mock battles
between students. But after kick off, the fans in attendance focused their energies on watching the game. Several players commented that the crowd, which was estimated between 250-300 people, was the largest they had seen all season. Junior Charles Reinert, a member of the Oilers, was impressed with the audience size. “It’s the biggest we’ve ever had. There are at least two times the people here than at a normal game,” Reinert said. His teammate senior Tim Lam lamented that “it would be great if we could have this kind of crowd
everyday.” After the first half, the parade organized by the Events Committee of the 50th Anniversary was unleashed. With Queen’s “We Are the Champions” blaring from the loudspeakers, the U.S. and Singapore flags made another appearance, this time leading the parade. Following the flags were four alumni and their families, followed by the homecoming nominees riding in a golf cart. Junior Nicole Bryson presented the titles to the winners accompanied by commentary from senior Paul Reay. Juniors Adam Anderson and Sara DeNoma
collected the Prince and Princess titles, while seniors Tarik Stafford and Kim McKinney took the King and Queen titles. Following the royal ceremony, several troops of Girl Scouts marched on the high school track, tailed by SACAC football players of all ages. Then the Middle School math teachers’ meter stick drill team made an appearance. Wielding meter sticks with red, white and blue streamers and performing a coordinated meter stick waving drill, the team drew laughter and applause from people in the stands. After this group came several
Library archives ‘serve as window’ into SAS’s history There is the golden shovel first placed in the Woodlands campus. There are the dated school newspapers that detail student life. And there are the books with yellowed pages and faded ink that serve as windows into our school’s past. Story by Sam Lloyd
As part of the school’s 50th anniversary celebration, artifacts and documents from throughout SAS’s past are being gathered and displayed in various parts of the library. Some of the more bulky items have already been placed in the silent reading room, such as the shovel and several displays and photos.
“Museums and libraries have always had a close history,” Library Media Specialist Ron Starker said, and it is because of this that many libraries preserve and display items from the past in the form of archives. He also feels it is good to preserve what diminished resources are preserved in the “throwaway society” of Singapore. “This is the school’s memory project,” he said. Starker began collecting items for the archives after the move to the Woodlands campus. There were “two full gymnasiums” of objects from the school’s past left in the old school, which he sorted through to come up with a “mishmash of things” that comprised the beginnings of the archives. Now, nine years later, Starker
plans to put five framed displays of pictures and newspaper clippings, one for each campus in the school’s history, in the current position of the interim posters. The interim posters themselves are a donated part of the archives. Already in the library are books from the school’s past in a glass display next to the stairs. “The archive collection [of books] is just books that are classics, that we want to preserve,” Associate Librarian Gary Dwor-Frécaut said. Some of these books date back to the late 1800s. T h e r e are also parts of the library archives not on open display. Collections of Eagle Eye and Singapore American newspapers from as far back as 1969,
and minutes from the school board since before the school’s opening are available for students to look at for research purposes. “We’ll probably display as much as we can in April, when the alumni come to the school for the 50th anniversary,” Starker said. The archive collection is
continually growing. Items as recent as the helmets given to last year’s graduating class are on display and items from homecoming have been stored. “If anyone has anything they’d like to donate,” Starker said. “And the older it is the better. We’d love to have it.”
“This is the school’s memory project.” Ron Starker
Celebrate! Primary and Intermediate students followed music teacher Leanne Pepple’s lead as they sing the Celebrate Song on Oct. 24. Teachers held up banners (left) for each group mentioned in the song, which included teachers, students, parents and administrators. Photos by Laura Imkamp.
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homecoming game
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Above: Middle school cheerleaders rally the crowd during the halftime parade. Below: Principal Paul Chmelik and middle school librarian Betsy Chmelik chat with middle school principal Robert Godley during the Homecoming game. Photos by Kristin Liu.
Boy Scout troops with the SAS Eagle mascot in tow. After the parade concluded, the SACAC cheerleading team held a performance. The Grizzlies, a Middle School football team failed to show up, even though they were scheduled to participate in the parade. The day’s festivities did not pass without incident. Drama arose when sophomore Huei-Yu Lin’s middle finger was partially sliced. Witnesses at the scene said that the snow cone machine Lin was operating was accidentally turned on while she was cleaning it. She was rushed to the hospital with math teacher Roy
Tomlinson. Tomlinson preserved the flesh slice in a cup of ice, and it was eventually reunited with the finger. Reasons for attending the game varied. It was the first time for senior David Lee to attend a football game. “I just wanted to see what football is like,” Lee said. Others like junior Saagar Mehta came to help raise money for his class by selling food items. When Lam was asked why he chose to attend the game, despite the fact his team was not playing, he provided a simple answer. “We’re here for the love of the game.”
Homecoming - Singapore Style
The following story was originally printed in the November, 1982 issue of The Eagle Eye. It is unedited and has been reproduced word for word. The accompanying photographs are from the 1982 issue of the yearbook, The Islander. By Sarah Dunn The perfect Singapore Homecoming would go something like this: On a Friday night there is a bonfire at school to rouse school spirit. The following day, the cheerleaders hold a successful pep rally to raise school spirit for The Game. The Game takes place that evening at Ulu Pandan. We play K.L., our biggest rival. All the alumni are here to cheer SAS on. During halftime, the Homecoming Queen and her court are announced. After the game is over, everyone goes out for pizza. Then, it’s off to Fitzpatricks or Cold Storage to buy all the toilet paper they’ve got stocked up and shove it into one car and all the cars are off to school where the kids will tee-pee the trees. Once finished with the school trees, the Homecoming Queen’s tress, your best friend’s trees, and all your teachers’ trees are still left. In addition to going around town teepeeing the trees, putting soap and shaving cream on parked cars is also in order. At 1 p.m. the next day, every one rises to get ready for the Homecoming Dance. The dress is semi-formal so suits and dresses are worn. Promptly at 7 p.m. the guys oick up their dates in the best car they can get their hands on. Dinner is also at the fanciest place affordable. The dance is held in the auditorium
or the gym and the decorations consist of streamers galore. There is excellent lighting and the best band around playing Rock and New Wave. Refreshments consist of cookies, chips and spiked punch as everyone dances till midnight. Our first annual Singapore Homecoming (on Nov. 3) was not as successful as the perfect and nonexistent one we all dream about One of our Homecoming’s major problems was the lack of a “big game” against K.L. beforehand. For DJ’s, a group called the Warriors was hired. The Warriors were not a band but they did play some rock, although some of it was a little old. The dance decorations consisted of streamers and posters based on the World League teams’ colors. The Homecoming Queen, Laurie Burns, was announced at half-time at the World League game that day, though many fund out at the dance that evening. Her court was elected at the dance: Senior Princess – Carrie McGrath, Junior Princess – Cindy Kennaugh, Sophomore Princess – Leigh Stahl and Freshman Princess – Julie Nolan. All of the members of the court received bouquets of flowers and Laurie, a flower crown, a red robe, and roses. Photos at left: Saturday football players at the Singapore “World League” championships in 1982.
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In Our
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THE REPORTER
Tuesday Forum
King’s Road Review
The Eagle Eye
the eye
In the last issue of the Eye we published an article about travel dress code infractions. The problem is no new one. Here’s a 1986 take on the issue.
LIBYA
Maggie
April 18 1986
May 22 1986
Ronnie
First student paper at SAS has circulation of 107 The Reporter was the first student newspaper at SAS. Editors wanted a reporter from each grade and invited students to submit stories, jokes, poems or drawings. The following are excerpts from its first issue, Feb. 1, 1956 – almost a month after the school was officially opened.
Day One for SAS On the third of January, 1956, the first American School of Singapore was opened by the Governor, Sir Robert Black; other important people attending were the American
Consul General, Mr. Durbrow; the Assistant Minister of Education, Mr. Mohammed Sidek bin Haji Abdul Hamid; and the Chairman of the School Board, Mr. E.P.J. Fee, who all spoke briefly. The Chief Minister, Mr. David Marshall, was ill and could not attend the opening. Before Sir Robert opened the school, he said that this was an historic event in the Colony of Singapore, being the first American school here. He also emphasized the fact that not only American children were admitted, but those of different nationalities. This, he said, was a good example of American
generosity, which is known the world over.
American School Gets a Newspaper
Our school commenced classes on the 3rd of January 1956. It had 107 students, and it is coeducational. The majority of the students are American but we also have Chinese, Indonesian, Swiss, Dutch, Malay, Australian, New Zealand and English children, too. The classes are from nursery through ninth and tenth grades. We believe that the public will come to have a high opinion of
the school and the students will have a bright future.
The Safety Patrol
You may have noticed three of Mr. Fisher’s boys on guard duty. They are Stuart Lippe, Gary Voigt, and Elie Mizrahie. They have been given the job of looking after your physical safety in the building and on the grounds – they are your Safety Patrol. Would you please help them by not running or talking loudly while passing to class in the morning and when leaving school?
And Norcott thinks he has problems... Between Sept. 2 and Nov. 26 1974:
18 students were suspended for drug involvement. Of these, all but one was reinstated on contract or rehabilitation programs. Six were suspended again or withdrawn from school.
159 students were caught violating the school’s smoking rules. These students served more than 300 hours of detention. 25 two-day suspensions were given, and four three-time offenders students were suspended for the quarter.
25 students received detention or suspension for vandalism, breaking into lockers, and attendance irregularities. 111 students were sent home for a change of uniform. 86 students were sent off campus for haircuts.
Nov. 13 1986
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Editors-in-chief Laura Editors-in-chief: ra Imkamp, Imkam Alex Lloyd Reporters in this issue: Sam Lloyd, Joseph Sarreal, Catherine Ward Adviser: Mark Clemens The Eagle Eye is the student newspaper of the Singapore American School. All opinions stated within these pages are those of their respective writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Singapore American School, its board of governors, PTA, faculty or administration. Comments and suggestions can be sent to the Eagle Eye via the Internet at eye@sas. edu.sg. At the authorʼs request, names can be withheld from publication. Letters will be printed as completely as possible. The Eagle Eye reserves the right to edit letters for reasons of taste and space.
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