Читать книгу My Father's Kampung - Shawn Seah - Страница 7

By Toh Tong Dee President of Montfort Alumni

Montfort School was founded as a parish school known as Holy Innocents’ English School in 1916 within the grounds of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Upper Serangoon Road. The building where the school was first established still stands today!

Due to the rising enrolment, the Diocese requested that the Brothers of St Gabriel take over the management of Holy Innocents’ English School in 1936. In memory of the Founder of the Order, St Louis Marie-Grignion de Montfort, the school was renamed Montfort School in 1959.

The premises were expanded in phases to cope with a rising student population. In 1960, His Grace Michel Olçomendy (the first Archbishop of Singapore) blessed the extension of a wing of the school’s premises.

The history of Montfort School is strongly intertwined with the Church, as well as with the old Aukang. As a result, when the time came to build a new school, it was decided that it must be located in today’s Hougang. Since 1992, Montfort School has been operating at their new premises at Hougang Avenue 8.

Such stories like these, and much more, are conveyed by Shawn Seah in his book. We strongly encourage you to read this book and support a local author who has published a book on Seah Eu Chin, his ancestor as well as a pioneer in Singapore’s early history.

Shawn was inspired to trace his father’s roots as his father spent his childhood and adult days in Aukang. He did extensive research, including interviewing his father’s family and friends, and other people who lived in historical Aukang. He spent weekends and holidays working on this book—a testimony to his dedication to bring the history of this part of Singapore to life.

This is also a story about a son learning about his father’s memories in Montfort School as a student (1953 to 1959) and later as an educator (from 1964 to 1973) at both Montfort Junior School and Montfort Secondary.

The Montfort Alumni hopes to engage more Montfortians and strive to pass on the rich heritage of Montfort from generation to generation. The Montfort Alumni is proud to support this book by Shawn Seah which documents the long and distinguished history of Montfort School.

I trust you will enjoy reading this book!