Pasir Panjang - 34th Sea Scouts

I still regard myself an old 'boy' of Pasir Panjang even though I don't live there anymore. You see, I was born in that part of Singapore and for the best part of my formative years grew up in the kampong there. So a drive along Pasir Panjang always gives me a feeling of nostalgia. It brings back memories. The old kampong charm and spirit may have long gone but that little shop house at the foot of Pasir Panjang Hill where I was born is still standing. With a little imagination I could still 'see' the old primary school where I studied, through the gate of which had walked many of our government leaders, top civil servants, sportsmen & women. Further down the road is what used to be the site of Perak House, a Boys' Home, which is the central theme of my short write-up today.

Ths Boys' Home was run by a Mr Foo Kia Pang, a typical English-speaking local gentleman. He was Superintendent of the Home and also the District Scout Commissioner. I do not know him personally but I could see, even as a young teenager then, that he was running an efficient, well-disciplined, no-nonsense outfit, turning young inmates into useful individuals with basic education and skills acquired at the Home, to face the society at large.

But it was his brainchild and passion in starting up the 34th Sea Scout Group that I gave the man much credit for. By opening its door to boys from other schools, the movement provided an excellent opportunity for an outsider like me to appreciate the importance of discipline and shared responsibilities in an environment such as the Home. It also provides the inmates (many of primary school-going age) with the opportunity to interact with 'outside' boys. However, it is the scouting spirit and excellence which Supt. Foo brought into the movement that left a deep impression in my mind to this day. The spirit of being hands-on, self-belief, independence, creativity, service and survival. A spirit as relevant today as it was yesterday. Scout honors were not easy to come by; they had to be earned. The scouts were put through the most stringent of tests requiring mental agility and physical endurance. An overnight hike & camp out in the thick forests of Choa Chu Kang were a must for any 1st Class Scout aspirant. The few who made it to the elite group of Queens Scouts were head and shoulder with the world's best in every scouting sense.

The 34th Sea Scout Group was fondly remembered for its Band of drummers and buglers who performed at various charity functions of the day, including the 1963 National Day. Writer was also a member of the Band that performed at the West Coast Community Centre during the then Premier Lee's walkabout in the constituency in 1964. The drum-major then was a Mr Yap Bau Tan, a Scout Master (& Queen's Scout) himself.

I had the privilege of witnessing first-hand the creativity, drive and resolve of many of the scouts I knew at the time but I will single out only a few here which impressed me the most.

(1) The Totem Pole fronting Perak House's main entrance was the work of a few individuals who did a replica of the ones they saw at the Jamboree in Canada. ( A pity it was taken down to make way for economic development of the area years later.)

(2) It was also a pity that the scout den located by the side of Pasir Panjang Road was demolished as the paintings and inscriptions within its walls were as good as any I have seen anywhere. It tells a story, such as who attended which Jamboree in which year; a hall-of-fame of sorts.

(3) The lack of funds did not deter many of my scouting friends from pursuing their dreams abroad. They came up with fund-raising activities on their own or in a group. A few actually took the plunge to face an uncertain future even though they had raised only enough money to pay for their first sea ride to England. (I am happy to write that many had made it and done well in their adopted country.)

4) Worth mentioning is this senior scout I knew who spent months holed up in the scout den working on his paintings and wood carvings for his art exhibition. (I was involved in a small way as I was one of the young recruits helping him put colors to some of his handicrafts.) That determination and drive opened the door for him to a formal art education in France. He goes by the name of Teo Eng Seng and today I believe he is an art teacher of the United World College.
I am sure there are many more interesting and inspiring stories to tell regarding the 34th Sea Scout Movement. Not just from me but also those who happen to be reading this article and who were from the same scouting fraternity once upon a time. Perhaps a good way to start the momentum going is for the following individuals to contact the writer to share some of their experiences in a more structured way: Yap Bau Tan, Roland Wee, Tan Ah Kow, Richard Kong Kean Wah, Francis Chan Chiang Seng, Bobby Bony Koh, Lim Dau Foo, Patrick Yuen, Tan Yew Boon (Perak House), Dickie (Perak House), Emily Foo ....

Writer : Chang Liong Chai
email: peterchanglc@hotmail.com
http:// doppsinc.blogspot.com