Where in the World is My Classroom?

The Raffles Institution Buildings 1823-1972

On the 5 June 1823, the foundation stone for the Singapore Institution, later renamed Raffles Institution, was laid on a plot of land beside the beach in the south of the island of Singapore. Raffles Institution has celebrated the 5 June as its Founder's Day ever since. This was a rectangular plot of land bounded by Beach Road, Bras Basah Road, North Bridge Road and Stamford Road. The site became known as the Bras Basah Campus. It remained on that site for 149 years from 1823 to 1972.

Sadly in 1972, the school vacated the Bras Basah site and moved to spanking new location in Grange Road and celebrated its 149th Founder's Day there. Our Sec 3B Science classroom at the Annex E building which was built in 1883 suddenly disappeared. The whole school was demolished, not one brick was left behind and in its place rose the Raffles City Shopping Centre. The location of the Annex E building was replaced by the tall tower of the Fairmont Hotel as part of Raffles City.

We have fond memories of the old classrooms. Many of us used it at least three times in Secondary 1, Secondary 3 and in Pre-University 1. At that time all schools in Singapore operated on a two session basis, the morning school from 7.30 am to 1pm and the afternoon school from 1 pm to 6.30 pm. So these class rooms were shared by 2 classes. The Sec 3B Sc class shared with the same classroom with Sec 4E Science. The desks were wooden flip top desk and under the top of the desk where we wrote on there is space to keep our textbooks. One had to remember to clear the desks upon leaving school everyday or else we will find anything left behind missing.

Each class usually had 44 students but these rooms at the Annex E building were rather large with lots of space at the back of the classrooms and on either sides. The mischievous Sec 3B Sc boys used this space to practise the Standing Broad Jump and the 4x10m Shuttle Run.

One fine afternoon we saw a cupboard appeared out of nowhere and behaved like curious monkeys checking it out.  One of us wrote with white chalk on the left hand side "this side belongs to Sec 3B" and on the right hand side he wrote "this side belongs to Sec 4E".  A few days later someone  placed a pad lock on the cupboard.  No one knew who wrote those letters nor who placed the pad lock on the cupboard.

It turned out the cupboard was brought in by the morning session form teacher, Goh Soo Tian.  He was really mad that the cupboard his class brought in was pad locked.  He wrote a warning note that in essence threatened serious action if pad lock was not removed.  But he did offer to share the space provided he was formally requested.

Strangely nothing more developed out of the note threatening action nor the olive branch but two weeks later, the cupboard disappeared. Chen Wen found out a year later from someone in Sec 4E that Goh Soo Tian was a real gentleman. Rather than confronting our class, he instructed the cupboard to be removed.  His gentleman's explanation was "remove it since they don't like it".  How sad in a way. We were only being mischievous. Although the padlock was removed, Goh Soon Tian decided to avoid further confrontation. With 2020 hindsight, we think that Goh Soo Tian may even have learned to like Sec 3B Sc of 1966 if only he had exercised his patience - wait for someone to submit a request to share the cupboard formally.  😀
The Annex E Building
As seen in this picture, the Annex Building had a steep flight of steps, leading to our classrooms. Sometimes, the Pre-U classes would share the classroom with the afternoon school. When the bell rings at around 1 pm dismissing them, we who are in the afternoon school would congregate under those steps. It might look as those these young boys in their short pants and looking upwards were waiting for the for the classes to begin. Well the Pre-U classes had girls who would come down those steps and we boys looking up were not eagerly waiting for our classes to begin!

Yes, we have many wonderful memories of the old school buildings, our classrooms, the corridors, tuckshops and creaky staircases. Now they are gone forever. Although we realised that the old must give way to the new, all of us felt some regret to see our beloved school buildings go. In those days, we treated our school and its premises like home.

 Contributed by Chen Wen and Lionel

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