Forum: Ex-classmates mark milestone after graduating 70 years ago

I recently met up with some old schoolmates from Chung Cheng High School for a celebratory lunch – it has been exactly 70 years since we graduated in 1954.

I imagine that few if any alumni groups have reached their 70th anniversary, and kept up a regular schedule of meetings at that.

Our class began with 27 students. Fewer than 10 of us remain, all in our late 80s or early 90s.

While we largely lost contact with one another in adulthood, we managed to reconnect beginning in 2007, courtesy of the time we had in retirement and the convenience afforded by new communications technology.

We have bonded over shared memories: the big, beautiful lake on our school campus, encircled by a running track; the old houses that were occupied by expatriate senior teachers; and in the background, the social and political tumult of 1950s Singapore.

As we grow older, the ties that bind – of family and friendship – become more important for our health and peace of mind. As we work to manage the demands of an ageing population, let us make an effort to create and preserve strong social networks as part of the wider support system for elderly Singaporeans.

Let us also make time to listen to the voices of the Pioneer Generation, many of whom are eager to share life lessons accumulated over the decades.

Paul Chan Poh Hoi