TTC CAMP REUNION..31st Oct 2008

Sometime back in the 60's, I recall our then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew describing teachers in that period as" faceless, listless and anonymous !" ( in a speech he gave ).
PM Lee wasn't wrong as he was describing the perception of teachers in the teaching profession as a whole and in general terms at that. But had he taken a closer look or had he been better informed, he would have discovered that there was a passionate and thriving bunch of teachers who were the total opposite to what he had described of them. Just who were these people?
The leader of the pack was Mr Lau Teng Chuan ( now Dr Lau! ) who headed the PE section of the TTC. He was assisted by several other able PE lecturers. And his faithful followers and disiples were this bunch of deeply passionate teachers who had a great love for all things connected to the pursuit of the outdoors....rowing, sailing,canoeing, swimming,trekking,orienteering, fishing, camping,mountain climbing and the YLTC. The TTC Youth Leadership Training Camps was to me, and I suspect to most others, THE single most important extra-curricular activity that had a MAJOR IMPACT on their teaching life and even long after that.

The yellowed photograph above was dated November 1968. Today is November 2008....exactly 40 years ago! That YLTC was held on Pulau Tekong Besar. The TTC Camp Instructors are seated in the front row. Yours truly is 3rd from the left sandwiched between SIVA and CHEE CHEONG. Mr LAWRENCE HOH was the Camp Commandant ( centre ).

Last night, at the CCAB Lounge at Evans Road, Friday 31 Oct 08, the Leader of the Band Dr Lau Teng Chuan was happily reunited with his old faithfuls...of which I'm one. His able assistants were also there...men such as Mr Yap Boon Chuan, Mr Tan Hwee Hock, Mr Tan Eng Yoon..and many others, Ms Irene Seah...etc. Many of us have not seen one another for donkey years! Thus, it wasn't surprising to see old friends hugging, clasping and ....kissing? Haha! Kissing not allowed yet even among we oldies!
This group picture was taken just before we called it a night, close to midnight.
I have many more pics of even more old faithfuls in more upcoming posts.
On behalf of everyone, I must THANK Robert Tan the perennial head honcho of YLTC and
Goh Ek Piang the Big Boss of CCAB for co-ordinating this Re-union bash.