Hi Ladies,
This is your page to write as you please. No need to sign in, just click 'edit' and add your piece. It's similar to wikipedia where anyone can add to the information for everybody's benefit. So far, since creating this page, I have not had any outside visitors so not to fear that you will be spammed or bothered with any unnecessary advertisements, etc. However, to be doubly sure of non-disclosure, it would be best not to add your email address, phone no. or anything that you consider private as this site is open to public eyes.
If anyone of you would rather have a site that is password protected I could create one but it would mean that those who do not know the password would not be able to add their two-bits worth. Anyhow, this is just another way of easing the effort to gather more of our KC girls, now ladies, to the fold and hopefully, as Martha suggests, get a celebration going to commemorate our 50 years' anniversary before we too 'are diminished'. Oh dear, if you don't mind, I'd rather use the words 'have passed on' or 'reached our final and inevitable destination' ..LOL !!
To start the ball, or call for more participation, rolling here is Martha's initial email, to which you could add your own comments or say how many you have managed to contact and invited to this site which is dedicated to the Katong Convent Class of ' 61 although I do not think anyone would object to any other ladies who belong to another year wishing to join the celebrations along with us...
Since I am not one too a-feared of my email address being spammed since I use the delete key a lot, just write to me at my email address anytime you feel like it, if you want to know how to navigate this site or have any questions you need answered, or just droppnig by to say Hello!.
Sincerely, with a call to be still Simple in Virtue and Steadfast in Duty,
your classmate, swee neo/vivien, email to: vmark@singnet.com.sg
June 1/07
(From Martha)
Hi Girls,
This is just to touch base and confirm email addresses. We were in the graduating class of Katong Convent (now known as CHIJ Katong Convent) way back in 1961. In 2011 we will be celebrating 50 years since we left school. Only 4 years more. We should think of some kind of celebration.
Yesterday, (29/5/07) 13 of us got together for lunch and it was great to renew old ties. There were one or two whom we did not recognise or whose names we had forgotten. Old age?? By the end of the lunch we were like school girls again, talking and laughing loudly! Thanks to Penny and Kwee Wah for organising the lunch.
Some of the email addresses to which this message is sent are from an old contact list and may not be in use any more. We have 4 years to add to the list of email addresses and phone nos. Those of you who have the emails of other girls could perhaps forward this email to them.
BTW the school where we had so much fun (Did we?), is no longer standing. It has been demolished and will be replaced by another. Before we are demolished, let's try to get together once a year. In the mean time, when we are not looking after grand kids, aging parents or grouchy (but somewhat still happy husbands, otherwise they won’t be with us), perhaps we can keep in touch by email.
Take care and God Bless,
Martha Scully/Shepherdson
LIST OF NAMES of KCClass of ' 61 (please add your name if it is not here, then send your contact no.to vmark@singnet.com.sg)
Chan, Jessie
Chan, Sally
Cheong/Chin Guat Neo, Gladys
Cheong/Tan Swee Neo, Vivien (email)
Chin/Cheong, Madeleine
Chong/Leong Si Ming, Marguerite
Choo/Silverstein Meng Wah, Irene
Chung/Judd, Teresa (email)
Codeiro/Kleiman, Catherine
Ee/Huan, Elsie
Gomes/Berlee, Sheila
Goh/Sim, Peggy
Khng/Foo Eng Hiok, Teresa (mobile)
Kung/Yew Guek Hon, Maria
Kwek/Teo Siok Mui, Rosalind
Koh/Wong Hock Neo, Maureen
Lee Ah Moey, Vivien
Lee/Ong, Minnie
Lee Swee Geok, Helen
Leijssius/Langbein, Annabel (email)
Liew/Chng Bee Leng
Lim/Chia Seok Hua, Cecilia
Liong/Chan Miau Khim, Rita
Low, Ruby
Mah Sui Har, Bernadette (email)
Minjoot/Haque, Rita
Ng Soh Lian, Theresa
Ong/Khoo Poh Neo
Ong/Phua Guek Hiang, Lena
Ong/Yap Yew Bee, Patricia
Pereira, Joyce
Peters/Magness Patricia
Pillay/Siva, Aviramee
Rodrigues/Lopez, Victoria(Vicky)
Scully/Shepherdson, Martha (email)
See, Diana (email)
See/D'Castro, Penny (email)
Sim/Ho Lee Leng, Pauline
Tan/Choo, Kim Cheng
Tan/Goh, Wee Fung
Tan/Leong Gek Choo, Catherine
Tan/Ng, Sui Ngo
Tan/Ong, Lillian (email)
Tan/Ramalingam Swee Choo, Helen (email)
Tan/Schuette Kwee Choo, Patsy
Teo/Choo Siew Peng
Yap/Tan Kwee Wah, Catherine
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Hi Girls! Message from Martha Scully-Shepherdson
Hope you don't mind a bit of shameless self promotion here. This is done with encouragement from Swee Neo, so she shares part of the blame. In Oct 2006, I wrote and self-published a book (Looking Back by Martha Scully-Shepherdson). It's a peek into my family history. With the help of family tree researchers, I managed to go back several generations to trace my ancestors on my mum's and dad's sides (Scully and De Souza).
I interviewed family elders to get stories and tried to recall all the stories my parents told me when I was a child. I also included my childhood memories till about the age of 15. The content is mainly anecdotal, so lots of grandmother and grandfather stories! There are several old photos in the book (the oldest dated 1904). I wanted to do this for the younger generation of my extended family as I feel that much family history is lost with the passing of each generation.
The book is available in all branches of the National Library. The Call Number is 929.2095957 SCU. Look under Biographies in the Singapore writers section.
Publishers find this type of subject matter not very profitable. They prefer to publish ghost stories, love stories or memoirs of famous people like Bonny Hicks. These sell well. Well excuse me for not being a model. That's why I had to self-publish. If you are interested in history you might find some of the stories interesting as it covers the the period before, during and after WW2 and you might know some of the characters. At least the main character! I paid for the publication of 500 books. Ouch! What price vanity, just to see your name on a book cover?
The books are available at Select Book Store. They can also be purchased directly from me (cheaper because I sell at cost). If you would like to buy one you can email me at mshepherdson@lycos.com
End of plug!
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A PRAYER FOR THOSE GROWING OLD (not us of course)
Lord, Thou knowst I am growing older.
Keep me from becoming talkative and possessed with the idea that I must express myself on every subject.
Release me from the craving to straighten out everyone's affairs.
Keep me from the recital of endless detail. Give me wings to get to the point.
Seal my lips when I am inclined to tell of my aches and pains. They are increasing with the years and my love to speak of them grows sweeter as time goes by.
Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be wrong.
Make me thoughtful but not nosey; helpful but not bossy.
With my vast store of experience it does seem a pity not to use it all.
But Thou knowst, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end. Amen
(from a book mark I found, author unknown)
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1/7/07 from Annabel
Dear Girls,
Thank you Martha for resurrecting our 'KC Class of '61'. I think it is an absolutely brilliant idea to meet up now and then
as indeed 'Life is too short'. It is sad that nobody contacted me about the get-together lunch as I would have tried to
make it. The only person I speak to regularly is Sheila.
I apologise Martha that I did not reply as soon as I received your mail. These last couple of months have been a bit
hectic for me BUT this is definitely no excuse for my not keeping in touch.
I have a 3 1/2 year old grandson - Kyle Aiden - Michelle's son. He is a very adorable and energetic being, who wants to know and be in on everything. It is quite frightening to be in the 60's Club and it is only after being with Kyle and romping around in the Botanics or in the Swimming Pool that I realise how tiring he actually is.
I'm still at the same address ; Look forward to catching up........
Love, Annabel Langbein (Leijssius)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1/8/07 from Kwee Choo
Specially for ladies....this is very true!
A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and
visiting with her Mother. As they talked about life, about marriage, about
the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother
clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober
glance upon her daughter,
"Don't forget your girlfriends," she advised, swirling the tea leaves to
the bottom of her glass. "They'll be more important as you get older.
No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much
you love the children you'll have, you are still going to need girlfriends.
Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them.
And remember that girlfriends are not only your friends, but your sisters,
our daughters, and other relatives too. You'll need other women.
Women always do."
'What a funny piece of advice,' the young woman thought. 'Haven't I just
gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married
woman, for goodness sake, a grown-up, not a young girl who needs
girlfriends! Surely my husband and the family we'll start will be all I
need to make my life worthwhile!'
But she listened to her Mother; she kept contact with her girlfriends and
made more each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she
gradually came to understand that her Mom really knew what she was
talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries
upon a woman, girlfriends are the mainstays of her life.
After 50 years of living in this world, here is what she learned:
Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Love waxes and wanes.
Heart breaks.
Careers end.
Jobs come and go.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Men don't call when they say they will.
BUT girlfriends are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are
between you. A girlfriend is never farther away than needing her can reach.
When you have to walk that lonesome valley, and you have to walk it for
yourself, your girlfriends will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying
for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms
at the valley's end. Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk
beside you. Or come in and carry you out.
Daughters, sisters, mother, sisters-in-law, mother-in-law, aunts, nieces,
cousins, extended family, co-workers, and friends bless our life!
The world wouldn't be the same without them. When we began this adventure
called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay
ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other. Every day, we
need each other still.
Pass this on to the women who help make your life work.
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The Katong Convent Alumnae (Old Girls Association) is having its annual high tea on Sat 22 Sept 2007 at the Eurasian Community House, 139 Ceylon Road fr 2 to 5 pm. Tickets are $25 a person. Email me if you are interested and I'll give you the contact details of the organisers.
Martha
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About 60 former students turned up at the high tea on Sat 22nd Sept 2007. I think our year was the one with the most students -Penny, Lillian, Patricia, Vicky, Siew Yin, Martha, Irene and one more (sorry not sure of name). Mrs K T Koh and Mrs Marie Mathieu (nee Dragon) were the only teachers from 'our time'. It was a good chance to meet up with old friends. There were some table games and a lucky draw and some of us won prizes. Swee Neo donated one of the lucky draw prizes. (Thanks!)Perhaps next year we can persuade more of our friends to attend the get together. Life membership for the alumni costs $53. If any of you are interested let me know and I'll put you in touch with
the Secretary.
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On Sunday 24 February 2008, seventeen of us got together for lunch at Mary's Cafe, a cosy eatery at 96 Waterloo Street at The Singapore Council of Women's Organisations (SCWO) building. The Eurasian/Peranakan dishes were great. The 'apom berkuah' dessert was to die for. But the best part was connecting again with friends, some of whom we have not seen for ages. We made so much noise that we were asked to tone down a bit. (there was a seminar being held in one of the rooms nearby. ) Some things never change! Although some of us are grandmas it was amazing how young we look. Let's hope we can keep this up and try to meet once a year. A big thank you to Penny and Poh Neo for organising this bash.
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