A PUBLICATION FOR OUTRAMIANS, BY OUTRAMIANS OUTRAM TIMES HIGHLIGHTS THE SG50 ISSUE OSS: Small Scale Singa- A TIME FOR REMINISCE NCE & REFLECTION... pore? Singas on 6 AUGUST 2015 Outram Hill A Cemetery in Outram? OUTRAM SECONDARY— A SMALL SCALE SINGAPORE? By Kristabelle Lau, Vivian Ang and Elizabeth Cai Top Traits of Outramians making learning and achieving anyone proud. Just like Singapore, Have you thought about our priority. Hence our school, the students of Outram Secondary Sporting although small, is still able to Legends, Long how similar Singapore and have worked hard to win awards Forgotten? Outram Secondary School leave its mark on Singapore as and have proven that we are a force Singapore leaves her mark on really are? Read on to find to be reckoned with. In Conversa- the world. tion: Mr Loh out the interesting DIFFERENT and Mr Singh similarities! Our differences make us similar. Our SG50 Singapore is extremely different Poems SMALL from other countries. Outram Secondary School is extremely Compared to other schools different from other schools. With Outram Secondary is rather nothing but brains and wits, Singa- small. Like a tiny village we can pore turned from third world ALSO INSIDE bond really fast. It is obvious THIS ISSUE: that Singapore is also tiny, sewer to first world paradise. Ou- miniscule in fact, compared to UNDERDOGS tram Secondary School is also Outramian’s 9 other countries. The state Johor extremely different from other Talk is already many times bigger Singapore is one of the smallest schools. With bonding events that than Singapore (27 times to be countries in the world. Back my friends from other schools envy, Fresh Insights 2 exact). Known as The Little when Singapore first separated rather rare CCA’s like Enterprise from New Red Dot, we are forced to from Malaysia, no one thought Club, Water Polo and Rock Climb- Additions to make the best of what little we could make it. Now, Singa- ing, we are definitely a special the Outram resources we have. In Outram pore is one of the most school. Specialising in business, en- Family Secondary School, we may not developed countries in the terprise and accountancy, we have a Climbing To- 2 have a vast land area, but we world. Now that should make knack for making money too. have built our school to the sky, wards our There you have it folks. Have I Goals changed your mind? A school like Buildings have 3 Singas on York Hill Outram Secondary School is truly changed, but By Jayanthi Jacintha and Edith Chin rare to find. have we? Over two weeks, Outramians Although all the lions were ex- painted lions to commemorate Reflection from 10 tremely pretty, there were our Writers Singapore’s fiftieth birthday. some breathtaking lions that Showcasing the following won the judges heart. themes – ‘Icons of Singapore’, ‘Work, Live, and Play’ and ‘Dreams of Singapore’, our mas- terpieces were planted onto the York Hill. It was a rather enjoy- able experience as we bonded as a class and got to share our Secondary 3/4’s Lion ideas with each other. Secondary 2/4’s Lion P A G E 2 Climbing towards our Goals by Douglas Wong Jun Wen , Do Qi Ern and Bryan Ho Yan Kang The climber had a fiery determi- From a third world country, we “Hence, it is only nation in his eyes to win the com- became a metropolis. petition. Once they began, he apt that one of Our rock climbers like Jada Rose went off, climbing the rock wall from 2/6 and Nadia Lim from 2/5 nimbly. He and the other climbers our many prides is emerged as champions at the Na- were racing furiously. However, tional Schools Climbing Competi- rock climbing as the climber was ahead by a few tion and they have made me appre- centimetres. Then he missed a ciate Singapore’s struggle to attain Outramians never step and slipped. His competitor success. A renewed desire to live caught up. Without giving up, he look down and Singapore did not give up as well. our school’s spirit, “Labour Con- immediately regained his footing, quers All” has been imbued in me. and upon seeing his opponent keep moving We were looked down upon as we Hence, it is only apt that one of reaching the top of the wall, he were small and lacked resources. forward.” our many prides is rock climbing as started climbing up as quickly as a However, we proved everyone Outramians never look down and bullet. He did it! He won as he wrong by rising up the rank as one keep moving forward. had not given up! of the world’s richest countries. OUR SG50 POEMS OUR OUTRAM TIMES P A G E 3 A TIME FOR REMINISCE NCE & REFLECTION... Buildings have changed, but have we? By Felynna Bte Hazlan take long to count. "2.60,” I sighed before. I leaned forward and offered "Do you want a packet of tissues?" in defeat, feeling my dry throat her a smile which she returned I asked a couple dejectedly, hoping and cracked lips. The shop owners brightly. All of a sudden, she was wouldn't let a seller like me buy pulled sharply back by her parents. against hope that they would say “For years I yes, unlike the countless other even a can of drink for less than Her father glared at me, and her people that ate at the food court. six dollars. I sighed, closed my mother looked absolutely horrified. have seen eyes, and leaned back on the tree "No, my dear, don't talk to it." Then "No. Thank you," the woman re- behind me. I felt its hard bark on he turned to me. "Filth," he spat at buildings, plied politely. I nodded at her and my back and the rough, bitter me, before walking on. technology and wandered off, looking for new concrete floor below me. someone else to try and sell my I gazed down at myself. My clothes every man- tissue packets to. I did not suc- Suddenly, I heard a child's voice, were dirty and wrinkled, true. And ceed though. The darkness was "Mama!" My eyes shot open. A my hair messy and unkempt, true. But made thing little girl of five was trying to pull eating away at the sun's light, and besides all that and beneath all that, changing and families were making their way away from her mother to walk aren't I human too? For years I have home. I walked over to a curb and nearer to me. TO ME. No one seen buildings, technology and every being improved. had ever wanted to talk to me counted my earnings. It did not man-made thing changing and being If physical improved. If physical things change, then can't humans change too? things change, I placed my head in my hands, and then can't A Cemetery In Outram? wept, for the hope for mankind to be humans change generous and kind was hopeless. By James Timotius Hopeless. Hopeless. Hope - but I too? ” stopped short of my self-pity. It was One evening as I was on my NOT hopeless. That little girl - inno- way back from school, some- cent and pure, not fazed by my state thing caught my attention - an the slightest, did not treat me any eerie old road. I stepped for- different than she would a friend. ward and realised that a grave- Maybe things were going to stay the stone was staring at me same. Maybe not. Maybe humans, just Curiosity got the better of me like the buildings, the skyscrapers, so I plodded through the over- could change too. We could be the grown wild plants to reach the kindest, most thoughtful living souls if uninhabited area. The place we wanted. When there's a will, seemed tranquil and peaceful, discovery, I researched more there is undoubtedly a way. even the sounds of my heart on Mr Tan Tock Seng and found beat could be heard easily. I out that he was born in Malacca was suddenly surrounded by in 1798 to an immigrant Hok- many gravestones, but my eyes kien father and Peranakan seemed to wander back to an mother.. In 1819, Tan Tock area which stood out – the Seng moved to Singapore to sell gravestone of our late pioneer, fruits, vegetables and fowls and Mr Tan Tock Seng (1798- this is testament to his humble 1850) beginnings. His industriousness enabled him to set up a shop in I remember reading about his Boat Quay and soon he became philanthropic ways and his a notable businessman. Seeing contributions to Singapore, the many poor and sick people, he biggest being the setting up of donated money to build the the Tan Tock Seng Hospital. I hospital. paid my respects and decided to leave, satisfied with the I am really proud of Mr Tan discovery I had made . Tock Seng’s philanthropic ways and am spurred to do my part That night, spurred by my for Singapore too. Mr. Tan Tock Seng’s Grave P A G E 4 Fresh Insights from New Additions to the Outram Family By Kristabelle Lau, Vivian Ang, Elizabeth Cai, Xu Jia He and Nurul Farzana INTERVIEW WITH MR. INTERVIEW WITH MDM WANI DAN KOH What do you think makes Outram Secondary What is your impression of unique? Outramians? I think Outram is different because of its niche programs. I do Outram is a good school with a rich not think many schools offer Business & Enterprise as a subject history.