Victoria School began as an English class at Kampong Glam Malay School.[1] Before 1988, the school had regarded 1890 as its year of founding.[2] However, in light of a postgraduate thesis on the school’s history, the school decided in 1988 to change the year of its founding to 1876. According to the thesis, 1890 was the year that the English class resumed at the school.In fact, Kampong Glam Malay School started with a class of 12 Malay boys in 1876.[3]
The school’s initial premises at Kampong Glam Malay School were not conducive for studies because they provided poor shelter from the weather and were often flooded.As a result, new school buildings were constructed in 1897.[4] In the same year, the school merged its Malay and English classes.[5]
From 1900 to 1932, the school was known as Victoria Bridge School because it was then situated on Victoria Street near the Victoria Bridge.[6] Some of the notable milestones that occurred during this period of the school’s history include its first annual sports day in 1915, and its first speech day in 1916.[7] In 1929, a school library was set up courtesy of a generous donation by Syed Ahmed bin Mohamed Alsagoff.[8]
Victoria Bridge School was a primary school until 1931 when it became the second government secondary school in Singapore.In 1933, the school presented its first batch of students for the junior Cambridge examination.A year later, the students sat for the senior Cambridge examination.[9]
In 1933, the school moved to Tyrwhitt Road, where it was renamed Victoria School.[10] The school has been known as Victoria School ever since, except for a brief period during the Japanese Occupation (1942–1945) when it was renamed Jalan Besar Boys’ School.[11] Some of the school’s significant milestones that occurred before World War II were the adoption of the school’s motto Nil Sine Labore (Latin for “Nothing without Labour”) in 1940,[12] and the establishment of the Old Victorians’ Association for its alumni in 1941.[13]
In 1951, Victoria School admitted its first female students when the school started post-school certificate sixth form classes.[14] In 1979, the school became a pre-university centre and offered a three-year pre-university course.[15] In 1984, Victoria Junior College was established at Marine Parade to cater to students who had done well in their General Certificate of Education Ordinary (GCE “O”) Level examination.[16]
That same year, in 1984, Victoria School moved to Geylang Bahru Lane.[17] In 1989, the school became one of the few schools allowed to enrol Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) scholars.[18] Four years later in 1993, the school was one of the six pioneer schools selected to receive autonomous status.[19] In 2003, the school moved into its current premises at Siglap Link.[20]
Notable alumni of the school include former presidents Yusof Ishak, C. V. Devan Nair and S. R. Nathan; former cabinet minister S. Dhanabalan; renowned poet Edwin Thumboo; and the first mufti of Singapore, Haji Sanusi Mahmood.[21]
In 2010, the Urban Redevelopment Authority recognised the former Victoria School building on Tyrwhitt Road as one of Singapore’s heritage schools.[22]
References
1. Victoria School. (n.d.). The Victorian tradition: Victoria School history. Retrieved November 26, 2014, from Victoria School website: http://www.vs.moe.edu.sg/history.html
2. Victoria School chose earliest of three founding dates. (1990, August 13). The Straits Times, p. 24. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
3. The Straits Times, 13 Aug 1990, p. 24.
4. Victoria School, The Victorian tradition: Victoria School history.
5. The Straits Times, 13 Aug 1990, p. 24.
6. Victoria School, The Victorian tradition: Victoria School history.
7. Milestones. (1983, October 15). The Straits Times, p. 11. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
8. A generous gift. (1929, December 11). The Straits Times, p. 12. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
9. Victoria School. (n.d.). The Victorian tradition: Victoria School milestone. Retrieved November 26, 2014, from Victoria School website: http://www.vs.moe.edu.sg/milestones.html
10. Victoria School, The Victorian tradition: Victoria School milestone.
11. Victoria School The Victorian tradition: Victoria School history; Chan K. S. (1996, September 30). When Victoria School was renamed the Jalan Besar School. The Straits Times, p. 34. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
12. Victoria School, The Victorian tradition: Victoria School history.
13. Victoria School. (n.d.). The Victorian tradition: Old Victorians’ Association. Retrieved November 26, 2014, from Victoria School website: http://www.vs.moe.edu.sg/ova.html
14. Victoria School, The Victorian tradition: Victoria School milestone.
15. Victoria School The Victorian tradition: Victoria School history.
16. Victoria JC will be set up next year. (1983, May 22). The Straits Times, p. 12. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
17. Gabriel, M. (1984, November 19). Victorian farewell… The Straits Times, p. 27. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
18. Victoria School. The Victorian tradition: Victoria School milestone.
19. Victoria School. The Victorian tradition: Victoria School history.
20. Victoria School. The Victorian tradition: Victoria School history.
21. Victoria School. (n.d.). League of extraordinary Victorians. Retrieved November 26, 2014, from Victoria School website: http://www.vs.moe.edu.sg/extraordinary.html
22. Urban Redevelopment Authority. (2010). Heritage schools. Retrieved November 26, 2014, from Urban Redevelopment Authority website: http://www.ura.gov.sg/conservation/Cons%20Sch%20Pamphlet.pdf
The information in this article is valid as at 2014 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.