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He gave of his best to ACS and its students

OBITUARY: LEE HAH ING (1914-2009)

BORN TO A METHODIST PASTOR’S FAMILY in China in 1914, Mr Lee Hah Ing passed away after a long and blessed life on Sept 4, 2009. He was educated at ACS Ipoh, and after graduating from Raffles College, started a life-long career as a teacher – in ACS Telok Anson and MBS Kuala Lumpur, until he was transferred to Singapore in 1952.

Appointed to ACS Singapore as history master, he found his métier as a popular and successful hockey master and contributed not a little to the high morale and sportsmanship displayed by the team.

When he was appointed Principal of ACS in 1961, he integrated the morning and afternoon sessions into one school, increased the Pre-University Classes, instituted the daily devotions and provided new teaching and sporting facilities – among them, the Nagle Library, the Art Room, the Audio-visual Aid Room, and the Sports Complex on Barker Road which incorporated the first school Olympic-sized swimming pool in Singapore.

Closely following his interest in sporting activities, he forged closer ties between Singapore and Malayan Methodist schools in several annual Festivals of Sports.

To help fund the projects, he instituted a series of fun fairs, aptly named Fun-O-Ramas which became something of a trade mark and which galvanised the students into a shared experience of working together for the sake of the school and generating a special ACS spirit.

In all his efforts, he never spared himself by setting the right example and encouraging others to give of their best to uphold the name of the school. For his work in education, he was awarded the Public Service Star in 1969 by then-President Yusof Ishak.

When he was appointed ACS Principal here in 1961, his family transferred their membership from Wesley Methodist Church to Barker Road Methodist Church where he actively encouraged several (now well-known) Old Boys to build the first church sanctuary, an effort which was unique in Methodist circles. A simple, but elegant structure, it stood where a former missionary residence was situated and served the members of the church for a generation.

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