It’s a bit of a shock to receive dearth news through facebook, a death notice nonetheless. Today the entire community of Saints learnt of the passing of former Saint and prinicpal, Mr. Harry Tan. He was my principal when I was in secondary 1-3. We had to say farewell the first time when he was removed as principal of SASS.

Mr Harry Tan was noted to be quite a gangster and cowboy in his ways with the school board, teachers, OBA and even with parents. My earliest re-collection of seeing him was when I was in primary school and playing remote control cars with his youngest son. We were in their house within the compound of the old junior school, opposite the roundabout. Mr Tan drove home in his mercedes estate, glanced at us and walked into the house. The next encounter wasn’t too good as it was at the start of my first day in secondary school. I didn’t do too well and was streamed into the normal stream. With some string pulling, I was allowed to jump onto the express stream only with Mr Tan’s approval. I think some sort of debt was owed from that day. The next encounter was when I had to ask for time out from school to to UK during term time. It was quite rare for anyone to do so. Hence dad wrote a real good letter describing the intended visitation of a very sick uncle in Edinburgh. Mr Tan wrote back and gave the okay, on the condition that I did some reccee work to the Edinburgh Academy. Mr Tan was keen to explore a second student exchange program (this never went through and was instead the Literature Tour).

I think it was great to have strong characters like him as principal in a young boy’s life. Physically he was hunched from a (motorbike?) accident. Mentally, he was quite radical. He had several hairbrained ideas. He had guts to give the school a day off when we won something (either a rugby championship or the band competition). He dared to dream for the school and had a vision for the new generation of Saints.

My thoughts and prayers are with the wife and two sons. Farewell again Mr Tan. You will probably not remember me, but rest assured, you are remembered in this world. Up and On.