In Remembrance of Brother Andrew

3 April 2007

Morning Briefing - E-Learning

Mr Simen, Mr Adrian Leow and Ms Cassandra Tan spoke about E-learning. Mr Simen's message was that the e-learning emergency exercise scheduled for Thursday was a test on our readiness to deal with emergencies. Scenarios like SARs, Avian Flu, terrorism outbreaks were real. The school wants to get feedback on whether the boys are able to respond quickly to such situations and communicate effectively with their teachers via phone, email or other e-learning platforms.

We Remember Brother Andrew

The school flag was flown at half mast and prayers aid for Brother Andrew, an old teacher of the school. Mr Lloyd Yeo, Mr Tan Thoh Cher who was Brother Andrew's student and Mr Edmund James who in Brother Andrew's,shared with students their experiences and stories with "the Giant who goes before me".

Bios:

• Born 9 Feb 1925 and passed on in April 2007
• Studied in St Gabriel's Normal School in Montreal, Canada and educated in London, 1944-1946.
• Taught at Rose High School, Standard VIII for several years
• Became a Brother of St Gabriel and posted to Madras, Singapore and later Papua New Guinea.
• Taught in Montfort 1960-1971.

Anecdotes.

Brother Andrew was a superb Chemistry teacher and Band master. Mr Tan Thoh Cher was his student and Mr Tan did well in chemistry because he liked Brother. Mr Tan told all of us, "if you like your teacher, chances are you will like you subject and do well in it too. "

Brother Andrew was always cheerful and lively. Mr Edmund James spoke about Brother Andrew's cheerfulness. Even when he had cancer and liver problems for 10 years, Brother Andrew still soldiered on with a smile perpetually on his face. Mr Tan reminsiced about how Brother even remembered him after 33 years. When Brother returned to Singapore in 1998, the ruddy-faced Brother still remembered Mr Tan's name and asked him, "Have you improved on your handwriting?". Bro Andrew then flashed his brilliant, trademark smile at Mr Tan and they both laughed at the matter.

Brother Andrew was considered the best teacher and most kind teacher at Montfort in his tenure there. He called his students 'his sons'. In a farewell letter Brother Andrew had written in 1971, he told his students that he loved his students so much and was even willing to surrender his life for them. He was so well-loved by his students that in 1998, his students even flew him into Singapore to celebrate the school's Founder's Day.

Our Upper Secondary Hall Assembly was a tribute concert to Brother Andrew. The School Band played two songs and ended with the school anthem, the Song of the Brave as their finale. Mr Simen and Mr Lloyd Yeo sang 'The Boxer' (Simon and Garfunkel) and likened it to the kind of fighting spirit Brother Andrew and the kind of never-say-die attitude that all boys must have and hone. Mr Simen also spoke about how 'The Boxer' was a difficult song to sing for him because his friend and him used to sing this song until his friend Lim Thiam Lye succumbed to a drug addiction problem and passed on.

As a finale, Mr Simen and Mr Faizan played "Listen to the Falling Rain" (Jose Feliciano). The heavens cry for Bro. Andrew. We will remember him well. Amen.