SG50 Reflections: Our Hopes and Memories

On 24^th January 1987, the last of the night soil buckets were tipped at the last night soil disposal station at Lorong Halus, near the current Pasir Ris Farmway.

Those born after 1987 may not know what the night soil bucket system is. The system started way back in the 1860s because in those days, homes were served by the bucket system – a hole in the ground with space for a bucket to collect human waste. This happened in earlier times before proper sewage systems were implemented at stations.

Although times have changed and we no longer need night soil carriers, Clement Lee Kai Jie, a Secondary Four student from Whitley Secondary School finally understand the toil that night soil carriers go through to ensure proper sanitation is maintained in every household.

As students reflected on Singapore’s past 50 years of nationhood and lesser-known stories documented in the commemorative e-book, it is also a SG50 gift from students and teachers from 369 primary and secondary schools, junior colleges, centralised institute, 20 Special Education schools as well as the Singapore International School (Hong Kong) to Singapore.

The e-book is filled with stories spanning five decades of Singapore’s history, interesting snippets about significant people, places and milestones are uncovered through videos, drawings and narratives.

Miss Carolyn Lai, teacher-in-charge of Si Ling Secondary School’s SG50 e-book contribution, wanted to challenge her students in exploring something totally unfamiliar, yet forms an integral part of every Singaporean’s life – the wet market.

“The students decided to research on Telok Ayer Market (now known as Lau Pa Sat) – Singapore’s first wet market built in 1925 and how it has changed over the years. Our findings made us understand how Singapore progressed and changed over the years yet has its identity preserved.” Despite the convenience of supermarkets, wet markets continue to retain a special place in the hearts of Singaporeans.

There are many more interesting stories uncovered in the SG50 HOME e-book launched by President Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam and Education Minister Heng Swee Keat at Presbyterian High School on 29 July 2015.