Ah LOng Jie gives her insights on another Uniquely SAC feature:
Memories of the school quadrangle.
SAC is not architecturally beautiful or designed ornately in any way.
It is just a very 'squarish' block, simply designed to be functional.
The land area of the school was maxed out with every square foot , with classrooms lined along the corridors.
The Canossian nuns, from Verona, Italy had a mission - to alleviate the suffering of the poor, provide an education for all , regardless of background , religion or race (so apt as today is National Day when I am writing it).
Like the piazza in an Italian city, they probably brought a little bit of Italy to SAC.
The quad was the center and hub where activities took place; both the usual daily assemblies and special occasion events.
In the mornings , assembly was at the quadrangle.
While the flag was raised on the second floor for all to view, we girls stood at the ground floor - in the quadrangle. We dutifully recited our national day pledge and sang the national anthem in a language unfamiliar to us.
There was no need for chairs in the quadrangle.
We sat on the floor - where we trampled on.
The trampling sometimes turned out dance and song when Mrs Kana led the singing and replaced the prayerful hymns with worldly tunes.
The quad was cleverly placed - in the middle of the building .
The was no need for lighting - the quad was in the open area but well shaded.
Looking back, the school was forward looking - they had designed SAC with a sustainability mission.
The floor of the quadrangle was never tiled. Instead, it was painted with stripes for some semblance of a basketball court area as we did our basketball training there.
Within the quad, we fought (yes convent girls do fight) , we reasoned, chanted hymns, got chastised and we cheered jubilantly over our academic achievements and sports skills - all announced in the confines of the quadrangle.
No one could never escape the watchful eyes of the discipline mistress or nuns , who could scan the girls in a matter of minutes from the second floor.
We had our recess , lunch, group discussions, push up punishments and prep talks within the quadrangle.
It was one of the best and most memorable areas of SAC!
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