Joining the scouting movement in Secondary 1, 1974

January 1974. It was the first few weeks of the older of us boys’ entry into secondary school having passed our PSLE. Since I had been at St Stephen’s School in Siglap, a Catholic mission school, I continued into St Patrick’s at East Coast Road for my Secondary education with the rest of my friends from primary school. Having just attended a St John’s Ambulance presentation that Saturday morning, we had to decide which ECA (extra curricular activity as they were named in those days) to join when one is in Sec 1, either a sports or uniformed group. Was deliberating on the choice as I walked towards East Coast Road to take my bus back home to our Bedok kampong house when I passed by the scouts display by their standalone den to my right. Here I was witnessing what I did not know was a backwoodsman cooking demonstration. Open fire, and rice cooked in hollowed-out sections of bamboo internodes grabbed my attention immediately! Then the Scoutmaster approached me, and he also happened to also be a school teacher and in charge of the scouts. He was in uniform and spoke passionately about what scouting was, and explained to me what I would gain personally in character building if I were to sign up. He was not forceful in his approach and was also kind and patient to me. I signed up that very morning and since that time in my four years in secondary school, have spent many Saturdays (including some weekend nights) at the den with fellow scouts. It was fun gaining badges, going for hikes, working on pioneering activities, canoeing, abseiling etc. It was with much pride that I was able to obtain the highest honour, the Chief Commissioner Scout award. Becoming a scout helped me immensely in building up my self-confidence, self-esteem, and belief in overcoming life’s obstacles. To that I owe my thanks to that first Scoutmaster/school teacher I met, Mr John Baptist Pestana Junior or better known in scout circles by his scout name 'Gimo Amik'. Thank you, sir for the opportunities I had in my scouting life – and so glad I just happend to meet you that day before I went home to my Bedok kampong house (for fellow scouts' interest the troop was 1601 Pajigwad Group, part of the Katong district)

A 1973 photo of the scout troop with Mr John Pestana standing on extreme left (taken from Christian Brothers School Annual 1973)

1974 - in uniform (looking a bit sloppy!) with the family on the steps of the new National Stadium that opened in July that year

   

Mr John Pestana (extreme left) with the troop on an Indonesian exchange programme (circa 1972)

1975 - Overnight hiking at Pulau Ubin to pursue my Advanced Scout Standard badge

Fellow scouts in front of the 1601 Pajigwad Scout Den (photo not ours)

 

A selection of the earned badges and other scouting memorabilia from my scouting days 1974 to 1977. Bottom right is the troop logo designed by Mr Gary Pestana, brother of Mr John Pestana