Yuhua memories of Mrs Juliet Wan

Mrs Juliet Wan, currently aged 82, has many interesting memories to share. She had been a teacher for 46 years, starting at a young age of 21 and retiring at 67. Back in her time, education was monolingual and a teacher stayed with a class of students for 5 years. She took many classes during her term as a teacher, and this is especially memorable as her students never fail to visit her. There is a joyous get-together annually for the well-respected teacher. Mrs Wan taught for 46 years in primary schools, specialising in teaching the students in the EM3 stream. Her proud declaration that her classes consisted of many head prefects and prefects really emphasized her love for both her profession and her students. Even after retirement, she still continued teaching (as a relief teacher). She tells of how it seems to be fate that her granddaughter was taught by one of her students. Mrs Wan had her humble beginnings in Penang. During her childhood days in Penang, she played many sports, from swimming to track and field. She was the only child and had the freedom she desired. This enabled her to join many clubs during her school days such as Red Cross and Girl guides. She used to enjoy flying kites and went ballroom dancing. Mrs Wan has some words of wisdom on her freedom: Never abuse your freedom. She was fortunate to have such freedom, and she believed she gained the most out of it by not abusing what she had. It was also during her school days that she started being actively involved with the community. Though she is a Buddhist, she joined churches and went to help out in the Home for the Blind. Her desire to give back to the community is also seen through her active participation in Red Cross and Girl Guides, which both believe in aiding the needy. Her Singapore journey began when she came over from Penang with 10 of her male friends. During an interview with her, Mrs Wan jokes, “Most or all of my friends were boys. They aren’t as petty as girls, so it was fun to be with them.” When she arrived in Singapore, she joined the teaching force after attending training courses at National Institute of Education (NIE). Mrs Wan contributed largely by not only teaching her students the guided textbook curriculum, but also through her life lessons. She fondly remembers how she told her students that it is necessary to write their teachers cards to show gratitude. To date, her students still send her Teachers’ Day cards to thank her for nurturing them to the people they are today. A message to all the students from Mrs Wan: Be nice to your teacher, for such relationships will last a lifetime. Mrs Wan currently resides in Ivory Heights located in Jurong East. She moved over from Marine Parade to her current residence at Ivory Heights. In Marine Parade, she was involved in coaching the netball team When she first moved into Ivory Heights in 1986, she had been insistent on making a change in her community. Mr Wan, her loving husband, had been against her putting herself into unnecessary trouble through involvement in community work. After an incident where he was attacked by a Chinese schoolboy in the elevator, Mr Wan was convinced that Mrs Wan should get involved in doing what she does best – solving problems in the community. Mrs Wan had then haughtily commented, “So? Do you still want me to just stand by and watch when I know this is happening?” Her husband could only smile, knowing that her persistence and desire to do what she could had won out. Mrs Wan started her Neighbourhood Watch group during the June holidays in 1987, after an incident of youths throwing medicated oil at Mr Lee Hiak Soo’s face. She was prompted to do after a conversation with him. She laughs as she remembers how she had washed slippers and carried her umbrella, before she headed off towards the police post. She had to be redirected to Jurong Neighbourhood Police Post as she was still new to the place, and did not know which police station took charge of her district. The Sergeant had looked at Mrs Wan with eyes of doubt when she mentioned that she wished to set up a crime watch group. Mrs Wan had firmly said, “I can do it.” Despite being so sure of her direction, she had a burning question: How was she to start? Sergeant Low Kai Tuck taught her how to go about forming a Neighbourhood Watch group. She wanted to promote community bonding, to create a safe and friendly place. Mrs Wan knew that she needed manpower. She bought over a hundred whistles for the residents in her block. She single-handedly went to over 250 units to teach the residents how to blow the whistle when they saw crime, or when another whistle was heard. As she did so, she took down particulars of the residents in the block, collating all of them into what she proudly dubs her “Bible”. The Sergeant came over to her residence on a Sunday morning and asked her about the progress of the watch group. With his knowledge that she had started solo, he asked how well her crime watch system worked. They decided to test it out, and there was an overwhelming response. The “tweeeeee” from all around seemed like a surround sound system to Mrs Wan and the Sergeant. The Sergeant was very impressed, and even Mrs Wan was surprised. Mrs Wan was presented the Guinness Stout Effort Award for her insistence and persistence in getting a Neighbourhood Watch Group started in her Block. Mrs Wan did more than setting up a Neighbourhood Watch group. She went from house to house to collect newspapers from Block 124, her block of residence. She also planned activities during events and festivals like National Day, Mid-Autumn Festival and Christmas for Block 124 to gather and enjoy the company. It is formidable how she did everything single-handedly and tried her best to help the community. Mrs Wan has demonstrated what it means to be a neighbour, and the spirit of neighbourhood and community bonding. In Singapore, of recent years, there has been a decrease in such activities. When neighbours meet, greetings are barely exchanged and smiles rarely given. There was the Joo Chiat incident where neighbours quarrelled with one another. People should reflect on what relations between neighbours has become, and if we were to salvage the situation, how it should be done. Mrs Wan is still an active committee member of Ivory Heights. 6 years ago, she embarked on a new project with two other residents. There was a piece of land within the condominium that was looked creepily like a cemetery ground. The group decided to do something about it, and started by pulling out the weeds. Mrs Wan laughs heartily as she mentions how she might even pull grass in her sleep. Mr Richard Ashworth, one of the residents who initiated the project, says, “She’s like my foster mother. Through gardening, we get to know one another better.” The once empty plot of land 6 years ago has now become a prize-winning community garden. In the past 6 years, the garden has clinched two platinum awards for its accomplishment, and is hoping to so again this year. Mrs Wan says that the garden is like her second home. Most of the time, she can be found in the garden that she has developed feelings with. She has to be reminded to go home daily as she spends her time from 8am to 11am in the garden, propagating plants and mixing soil. She laughs as she mentions that amongst her neighbours, she has been nicknamed “Char Kway Teow” for mixing the soil. Mrs Wan boasts of the two lorries-full of compost that she has mixed up to date. the Mr Richard Ashworth commented in an interview that “Mrs Wan is an exemplary role model to show the elderly how to engage and contribute actively to the community.” He mentions that activities such as gardening are possible hobbies to engage in, rather than being pessimistic or falling into depression. It is of his belief that many old people think they are unable to do this and that, but all they lack is faith in themselves. Recently, Mrs Wan had just experienced a frightful accident. She had been plucking leaves for the diabetes patients when she fell off from the chair she had been standing on. Everyone in the garden had been shocked and immediately rushed to her side. Mrs Wan had waved them aside, and insisted that she was fine. After a consultation at the doctor’s, she realised that it was the imbalance that came with old age. This brought out Mrs Wan’s passion and love for her garden, that despite possible difficulties, she insists on going to care for the community garden. Mrs Wan mentions that the garden in Ivory Heights has been constantly extending from one end to the other, and that sculptures by residents such as Mr Richard Ashworth have been placed around the garden. The view is simply breath-taking, as the garden has a most singular design that makes one feel at peace. When immersed in the tranquil environment, it is not hard to understand why Mrs Wan enjoys spending much of her time in the garden. Mrs Wan believes that when one contributes anything, it need not necessarily be a monetary contribution, but sincerity and effort are of extreme importance. In Mrs Wan’s free time, outside of gardening, she enjoys playing mah-jong with her friends. Behind all her success as a woman of ambition and drive to help the community, Mrs Wan shared her love story. She told of how she met her husband through her aunt persuading him to accompany her lonely niece during the day. They spent the day telling stories to one another, him of his life, and her of hers. It was not before long that they got to know each other better and fell in love. After they got married and he left for Taiwan as a manager, Mrs Wan moved in with her mother-in-law. Mrs Wan speaks fondly of her mother-in-law and how she had always loved her as though she were her biological daughter. When Mrs Wan returned late from her youthful days of ballroom dancing, there was never a sliver of doubt, nor a question from either her husband or her mother-in-law. They trusted her and she never abused their trust. Her words of caution to the young people: Trust is important in any relationship, and never be too eager to fall in love. Wait for the right partner and stay with your choice. Mrs Wan is currently a sprightly woman with six grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. As she continues caring for her garden, she strongly encourages people to head down to Ivory Heights in Jurong East to visit the community garden that much effort has gone into. * This memory was collected as part of a collaboration between Nanyang Girls' High School & Yuhua CC in 2012.