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School Supervisor; Bro. Emmanuel
This is a Clarion call to all Gabrielites who have passed to the portals of St Gabriel’s since 1953 to join hands together and to feel the warm affiliation we still all have deep-down in our hearts ever since we have entered the holy precincts of St Gabriel.
I have been blessed to be associated with St. Gabriel's since 1954. From day one and until today, my strong links with the generations of students, teachers, principals and other helpers especially the old boys and the parents' associations have given me a sense of belonging which I would never, for any reasons whatever, want to severe. Every time I pass in front of the old school in Upper Serangoon and see the gate, the square and the buildings in the background, my imagination brings me back to the hundreds of Gabrielites who have gathered there to sing the school song week after week, and I am heard singing out alone in my car the last words of the refrain of the school song: "St Gabriel's boys!"
I had the opportunity to peruse through all the School Annuals of St. Gabriel's since its foundation and every time I run through the pages I relive with deep feelings of gratitude the happy memories, victories and glories of the School. Names of ex Directors, Principals, Vice Principals, Teachers, and Old Boys who have created the history of the school make me feel very proud indeed to have been among them for so many years.
The Gabrielite Website started under the leadership of Mr. Lionel Foo and his team has rallied hundreds of old boys to the School and made them relive the yesteryears spent in these holy premises of Upper Serangoon Road. We lift up our hat to Mr. Lionel Foo for the gigantic work he has done and for the hours of research he has made to bring the Website to a very high standards.
Like all good things, the administration of the Website has been passed on to a new team who are also filled with the same zeal and fervor as their predecessors. We thought that on this 55th Anniversary of the School we would try to give our website a new look and perhaps find ways and means of attracting the Old or Ex-Gabrielites back to our School.
Our Website should be a means to communicate with the Alma Mater, to bring back sweet memories, to exchange edifying events which could have gone to the back of our memory, to rally all ex-Gabrielites around their Alma Mater like a good family love to rally their children without exception round the elders of the family on occasions like the Chinese New Year Eve celebrations. More than that the Website is to exchange discreetly all good news and deeds of our past old boys, to commemorate anniversaries of past events which were landmarks in our school life, and make each Gabrielite really very proud of themselves.
The Brothers of St Gabriel may be rare in number, but their spirit lives on through their successors who have maintained the Gabrielite and Montfortian traditions. Together with those who have left us to receive their rewards in Heaven, and with the few who are among us let us be members of a loving, forgiving and prosperous family.
On this day I wish to invite all old boys to erase from their memory any events that have created hurts in them, and come and join us to pass on the good values and virtues which our Alma Mater has always taught us.
Virtue and Truth remain our motto. Through work achieve success continues to be our lead for a better tomorrow.
Bro. Emmanuel, one of the eldest brothers alive who loves you all and the school as well.
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