The following is a list of academic exercises completed by honours students graduating from AY (academic year) 1980/1981 to 1989/1990. Aside from showcasing student works which may otherwise go unnoticed, we also hope that such a compilation will aid historical research and stimulate ideas for further study.

This list hopes to continue to collect academic exercises (1) submitted to the Department of History (NUS) for the Honours degree, and (2) concerning Singapore / Malaysia history from other colleges and universities (indicated after title). Titles concerning Singapore and Malaysia are marked with an asterix (*).

The list is not exhaustive and is put together by using information made available online by the Library INtegrated Catalogue (LINC) of NUS Libraries.

Information is correct as at 1 April 2008

1989 / 1990

Ang, Kwok Te, British appeasement versus German revisionism: the case of Czechoslovakia

Cheang, Chee Yew, Sino-American wartime diplomacy: the development of special relations, 1941-1945

Cheong, Hui Keng, Republican China at its infancy: the Nanking Provisional Government 1912

Chua, Olivia, From Bras Basah to Changi: a History of Prisons in Pre-War Singapore *

Conceicao, John Gregory, The Anglican Church in Singapore: the Development of a Local Church 1909-1989 *

Fong, Lai Yoke, The Singapore Chinese Advisory Board 1889-1933 *

Gunavalli A. Sundaraju, The Tamil Murasu: the Evolution of a Local Tamil Newspaper 1935-1974 *

Ko, Lawrence, Protestant Missionary Co-Operation in Late Qing China, 1877-1890

Koh, Joh Ting, Child Death in Municipal Singapore, 1900-1930: an Analysis of the evidence of the coroner’s court *

Kuldip Singh, Municipal sanitation in Singapore, 1887-1940 *

Kwok, Kah Leong Edmund, British attitudes and policy towards French activity in Siam, 1863-1896

Lim, Fung Ming Kevin, Post war economic recovery of Singapore 1945 to 1949: the case of commerce *

Ong, Adrian, Straits Chinese politics 1890-1942 *

Paul, Grace, The Poh Leung Kuk in Singapore: protection of women and girls *

Pillay P. Krishnan, Press and film censorship in colonial Singapore 1915-1959 *

Quah, Sok Khee Esther, Divorce among the Chinese in Singapore 1819-1960 *

Rosana Md. Jani, Hospitals and the healthcare system in Singapore 1819-1926 *

Shahril Mohd. Shah, The Muslim Advisory Board of Singapore, 1947-1968 *

Tan, Li Choo Jerusha, John Leighton Stuart and American relations with China, 1946-1949

Wong, Chow Ming, The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce 1906-1942 *

Wong, Shuk Min, The “Last Emperor” and his family: a domestic study

Yeo, Hailin, The registration of Schools Ordinance of British Malaya, 1920: origins and outcome *

1988 / 1989

Amarjit Singh, Punjabi politicians and the problem of communalism: a case study of the Punjab Legislative Assembly debates, 1937-1942

Aminah Omar, Muhammad Yamin and the transition to a nation-state 1945-1962

Balakrishnan Jayakumar, The Singapore water supply, 1819-1945: the evolution of a governmental responsibility *

Chan, Chuan Chye John, Aw Boon Haw: an outsider’s struggle for Chinese leadership in Singapore *

Cheah, Geik Choo Karen, The writings of the Tunku since his retirement *

Chew, Lay Meng Vivian, Eisenhower and Montgomery at war 1942-45

Dhinagaran Balakrishnan, The Ramakrishna Mission in Singapore: 1928-1982 *

Ee, Bee Bee Angela, Carlos P. Romulo: two faces of a nationalist

Hee, Ronald, A historiographical study of the Malayan Campaign 8 December 1941 to 15 February 1942 *

Hernaikh Singh Dhaliwal, Poverty in Singapore in the 1920s and 1930s *

Jispal Singh, Political banishment in Malaya, 1900-1941 *

Loh, Shu Ching, The Singapore Chinese community: from sojourners to citizens 1900-1957 *

Mullaiselvi K., The Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce 1935-1980 *

Nathan, Alvin Nicholas, Indian ’sedition’ and the British reaction in Southeast Asia: 1914-1917

Ong, Ji Lean, Local popular women’s magazines in English, 1960 to the present: a portrayal of Singapore women *

Tan, Choon Kiat, A history of Tanjong Pagar: 1823-1911 *

Tan, Chor Eng, The viceroyalty of Lord Wavell, 1943-47

Tan, Chye Luan, “Delta”: the writings and speeches of W.H.M. Read

Yeo, Ai Hoon, Enterprise in oil: the history of Shell in Singapore, 1890-1960 *

Yeoh, Oon Jin, Citizenship in Malaya, 1945-1957 *

1987 / 1988

Chai, Yoong Choi, The political thinking of the Malayan Chinese towards constitutional developments in Malaya and Singapore 1945-1948 *

Chen, Gan Pin Michael, The criminal and political activities of Chinese secret societies in Singapore 1945-1959 *

Cheong, Ernest, Victoria School in Singapore 1876-1987 *

De Silva, Gerard Francis, The Straits Times (1945-1975) *

Foo, Chik Lin, Romesh Chunder Dutt (1848-1909): life and work of an early Indian nationalist

Goh, Che Cheng Jace, The Chinese huiguan in Singapore (1945-1959) *

Jayanthi Gopal, Tanjong Katong Girls’ School 1953-1987 *

Khan, Sher Banu A. L., The debate on Soviet power October 1917-June 1918

Lau, Kee Siong, History of the Academy of Medicine 1957-1987 *

Lee, Siew Lian, The role of foreign advisers in Siam, 1851-1932

Lim, Kwee Hua Stephanie, The defection of Chang Kuo-T’ao in 1938: a study of the CCP intraparty conflict

Loganathan Ramasamy, Lord Wellesley in India, 1798-1805

Lopez, Bruno, Yusof Bin Ishak: journalist and head of state *

Manogaran Suppiah, Telok Blangah: cradle of modern Johor (1800-1895) *

Ooi, Suan Eng Ivy, The security issue and constitutional development of Malaya, 1942 to 1948 *

Png, Hock Heng Augustine, Churchill and Roosevelt on the future of Western colonialism in Asia (1941-1945)

Png, Veronica, The Council of Foreign Ministers and the problems of European peace-making: 1945-1947

Rajamogan, The National Museum in historical perspective, 1874-1981 *

Ranjit Kaur, The life of Benjamin Sheares, 1907-1981 *

Song, Mui Geok Angeline, The First World War and the origins of the Third International: an appraisal

Teo, Swee Choon Serene, “An oasis in the ‘East End’ of Singapore city”: a history of the Saint Andrew’s Mission Hospital *

Vivakanandan S., British policy towards Europe at the Potsdam Conference

Zahairin Abdul Rahman, Utusan Melayu : origin and history, 1939-1959 *

1986 / 1987

Abdul Hadhi, British naval policy (1929-1936)

Chan, Eng Han Gabriel, The contributions of the volunteer corps to Singapore’s internal security and defence (1854-1984) *

Cheah, Noel, The Paris peace talks on Vietnam, 1970-71: fighting and talking

Foo, Mei-lian Sylvia, The Japanese occupation of Singapore 1942-45: socio-economic policies and effects *

Jacob, Leo Daniel, Muddling through: the Paris Peace Conference and the Hungarian Settlement, 1918-1920

Karamjit Kaur, British policy towards German disarmament, reparations and the Ruhr crisis in the post-Versailles period: July 1919-October 1923

Khaw, Patrick, The Singapore Recreation Club: 1883-1963 *

Lee, Gary, The political career of Ong Eng Guan *

Leo, Tin-boon, Force 136: the Malayan episode *

Mathews, Roselind, Western impressions of the Japanese, 1854-1899

Mejar Singh Gill, History of the Singapore Infantry Regiment 1957-1967 : the pioneering regiment of the SAF *

Ng, Wai-leng, Late Qing travellers’ impressions of the West (1866-1906)

Ong, Peng-kiat, Western perceptions of Siam: the early Bangkok years

Ponniah, Caesarlin Nesamalar, Konfrontasi: perceptions of the Partai Komunis Indonesia 1963-1965 *

Quek, Soo-ngoh, Lee Kong Chian: contributions to education in Singapore 1945-1965 *

Rodziah Haji Sha’ari, Japanese resettlement schemes: Endau and Bahau, 1942-1945 *

Shamira Bhanu, A study of British consular reports on the Russian Revolution of 1905

Shantheni Chornalingam, The historical evolution of the Singapore Cricket Club *

Teo, Cheng-suat, A British appraisal of the Russian constitutional experiment: 1907-1914

Teow, See-heng, The acting-presidency of Li Tsung-Jen: a critical analysis on the Chiang - Li factional rivalry in 1949

Yap, Chee-seng, The career of Joseph Balestier as American diplomat and businessman in Singapore, 1836-1852 *

Yeo, Siew Siang, Tan Cheng Lock: the Straits legislator and Chinese leader 1923-1935 *

Yurulain Jaafar, Britain and the Italo-Abyssinian War 1934-1936

1985 / 1986

Chan, Kin Sang, Soldiers in captivity: P.O.W. experiences in Changi 1942-1945 *

Chin, Shuh-mei, The Singapore government and English Christian mission schools, 1959-1985 *

De Costa, Wendy Anne, The origins of the Cold War: 40 years of a historiographical controversy>

Fernandez, Karen Josephine, Aung San and the struggle for Burmese independence, 1945-47

Goh, Tock-kim, The National Salvation Association and the rise of anti-Japanese nationalism in China, 1936-1937

Harpreet Kaur Gill, Joseph C. Grew and United States policy in East Asia, 1932-1942

Hayati Ismail, Anglo-American attitudes to the Soviet Union, 1939-1941

Jalleh, Michael Francis, The rise and fall of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto

Jayletchimi, PAP and the pro-communist trade unions, 1954-61 *

Kumarasamy, Sandra M., The Indian viceroyalty of Lord Mountbatten: a critical reappraisal

Lee, Say-ying, Disraeli and Gladstone: a study in political rivalry 1867-81

Lim, Soh-din, Malayan Chinese attitudes towards the Malayan Union and the Federation of Malaya *

Loh, Heng-noi, The reform of the Chinese maritime customs (1852-1882)

Ong, Joo-huay, Tan Kah Kee and education 1894-1937 *

Seah, Kim Heng Violet, The Chakri Reformation’ of kings Mongkut and Chulalongkorn: an evaluation

Soo, Hui-wah, em>Vietnam’s foreign policy 1975-1979

Tan, Chew-moi, A history of Saint Joseph’s Institution 1852-1945 *

Tan, Helen Doreen, The question of disarmament in

Tan, Suan-neo Agnes, The Brunei revolt of 1962 and the process of decolonization

Tan, Tai-yong, A history of the Singapore Khalsa Association: 1927-1981 *

Teo, Hoe-aik Eikman, Morrison of Peking: political observer and participant, 1897-1920

Teo, Siet-lim, Anglo-American naval relations 1918-1922

Vellasamy Rasandran, Indo-Pakistan relations, 1947-1965: the struggle for Kashmir

Yeo, Hwee-joo, The Chinese Consulate-General in Singapore (1911-1941) *

1984 / 1985

Branson, Kevin Basil, The Paris Peace Talks on Vietnam 1969

Chang, Shuh-ling, America’s relations with Soviet Russia: the inter-war years

Chia, Soon-joo, Siam and the British, 1874-75: Sir Andrew Clarke and the Front Palace crisis

Choy, Chee-meh, History of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 1877-1983 *

Ho, Yong-chong, Politics of SCAP’s changing policy in occupied Japan 1945 to 1950

Lee, Chor Lin, Kai-t’u kuei-liu: Chinese direct administration in Southwest China, 1723-1735

Lee, Kwee-hua Steven, Japanese government perceptions of national security and defence 1969-1980

Lee, Su-yin, The Indian National Army trials, 1945-46: the British imperial dilemma *

Lim, Seow-yoke, Women in Singapore politics 1945-1970 *

Moh, Hong-kheng, Causes of Siam’s non-colonial status

Santa Maria, Kevin, Thai nationalism: its origins, development and a comparative evaluation

Tan, Hak-soon, Paul S. Reinsch and Sino-American relations, 1913-1919

Tan, Soo-see, Sir Austen Chamberlain and the Locarno Agreement

1983 / 1984

Anderson, Lawrence, British policy towards Germany at Versailles, Jan-Jun 1919

Ang, Poh-kim, Communist manipulation of a Chinese student body: the Nanyang University Students’ Union (1956-1964) *

Cheong, Richard, The Singapore Naval Base: a local history /*

Chong, Peng-hong, Chinese female immigration to the Straits Settlements from 1901 to 1941 *

George, Mary, British intervention in the Russian Civil War, 1918-1920

Goh, Ching-lee, Britain and the resurrection of independent Poland, 1914-1923

Joseph, Jennifer, A British consul and the Lebanese crisis of 1840

Low, Mei-mei, Fissures in American-Japanese relations, 1905-1914

Marican, Mukhthar, Malay responses to the decentralisation movement in British Malaya, 1930-1934 *

Narindarjeet Kaur, Recognition to rupture: British politics and Anglo-Soviet relations, 1921-1927

Ng, Giok-lian, A history of the Seventh-Day Adventist mission in Singapore, 1904-1954 *

Ong, Sing-keh, The Anson by-elections of 1961 & 1981: a comparative study *

Ong, Teck Hui, Nanyang University, 1956-1968: the question of official recognition *

Palanisamy K., A history of Umar Pulavar Tamil School, 1946-1982 *

Quek, Siew-ling, The United States’ policy towards Russia, 1919

Rahil Ismail, Anglo-American relations during President Roosevelt’s second presidential term from January 1937 to November 1940

Sng, Lee-meng, The Amritsar massacre and Indian nationalism: a reappraisal

Sng, Seow-lian, The second Afghan War, 1878-1880: the campaigns revisited

Soh, Eng-khim, A history of land transport in Singapore, 1819-1942 *

Su, Fook-kwee Stephen, The “China Question” at the Washington Conference, 1921-1922

Tan, Hoon-siang Martina, Anglo-American relations during the Roosevelt Presidency (1933-1936)

Tan, Nga-kok, British policy towards Chinese political activities in Malaya, 1914-1922 *

Thiruchelvam A., British participation in the Allied control of Germany, 1919-1923

Wong, Mun-wei, Wooing the Russians: the road to the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact

Yap, Meen-sheng, British policy in the Far Eastern crisis, 1931 to 1933

1982 / 1983

Chan, Wai-kay, American policy towards Vietnam, 1940-1950

Khoo, Peck-sim, United States and the Shantung controversy: the origin of the May Fourth Incident, 1919

Koh, Chou-tee Celine, Historical survey of some important diseases in Singapore: 1819-1939 *

Koh, Thong-huat Victor, People’s Action Party and the City Council, 1957-59 *

Lau, Wing-chew, Fall of Saigon: a postmortem analysis

Leong-Chan, Nee Nee, Hill resorts of Malaya: an aspect of Malayan social history (1884-1941) *

Lim, Siu-hong, History of landuse pattern in Singapore, 1819-1867 *

Loh, Ai, Historical study of changes in vocational and technical education and training in Singapore: 1961-1981 *

Magendiran, K.S., Origins and early development of the University of Allahabad

Nirmaljeet Kaur, Indians in multiracial Singapore, 1945-1980: a history of occupational pattern *

Png, Gek-kim Catherine, History of taxation under the People’s Action Party (1959-1972) *

Tan, Kim-seng Peter, General Percival and the fall of Malaya, 1941-1942: a reassessment *

Tan, Poh-joo Jacinta, Teaching of history in Singapore schools (1959-1980) *

Tan, Siew-sang, Social welfare services in Singapore with special focus on the Singapore Council of Social Service 1959-1980 *

Teoh, Tiong-san, History of the Botanical Gardens in Singapore, 1822-1982 *

Wong, Chee Wai, British opium policy in China (1891-1917): the ending of the opium trade

Wong, Siew-hoong, The role of Sir Stamford Raffles in the history of Singapore (1819-1826): a historiographic analysis *

Zaleha Othman, Rise and fall of Ngo Dinh Diem, 1954-63: in search of an analytical context

1981 / 1982

Ang, Cheng-guan, Singapore and the Law of the Sea Conference *

Chan, Yoke-chin Claire, Singapore-Indonesia relations, 1965-1976 *

Cheng, Hui-cheng, Singapore: early town development, 1819-1836 *

Darshan Singh, Sir Cecil Clementi and the adoption of various policies affecting the Chinese in Malaya, 1930-34 *

Kao, Meng-seng Nicholas, Historical analysis of the fight against serious crime in post-war colonial Singapore, 1946-1959 *<

Koh, Soo-jin Denis, Japanese competition in the trade of Malaya in the 1930s *

Lee, Joo-cheng Lillian, Growth of a multiracial society in nineteenth century Singapore: a socio-economic study *

Lim, Jing-chee, British policy towards the Kuomintang in Malaya, 1912-1931 *

Lim, Kok Hua, Boycott of the Chinese Schools Secondary Four Examination, 1961: an analysis *

Looi, Khai Beng, Political riots and internal security measures in Singapore (1919-1941) *

Low, Lay Leng, Indonesian attitudes towards the Vietnam Wars, 1965-1975

Lui, Sook-chin Bernadette, Development of pioneer industries in the 1960s *

Naimah Said Talib, British policy towards Islam in the Straits Settlements (1867-1941) *

Ong, Hong-seng, People’s Action Party and the Singapore civil service (1959-1979) *

Ooi, Yu-lin, Changing status of Chinese women in Singapore, 1819-1961 *

Quek, Chwee-geok, Trade unions and labour politics in Malaya, 1937-1941 *

Tan, Beng-geok Lulie, Singapore on the eve of the Japanese occupation: civil defence 1939-1942 *

Tan, Eei Choo, Singapore Polytechnic: a history, 1959-1980 *

Tan, Geok-pek Grace, From Teachers’ Training College to Institute of Education: a study of institutional change *

1980 / 1981

Arumugam Tamilselvam,Singapore’s fght for internal self-government under Lim Yew Hock, 1956-1958 *

Chua, Poo Hong Richard, Police war on gangs: a study of the Singapore Police Force’s campaign against the secret societies, 1945 to 1975 *

Ee, Cheng Hock Richard, May 13th riots: an analysis of the causes *

Foo, Kim Leng, 1964 Singapore riots *

Kang, Jew Koon, Chinese in Singapore during the Japanese occupation, 1942-1945 *

Lau, Khoong Hwa Albert, Pragmatism: a history of the ideas of socialism of the People’s Action Party (1954-1976) *

Leong, Sau Ming, From Singapore Institution to Raffles Institution 1823-1903 *

Peeris, Rita Adeline, University of Singapore, 1968-1980: towards a national institution *

Quek, Geok Cheng, Public housing in Singapore, 1970-1979: housing the lower and middle income groups *

Quek, Swee Kuan. Singapore’s political, economic and cultural relations with the United States, 1965-1979: from antagonism to accord *

Seah, Hui Huang Mabel, ASEAN nations’ policies towards China, 1967-1980

Tan, Hiang Huang, Security issue in ASEAN cooperation 1967-1976

Wong, Kin Lup, Republican revolutionary movement of China (1894-1913): an analysis based on some recent writings

During my research for my Honours Thesis (which addressed the topic of student activism), I combed through student publications produced in the early years of the University.[i] Some of these publications can be found in the Singapore / Malaysia and Rare Books collections of the Central Library in NUS. And there, I found treasure – traces and archives of some less-remembered facets of the history of the institution and of Singapore.

The various Halls and student societies had produced several journals, resulting in a fascinating range of content. Hall magazines illustrated the hostelites’ camaraderie forged through regular activities within the conducive hostel environment, while Medico, the medical students’ journal, drew flak for its over-excessive sexual jibes and innuendoes, and the New Cauldron by the Raffles Society concerned itself with all things literary.

Other works took on a more political nature. Evidence of university students being politicized by the tumultuous circumstances in Malaya during and after the Second World War comes from explicitly political publications, produced to stir the student body’s political consciousness. The earliest examples of these are the Malayan Orchid and the Lark – both mentioned in Yeo Kim Wah’s seminal work on student activism in the early 1950s - (”Student Politics in University of Malaya, 1949-51″ in the Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, Vol. 23, No. 2 (September 1992), pp.346-380).

The Dominance of Fajar

The most renowned of this sub-genre remains Fajar, the organ of the left-wing University Socialists Club (USC). Unfortunately, within the Singapore Story, the group remains too starkly associated with the 1954 Fajar trials, and its legitimisation of Lee Kuan Yew’s left-wing credibility. As a result, the USC has a prominence which tends to overshadow and effacing the diversity of political opinions and expressions of student activism in the University. In actuality, the USC seem to represent only a vocal, albeit influential, minority within the student body.

Fajar remains a banned publication, and cannot be located on LINC (the Central Library’s search engine) or accessed without authorization. Thanks to a letter from my supervisor, I got that authorisation. “What can be cooler than quoting from Fajar?”, she said (though not in those exact words).

Student days in the Undergrad

Another critical source of information about University students was the organ of the Students’ Union, the Malayan Undergrad (later the Singapore Undergrad). Within its yellowed pages, one could find publicity efforts and post-event reports on social and sporting activities on campus, academic happenings such as exhibitions, and the occasional guest lecture by a visiting luminary. There were even occasional poetry and prose pieces.

The Undergrad also featured regular opinion-pieces, editorials and complaints by University students and, sometimes, even the staff. These pertained to issues ranging from the serious, e.g. the students’ political position vis-à-vis the University administration, to the controversial, e.g. the recurring matter of ragging (very much unlike the boisterous festivities known as Rag-and-Flag Day today!), to the slightly insignificant, e.g. hostelites protesting about poor hall facilities or unpalatable hall meals. The Undergrad also served as the vehicle of expression for the more politically active members of the student body, voicing out their plethora of opinions, ideologies and concerns fuelled by youthful idealism.

One interesting aspect of ploughing through these sources was coming across familiar names, underlining the brevity of modern Singapore history. The names also suggest another start-point for a fuller and richer understanding of the University’s history, i.e. from the perspective of students. Their time as students is part of the institution’s past, and also perhaps a critical formative experience of these individuals and their peers.

Some of these names have returned to become part of the institution. In the Kritik, the journal of the Philosophical Society started from 1959/1960 for example, a student named Ten Chin Liew wrote prolifically on liberal ideology. Presently, he is the Head of the Philosophy Department.

Kwa Chong Guan, familiar to Singapore scholars, and students taking the SSA2211 module (The Evolution of a Global City-state), wrote in the Singapore Undergrad in the mid-sixties. In a 1967 National Day issue for example, he questioned the possibility of creating a Singapore culture, an issue which starkly remains with us today.

In addition, it was fascinating to discover that Wang Gungwu, the doyen of Overseas Chinese Studies, was a flamboyant, multi-talented literary pioneer during his days at the University, a revelation derived from his writings in the Undergrad and the literary collections of the period, and backed up by Patrick Anderson’s impressions of him in his memoirs, Snake Wine. Furthermore, Wang found the time to be a student activist and leader, and co-founder of the University Socialist Club.

And naturally, the current leaders and politicians of Singapore were also using these publications as a platform to practise and express their political views in their student days. There is an inescapable irony when you consider some of the then vocal student critics of the PAP government – such as Tommy Koh (now Ambassador-at-large for Singapore), Kishore Mahbubani (Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy) and S. Jayakumar (Deputy Prime Minister) among others.

The Yakking of the Yakkity-Yak

Yet, the most interesting student publication that I came across – but unfortunately found little use for my HT due to its nature – is the Yakkity-Yak. I had no idea what kind of a document it was when I randomly requested for it. Its badly-fading red hard-cover, with the words Yakkity-Yak scribbled with a white marker on it, hardly provided any clues.

I opened the unassuming cover and was immediately greeted by the headline of a report on the sacking of University’s Vice-chancellor Alexis Opium-time. Another smaller headline on the same page trumpets ‘Sensational murder in Varsity Campus, see pg 4’. Alexander Oppenheim was indeed Vice-Chancellor of the University from 1957-1962 but there was no other corroborating source about his sacking or a murder on the campus…

It soon became clear what Yakkity-Yak really was. Think mrbrown; but in printed form during the 1960s. The Yakkity-Yak was a satirical annual newsletter published on the occasion of Welfare Week – a designated week each year when the students would engage in charitable activities and similar projects in line with the “Be with the people” policy that the Students Councils embraced from the late 1950s. Its ostensible purpose was unsurprisingly to raise funds.

The writers of the newsletter, ostensibly motivated by a streak of anti-establishmentarianism and imbued with the spirit of flippancy, continuously poke fun at university and government policies as well as issues on campus. For example, some aspects of the PAP’s rhetoric towards the University then were mocked by a report in the 1961 issue about university staff having to be relocated from the ‘300 feet tall ivory tower in the University’ in which they were accommodated. The reason for the move - the tower had to be demolished because it was ‘a colonial replica and the sooner we get rid of it the better’ (Yakkity-Yak 1961, Vol. 1 No. 3, p.2).

A dig at the PAP’s cultural policies depicted a word ‘Censored’ stamped diagonally across a column with no text, headlined ‘Yellow Culture Column’ (Yakkity-Yak 1961, Vol. 1 No. 3, p.2). Another more flippant article screams the headline ‘Girl Found Raped’ and goes on to report about a fresh-woman participating in an orientation game and successfully meeting the objective of finding another student named James Raped. The library holds about ten years’ worth of similar stuff, starting in 1959.

In sum, an integral part of what the ten weeks of researching for my HT had meant to me remains the excitement and thrill of digging and exploring and finding things you never ever expected. These gems include the rich collection of student publications from the University of old through which, for those of us who have been part of NUS, our predecessors had left us their worlds and their words, their thoughts and experiences of their own search for brave new worlds.

Yet, it is the differences between the present and the time when these forerunners roamed about the University’s walkways which are most striking. A comparison of publications reveals dissimilarities, which must inevitably be explained in terms of the development of the University.

In a newly-forged nation trying to exist in a world undergoing decolonization and ideological polarisation, changes in the University’s environment and culture, its position and purpose were perhaps inevitable. Considering the socio-political milieu and changes it had to grapple with, this enticingly opens up new grounds for historical inquiry.

The author will be graduating from the Department of History, National University of Singapore with his BA (Hons) in July. He will be entering the Masters programme in the same department come August 2007.

[i] University of Malaya (1949-1959); University of Malaya in Singapore (1959-1962); University of Singapore (1962-1980); National University of Singapore (NUS) (from 1980 onwards).