MURPHY, Damien (Sister)
Education in Singapore (Part 1: English),
Accession Number 000245
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 15
Total Reels
- Liana Tan
Interviewer
- 06:42:59
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
All rights to the recordings and transcripts on this website, including the rights to copy, publish, broadcast and perform, are reserved. Written permission is required for any use. If you have any queries, please contact nas@nlb.gov.sg
Reel/Disc 1 of 15
Metadata
- 14 Dec 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:21
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Personal and family background. Her childhood and schooling days. Family members separated for reasons of study and work. Home discipline. Influence from parents. Began to think of missionary work while still in school. Work of convents in Malaya and Singapore. Joined convent after secondary school. Three years training before taking vows. Then went to university.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 15
Metadata
- 14 Dec 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:31
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Parents had no objection of her joining Convent. Training received upon joining. Details on first three years of her training; then another 3-4 years of academic training. Sent to Singapore in 1947. Had knowledge of Singapore mission before arrival. Why Father Beurel asked Sisters to come to Singapore. Foundation of Convent in Singapore in 1853. First group of Sisters landed in 1852.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 15
Metadata
- 14 Dec 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:24
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Her feelings before leaving for Singapore in 1947. Living conditions on board ship. Description of her habit. Preparation before coming to Singapore. Her impression of Singapore and the way of life. Other travellers on same boat. Met by her sister who came from Kuala Lumpur. Brought to Convent in Victoria Street. Impression of the Sisters and refectory. What she saw during car ride from harbour to Victoria Street. Type of car used by Sisters.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 15
Metadata
- 22 Dec 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:10
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Set-up of the Convent at that time. Regimented lifestyles. Her views on life then and now. Responsibilities of Mother Charles who was overall in charge at the Convent and principal of school. Her views on separate heads for school and convent. Daily routine in early days for Sisters. How holidays were spent. What necessitated setting up of Katong Convent.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 15
Metadata
- 22 Dec 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:14
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Funding of Katong Convent. Financing of Convent. Their vow of poverty. Organisations and private individuals made donations. How creche came about. Upbringing of orphans in Convent. Limited choice of jobs for orphans when grown up. Different approach in upbringing of orphans in pre-war days and in 1960s/1970s. Why orphans felt inferior when attending school with day pupils. Success of some orphans. Some opted to join mission.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 15
Metadata
- 22 Dec 1982
Recording Date
- 00:26:54
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Basic requirement for orphans joining the Order. Post-war orphans not encouraged to stay on. New policies in running post-war orphanage - more of a creche. Criteria for accepting children. Another Home for school-going children at Clementi in rented Housing Development Board (HDB) flats. Living conditions there. Changed policies again - poor homes better than institutions. Only really needy ones taken. Conditions in Girls' Town. Changes brought about by changes in government of Convent.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 15
Metadata
- 22 Dec 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:16
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Handicapped orphans. Why parents gave away handicapped children. Number of orphans in orphanage in immediate post-war period. Type of people who would come to adopt children. Procedure for adoption. Children looked forward to adoption. Why there were no Malay orphans. Academic achievements of orphans. Their activities during school holidays. Other skills taught. Qualities adoptive parents looked for in orphans.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 15
Metadata
- 28 Dec 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:32
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Early history of Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (CHIJ). Founding and demise of Convent Old Pupils' Association. Foreign students as boarders. Even provided hostel facilities for working girls. Starting of Katong Convent in 1930. Expansion of Convent in Victoria Street. St Theresa's Convent in 1932. Tamil schools in Ophir Road in 1937. How St Nicholas School started. Commercial class and pre-university course also set up. Vernacular schools' syllabus different from English schools. Boys also admitted in early days and directed to St Joseph's Institution (SJI) after Standard 2.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 15
Metadata
- 28 Dec 1982
Recording Date
- 00:28:00
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
People sought shelter in Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (CHIJ) during the war. Japanese taught in school. Sisters and orphans evacuated to Bahau; Sisters from other Orders as well. Minimal number of Sisters left behind. Finances for running Convent during Japanese Occupation. Some Sisters interned in Changi Prison. Katong Convent converted to sanatorium by Japanese. Description of Good Shepherd Sisters and Carmelites; services they provided.
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Reel/Disc 10 of 15
Metadata
- 28 Dec 1982
Recording Date
- 00:27:16
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Mission at St Anthony's Convent (Portuguese Mission). Distance kept between it and Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (CHIJ) (French Mission). Services given by St Anthony's Convent. Common practice in pre-war and early post-war years for local Sisters to be trained in European Convents. Why certain rules and regulations relaxed in various missions after the war. Priesthood in those days and growth in various Orders - Parish Foreign Mission Group, Jesuits.
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