Today Online has a letter from reader Ms Trina Tan Ker Wei. This is a follow-up to https://www.ova.org.sg/2009/04/in-the-news-whats-wrong-with-todays-kids/
From Today Online, 22nd April 2009
Keep up the reputation your seniors have built up
Wednesday • April 22, 2009
Letter from Trina Tan Ker Wei
I refer to “Nothing wrong with Victorians” (April 22) from Mr Zaveed Husref.
I am sorry that Mr Husref felt I “insulted generations of Victorians”. In my original letter to the Today, I noted: “Based on what I witnessed, Victoria School appears to have failed in upholding its school mission of producing Victorians who are gentlemen – and that is most disappointing since almost all the former VS boys I have had the pleasure of knowing over the years have been well-mannered, considerate men with good social graces.”
It was most unfortunate that the latter part of the sentence was edited out – otherwise Mr Husref would understand that one of the main source of my disappointment arising from the incident arose from having outstanding Victorian alumni (both from Victoria School and Victoria Junior College) as my friends, and my own mother.
I do not believe I should be called narrow-minded. Instead, perhaps I was too naïve to expect the younger Victorians to have the same social graces as Victorian alumni.
It is surprising though that Mr Husref implied because “clearing trays are part of crew members’ jobscope”, we can leave our tables messy and not clear out trays after use.
That is tantamount to saying that because we pay taxes and conservancy fees, we can litter the streets and urinate in HDB lifts as the sweepers and cleaners employed with our money are paid to clean up anyway.
Just because crew members are paid to clean up after us does not mean that we should not clear our trays.Just because some Singaporeans do not clear their trays does not mean that the rest of us should follow suit.
It is about having social graces, about being decent to our fellow humans, about having basic manners. And that is something all Singaporeans, Victorians or otherwise, should have. We shouldn’t only be polite when it is convenient, it should be a part of our daily lives.
Lastly, I apologise for my “failures” comment to Victorians. As Mr Husref reminded me, Victorians “should be allowed the occasional lack of perfection” and I shouldn’t have used so harsh a phrase. But I urge the boys to strive to upkeep the reputation their seniors have built up – I, as a non-Victorian, have always been very impressed by Victorians, and I hope I can continue to be so.
Source: http://www.todayonline.com/articles/315337print.asp
Contributed by Harish.