Dr. Thio Chan Bee was the first Asian principal of ACS – he took appointment in 1952 and retired in 1960. He also taught in ACS and was an old boy of the school. He grew up around Veerasamy Road during the Japanese Occupation in Singapore. He was a teacher in ACS during World War II, and had to work for the Japanese during this period. His great grandson also taught in ACS – continuing the tradition of teaching in ACS.

 

Teaching career

 

Thio joined ACS as a trainee teacher in 1921 and became a qualified full-time teacher there a year later. He also taught Sunday school in 1923 at the Straits Chinese Methodist Church (later renamed Kampong Kapor Methodist Church) and was actively involved in the church activities. In 1934, Thio earned an honours degree in history from the University of London. That same year, he resolved to be a fully committed Christian whose life decisions were guided by God, holding himself to high moral standards

 

 

By 1947, Thio had returned to ACS as a vice-principal. He then became the first Asian principal of the school in 1952. Following his retirement as principal of ACS in 1960, Thio was described as “one of the great builders of Methodist schools” by Hobart B. Amstutz, who was then the bishop of the Methodist church in Southeast Asia. Thio was also involved in the select committee in 1948 that studied recommendations on the founding of a “University of Malaya”.  In 1951, he led a group of businessmen and professionals in calling for the establishment of Singapore’s first polytechnic so as to fill the gap of skilled workers in Singapore. When the Singapore Polytechnic was formed in 1954, Thio was appointed to the polytechnic’s board of governors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Political career

 

Thio’s official entered politics in 1946, when he became a non-official member of Singapore’s Advisory Council. In 1948, he joined the Singapore Progressive Party (SPP) became its vice-president for a few years up to 1955. He was made a justice of the peace in 1948, and in the same year represented the Advisory Council at the inauguration ceremony of the Federation of Malaya. During his time in the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly, Thio advocated education reforms – for example the establishment of the Singapore Polytechnic – subsidised public housing by the Singapore Improvement Trust (present-day Housing and Development Board) for the lower-income groups, and social welfare. He was a champion for workers’ rights and was the first member of the council to suggest provident funds for workers (later known as the Central Provident Fund) to help them save for retirement.