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Tao Nan School

Tao Nan School was established on 18 November 1906, financed by the Hokkien Huay Kuan. It was the one of the first six modern Chinese schools to be set up in Singapore. Originally, the school was at Armenian Street. Its ornate building still stands there, housing the Peranakan collection of the Asian Civilisation Museum. In 1982, the new building for the school was completed at Marine Parade.

Early history
Setting up of Tao Nan school was initiated by Tan Boon Liat, grandson of Tan Tock Seng. It gained support from the Hokkien merchants and was aided by the Singapore Hokkien Association (Hokkien Huay Kuan). Chen Baochen, purportedly a tutor of the last Qing Emperor Puyi, was credited for naming the school Daonan Xuetang or "Tao Nan Study Hall". Tan Kim Ching's residence at Siam House, opposite the St Andrew's Cathedral, along North Bridge Road, served as temporary grounds for the school. Its first enrolments saw about 90 to 100 students although this trebled within the first three months. Initially admitting only Hokkien students, it became the first modern Chinese school in Singapore to accept students from different dialect groups in 1909, in order to increase cohesiveness within the Chinese community. Its curriculum was aimed at promoting Chinese culture and appreciating Chinese values with lesson centred on Confucian classics, history and geography. In 1916, it became the first school to turn away from dialects and use Mandarin as the medium of instruction.

Construction of a school building was proposed by Tan Kah Kee. A plot of land at Armenian Street was purchased with $10,000 donated by sugar baron Oei Tiong Ham in 1910. As President of the School Board, Tan Kah Kee embarked on a donation drive to finance the building project. The drive raised S$40 000. The neo-classical school building with features of the French Renaissance was completed in March 1912. The school moved from North Bridge Road to Armenian Street and was renamed Daonan Xuexiao or "Tao Nan School", according to directive from China's Ministry of Education. It subsequently changed its medium of instruction to Mandarin in 1916, making it the first school in Singapore to turn from dialects. It was closed during the Japanese Occupation but was reopened two months after the Japanese surrender. It became a government-aided school in 1958 and improved its standard of English by hiring more English teachers and allotting more time to the subject.

English lessons were introduced in 1914. In 1957, Tao Nan School became a government-aided school and the time allocation for English lessons were increased. The Urban Renewal Programme of 1971 moved numerous families from the city to the suburbs. This led to a decline in student population in Tao Nan until 1976 when the Hokkien Huay Kuan decided that Tao Nan be moved to the suburbs to cater to the population there.

Recent developments
Construction at the new site began in 1980 and by the following year, the building was ready at Marine Parade. After 76 years in the city, Tao Nan moved to Marine Parade in 1982. Its previous building was refurbished as the Asian Civilisation Museum in 1996. In 1998, the building was gazetted a National Monument by the Preservation of Monuments Board as a reflection of the social and cultural roots of the early Chinese immigrants in Singapore.

In 1983, the new building was declared officially open by the then Defence Minister and second Health Minister, Goh Chok Tong. In 1990, the school was selected for the Special Assistance Programme (SAP). Since then, it has established itself as a school providing a well-balanced Chinese and English education. Tao Nan has contributed to public life in Singapore through personalities like Cabinet Minister Yeo Cheow Tong and Minister of State Ow Chin Hock. In 1996, the old Tao Nan School at Armenian Street was converted into the Asian Civilisations Museum.

Tao Nan School graduates include prominent Singaporean public figures such as Lee Kong Chian and Minister of State Ow Chin Hock. Pan Shou, Singapore's award-winning Chinese calligrapher, was also an ex-principal at the old Tao Nan School.



Author
Lim Siew Yeen & Renuka M. 



References
Foo, A. (1997). Collecting memories: The Asian Civilisations Museum at the old Tao Nan School. Singapore: National Heritage Board.
(Call no.: RSING 372.95957 COL)

Samuel, D. S. (1991). Singapore's heritage: Through places of historical interest. Singapore: Elixir Consultancy Service.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 SAM)

The former Tao nan School preservation guidelines (Vol. 1). (1998). Singapore: The Urban Redevelopment Authority.
(Call no.: RSING 363.69095957 FOR)

Tan H. Y. (1996, June 12). Schoolday memories bind Tao Nan's ex-pupils together, The Straits Times, Home, p. 23.


Further Readings
Tao Nan primary school. (1991). Dao nan xue xiao ba shi wu zhou nian ji nian te kan or Tao Nan primary school 85th anniversary commemorative magazine. Singapore: Gai xiao.
(Call no.: RCLOS 372.95957 TAO) 

The information in this article is valid as at 2002 and correct as far as we can ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Architecture and Landscape>>Building Types>>Educational Buildings
Tao Nan School (Singapore)--History
Education, Primary--Singapore--History
Schools, Chinese--Singapore--History
Arts>>Architecture>>Educational buildings
Education>>Elementary education

Librarian Recommendations
>> Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH)
>> Tan Kah Kee
>> Pan Shou


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