What have we learnt?

We've learnt that a small action in the society can lead to major events like riots. Riots causes deaths and injuries which I believe all of us do not want that. We can see from the sources how much damaged was done during the 3-days riot just by closing down SCMSSU. Angry students overturned cars, threw stones and police had to stop them using tear gas.

This riot showed us that we should always think of the consequences before doing anything. Although closing down of SCMSSU led to riots by Chinese middle schools students, it was fair as the union violated the registration conditions. The students, however, should not have created a havoc after they did something they are not supposed to. They should have thought of other people like their parents, who had to worry everyday hoping their child would not be killed or caught by the police. Innocent people might have been injured or killed because they were present at the riot. The students should not have thought of themselves only and should think of the impacts that would make of their actions.

We also learnt that we should settle problems with the best solution. The riot might not have happened if they thought of a better way to settle the problem instead of using violence. Maybe Lim Yew Hock could also have prevented the riot by giving the Union a warning instead of closing it down. If he were to give the Union a second chance, they would have stop their involvement in the political activities and the riot would not have happened. People would not be killed or injured.

Another important thing we learnt is that riots can cause a lot of destruction and take away innocent lives. For example, 13 people that were killed in the riot could have been avoided. Also, if riots are not settled quickly, it may escalate to much bigger problems that may even cause more damage. We shouldn't take things for granted. We are able to live peacefully today is all because we have learnt the mistakes from the past. We should be grateful for it.

Where to find sources and how to cite them?

- We can find them from :
    Internet, textbooks, newspapers and books.

- How to cite them :
   Get the main point and link it to our question and see how relevant the source is.
   See if the details and information in a source are relevant to the question .

Why should we remember the 1950s and the early 1960s today?

It is important to study and remember the past as to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. History is littered with politicians who have not studied the past and have fallen into the same trap as their predecessors. The study of history is important to understand why things are as they are. Finally, it is also important to remember those who made sacrifices (often their very lives) to ensure our freedoms. We must also not forget the past of our ancestors. Some have accomplished great deeds and some are famous. 

Journal of our meetings

FIRST MEETING
We had our first meeting at the airport on a Saturday. We looked through many different webpages and collated the information. We started on the '5Ws1H' blog post and also thought about why we should remember the 1950s and the early 1960s today. After that, we decided to do another blog post to explain why Lim Yew Hock decided to close down the SCMSSU.

SECOND MEETING
The following Saturday, we met up at the airport again to complete our project. We added pictures to the blog posts and completed the '5Ws1H' blog post. We found 8 sources relevant to the Chinese middle School Riots and created another blog post to put up the sources.

8 sources

Source 1
http://remembersingapore.wordpress.com/2011/01/24/headlines-that-shook-singapore/

Students gathered at the Chinese High School and Chung Cheng High School for protests, and refused to soften their stand even after their parents’ persuasion. On 26 October, police forced their ways into the schools and dispersed the students using tear gas.
The angry students took to the streets, throwing stones at the police and overturning the cars. Curfews were imposed by the government, as more than 900 were arrested. The riots caused 13 lives and left more than 100 injured. The detainees were released in 1959 after the People’s Action Party (PAP) won the election to form the government.

 http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/independence/headline/sch56a.html

Source 2 
Taken from the Straits Times, Oct 11 195( http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/independence/headline/sch56a.html)
Singapore police were alerted last night when more than 4,000 students took over control of two of the Colony's largest Chinese middle schools. As tension mounted at the Chung Cheng School in Goodman Road and the Chinese High School in Bukit Timah Road, the principals and most of the teachers went away, leaving the students in complete control. About 1,000 students gathered at the Chinese High School and about 3,000 at the Chung Cheng School. Meetings were held at both schools. Resolutions were passed condemning the Government's action. Many girl students wept. It is understood the students plan to march to the Education Ministry today to protest against the expulsion of their colleagues. They also plan to boycott classes today. 

Source 3



Source 4



Source 5
http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/independence/ref/riot56.html

On Oct 24, the government issued an ultimatum that the schools be vacated. As the deadline approached, rioting started at the Chinese High School.

The riots spread to other parts of the island. They lasted five days. 13 people were killed and more than 100 were injured.

Hundreds of people were arrested, including Lim Chin Siong, who remained in detention until the Lee Kuan Yew government freed him in 1959, after winning the elections.

Source 6

http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/independence/headline/sch56.html

Source 7

http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=BH88kpvyrdYC&pg=PA280&lpg=PA280&dq=On+16+May,+1955,+over+2000+students+forced+their+way+into+Chung+Cheng+High+School+and+threatened+to+camp+there+until+the+government+abolished+the+%22+colonial+educational+policy%22+released+the+student+detainees,+and&source=bl&ots=IIvMqfVsPb&sig=BW7yNoWgSU7TPN4pr3T18ngd6w4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=BXr9U_OCK8-QuAS82IH4DQ&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=On%2016%20May%2C%201955%2C%20over%202000%20students%20forced%20their%20way%20into%20Chung%20Cheng%20High%20School%20and%20threatened%20to%20camp%20there%20until%20the%20government%20abolished%20the%20%22%20colonial%20educational%20policy%22%20released%20the%20student%20detainees%2C%20and&f=false

On 16 May, 1955, over 2000 students forced their way into Chung Cheng High School and threatened to camp there until the government abolished the " colonial educational policy" released the student detainees, and  repealed the School Registration Ordiance. 

Source 8

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/376486b7-a68b-4a2b-acad-97e0b678a8e7

On 10 October, Chew ordered 11 Chinese middle schools to expel 142 students and terminate the service of two teachers, while seven other teachers were issued warnings. In response, a group of about 1,000 Chinese High School students and 3,000 Chung Cheng High School students took over control of their schools, putting up anti-government posters and holding meetings with resolutions passed condemning the government’s action. Students from other Chinese middle schools and the Nanyang University also appeared to support the cause. On 12 October, Chew ordered the schools to close temporarily

5Ws1H

WHO was involved?

- Lim Chin Siong
- Fong Swee Suan
- Devan Nair
- Chinese Middle School Students

WHEN did the riot happen?
5 October 1956
It lasted for 5 days.

WHERE did the riot take place?
- Roads
- Streets
- Schools

Lim Yew Hock

David Marshall

WHY did the riot take place?
In 1956, after Lim Yew Hock replaced David Marshall as the Chief Minister of Singapore, he began to take tough measures to suppress communist activities with the support of the British Governor and Commissioner of Police. He deregistered and banned two pro-communist organizations: The Singapore Women's Association and the Chinese Musical Gong Society. The Singapore Chinese Middle School Students Union (SCMSSU) was also dissolved. Therefore, the Chinese Middle School students protested as they were angry that the SCMSSU was banned.

HOW did the students riot?

They hung black veils on the school gates and classroom doors and recited "mourning speeches" to signify the death of "popular will end democracy".

The Chinese Middle School students gathered and camped in Chung Cheng High School and Chinese High School at night to prepare a long peaceful protest. They set-in for 2 weeks, organizing meetings and holding demonstrations. 13500 students created havoc in streets. Although the government issued an ultimatum that the schools must be vacated, the riots started at The Chinese High School when the deadline drew near. With that, the government decided to take action. The police entered the school on 26 October 1956 and tried clearing the students with tear gas. Being forced out of the school, the students headed for the city. They then overturned cars and damaged traffic lights. They also threw stones and bottles. After Chew Swee Kee expelled 142 students, a group of about 1000 Chinese High students and 3000 Chung Cheng High Students took over control of their schools, putting up anti-government posters and holding meetings with resolution by putting up anti-government posters and holding meetings with resolutions passed condemning the government's action. Students from other chinese middle schools such as Nanyang University also contributed to the cause. Chew Swee Kee ordered the schools to close temporarily.

Other than students, their parents also supported them by providing supplies to them while they were staging a stay-in demo at Chung Cheng High School.

WHAT happened in the end?

Lim Yew Hock suppressed the riots and the British was pleased with him. 142 students were expelled and 900 were detained. 13 people killed and about 100 injured. 4 student leaders from Chinese High School and Chung Cheng High School were also arrested. By 2 November, lessons were resumed in all schools except Chung Cheng High School and Chinese High School, but both schools were later reopened on 13 November. The detainees were released after People Action Party (PAP) won the election to form the government.

WHY? WHY? WHY?

So why did Lim Yew Hock close down the SCMSSU?

When SCMSSU was officially registered in 6 October 1955, the agenda of the union must be clearly laid out and the union should not, under any circumstances, be involved in any political activities. However, less than a year later, on 24 September 1956, the SCMSSU was dissolved by Lim Yew Hock on grounds of violating the registration condition. The Minister for Education, Chew Swee Kee, explained more about why the union had been deregistered. 

"The Ministry took steps to fully access the activities of the SCMSSU before arriving at this conclusion. During our investigations, we discovered that the union was peripheral organization of the Communists. Although the union was registered under special conditions to prohibit involvement in any political activities, the union has violated the condition and grouped with other Communist parties to participate in political activities. The Government has in the past detained several students connected to the Communist Party under the Internal Security Act, and one of the students was a committee member of the SCMSSU. he has disclosed secret and illegal documents of the Malayan Communist Party." -Chew Swee Kee, Minister for Education