School Crests
by Kenneth Lyen
Anglo-Chinese School
The Anglo-Chinese School crest depicts a chimera composed of the head of a lion, eagle wings, and a dragon body. Why were these animals chosen? The school was founded in 1886, at a time when Singapore was a British colony (lion), the founder, William Fitzjames Oldham, was an American (eagle), and the original cohort of students were of immigrant families from China (dragon). The animals symbolize courage, strength, immortality, and power.
Raffles Institution
I am intrigued by Raffles Institution’s (RI) school crest which consists of a griffin (gryphon) and a double-headed eagle. (RI was founded in 1823).
The griffin is a chimera with the body, tail and hind legs of a lion, with the head and wings of an eagle. The amalgamation of the lion and eagle is said to intensify boldness and courage, and denotes bravery and leadership. Note that Trinity College Oxford University uses 3 griffins as part of its college emblem. At the bottom of the RI crest is a double-headed eagle.
The double-headed eagle was first used by the Hittites more than 1000 BCE, and over the millennia this symbol has been used by many empires including the Holy Roman Empire. The eagle’s eyesight is estimated to be 4 to 8 times stronger than that of the average human. The double-headed eagle must therefore possess all-round vision and I think it symbolizes the all-seeing eyes of the institution and its students.
Two Heads Are Better Than One?
We have been brought up with the saying that two heads are better than one. But do Siamese twins think better with two heads? What if they have different tastes? What if one twin wants to sleep and the other wants to stay awake? Then there is the philosophical dilemma if one twin commits a crime, do both get punished?
The Rainbow Centre
The Rainbow Centre comprises three schools at Margaret Drive, Yishun Park and Woodlands. Most of the children are educationally challenged. Some are on the autism spectrum, others have Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and a range of developmental and genetic problems. I chose the rainbow for the schools I founded to represent a number of philosophies that I believe in. To me, firstly, the colours of the rainbow symbolize inclusivity: every child has some ability, some more than others, and one should not discriminate against any of them. Secondly the rainbow expresses hope, and at the end of the rainbow there is a pot of fulfillment and happiness. Third, the rainbow tells us to hold onto our hopes and dreams, and provides a purpose in our lives.
When I first proposed the name Rainbow Centre over 30 years ago, we did not have many children on the autism spectrum. Over the past few decades, we now regard autism as a spectrum. The rainbow spectrum captures this idea wonderfully!
Conclusion
School crests epitomize the core values, principles and philosophy of the educational establishment they represent. They are worth exploring!
Kenneth Lyen
Founders Day 1 March 2020
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