Chuang Chu Lin

Introduction

Chuang Chu Lin (庄竹林; 1900 ﹘1973) was originally from Huian County, Fujian province, China. He completed his primary and secondary education in Fujian and graduated from Fukien Christen University. Chuang went to America in 1929 to study at the University of Michigan. He graduated with a master in municipal administration and, subsequently, a doctorate degree in political science in 1933. He was later employed by Sun Yat-sen University as a professor teaching political science. Chuang came to Singapore in 1939 to be the principal of Chung Cheng High School, where he remained for 18 years. Under Chuang’s leadership, Chung Cheng High School became the largest secondary school in Singapore. In 1957, he was arrested by the government due to student activism in Chung Cheng High School, but was later released. He was the vice-chancellor of Nanyang University from 1960 to 1964. Chuang passed away on 4 January 1973. The elegiac couplet written by his students reads: “He founded Chung Cheng, developed Nanyang University, and dedicated his life to education. These are his achievements. He was like the rain blessing the earth, and a spring wind blowing gently on everyone. The mountains shall lie crumbled and the trees ruined as they mourn at his passing.”

Selected books on Chuang Chu Lin

• Suryadinata, L. (Ed.). (2012). Southeast Asian personalities of Chinese descent: A biographical dictionary. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asia, pp. 198﹘201. Call no.: RSING 959.004951 SOU This is a dictionary of Chinese personalities, which includes Chuang Chu Lin, who settled down across Southeast Asia.

• 中正中学 [Chung Cheng High School]. (1980). 《新加坡中正中学创校四十周年纪念特刊》 [Chung Cheng High School 40th anniversary souvenir magazine]. 新加坡: 中正中学, pp. 185﹘206. Call no.: RSING 373.5957 CHU This souvenir magazine was published by Chung Cheng High School with a section dedicated to Chuang Chu Lin, the school’s founding principal. It contains several articles about Chuang, his contributions to the school, epitaph, as well as sculptures and paintings of him in the school.

• 中正中学变画五十年美展工委会 [Chung Cheng High School’s working committee of “After 50 years” art exhibition]. (2004). 《母校首任校长庄竹林博士》 [Our founding principal, Chuang Chu Lin]. 新加坡: 中正中学变画五十年美展工委会. Call no.: RSING 370.92 MXS The book is a compilation of articles about Chuang Chu Lin that were previously published in various publications.

• 中联出版社编委会 [Editorial team of Zhong Lian Publishing House]. (1957). 《庄竹林是怎样的人物》 [What was Chuang Chu Lin like?]. 新加坡: 中联出版社. Call no.: RCLOS 370.92 ZZL -[HYT]. This biography of Chuang Chu Lin examines his life until his arrest in 1957. It details his arrest as well as his banishment order that was later retracted by the government.

• 邱新民 [Qiu, X. M.]. (1989). 《庄竹林博士传 : 一代宗师教育家》 [The Educationist: biography of Chuang Chu Lin]. 新加坡: 胜友书局. Call no.: RSING 370.92 QXM This is a detailed biography of Chuang Chu Lin, which features numerous photographs, photocopied articles written by Chuang as well as documents signed by him.

• 柯木林. (主编). [Ke, M. L. (Ed.).] (1995). 《新华历史人物列传》 [Who’s who in the Chinese community of Singapore]. 新加坡: 教育出版公司, p. 19. Call no.: RSING 959.570092 WHO-[HIS]. The book contains the biographies of 1,175 Chinese personalities in Singapore, covering the period from 1819 to 1990. Each biography contains information on the birth and death dates, dialect group, occupation and affiliated organisations of the Chinese personality. Chuang Chu Lin’s biography is also included.

• 方百成 & 杜南发. (编委主任). [Fang, B. C. & Du, N. F. (Ed.).] (2012). 《世界福建名人录, 新加坡编》 [Prominent figures of the world Fujian communities: Singapore]. 新加坡: 新加坡福建会馆, pp. 46﹘47. Call no.: RSING 920.05957 PRO This book contains the biographies of 155 Chinese Hokkien personalities in Singapore from 1819 to 2012. Chuang Chu Lin’s biography is also included, along with details on his contributions to education in Singapore.

• 柯木林, 林孝胜 & 张清江. (主编). [Ke, M. L., Lin, X, S. & Zhang, Q. J. (Eds.).] (2015). 《新加坡华人通史》 [A general history of the Chinese in Singapore]. 新加坡: 新加坡宗乡会馆, p. 743. Call no.: RSING 959.57004951 GEN Appended at the end of this book are the biographies of 50 selected prominent Chinese, including Chuang Chu Lin, who contributed to the Singapore Chinese community in one way or another.

Selected multimedia resources on Chuang Chu Lin

• Yong Nyuk Lin at convocation of Nanyang University 1960. (1960, April 2). Retrieved from National Archives of Singapore website: http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/ Former Minister for Education Yong Nyuk Lin gave a speech at the 1960 convocation at Nanyang University. Delivering a speech in Teochew before Yong had been Chuang Chu Lin, then the vice-chancellor of Nanyang University.

Selected government records on Chuang Chu Lin

• Singapore Government Press Statement. (1958, August 6). Release of Dr Chuang Chu Lin [Press release]. Retrieved from National Archives of Singapore website: http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/. A press release from the government on the cancellation of Chuang Chu Lin’s banishment order and his release from Changi Prison.

• The National Archives (United Kingdom). CO 1030/578: Action taken against subversion in Singapore Secret. Retrieved from National Archives of Singapore website: http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/. This government file contains correspondence on the proposed banishment of Chuang Chu Lin.

Selected newspaper articles on Chuang Chu Lin

• School to put up statue of its founder. (1979, May 5). The Straits Times, p. 15. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. The article announced that Chung Cheng High School would put up a statue of their founding principal, Chuang Chu Lin. It also contains a short biography of Chuang.

• Former Nantah head Dr Chuang dies, aged 73. (1973, January 5). The Straits Times, p. 10. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. An article on the passing of Chuang Chu Lin, who was to be buried at Choa Chu Kang Cemetery. A timeline of Chuang’s life was also featured.

• 中正之父庄竹林. (1989, April 9). 《联合早报》 [Lianhe Zaobao], p. 36. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. This report summarises Chuang Chu Lin’s career as the principal of Chung Cheng High School and vice-chancellor of Nanyang University.

• 庄竹林. (2011, March 5). 《联合早报》 [Lianhe Zaobao], p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. The article features a short write-up about Chuang Chu Lin and Chung Cheng High School. It also contains anecdotes of people who knew Chuang.

• 湖畔树秀木竹林育英才. (1998, May 10). 《联合早报》 [Lianhe Zaobao], p. 42. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. This report covers Chuang Cheng Lin and Chung Cheng High School, including how Chuang set up the school. It also mentions his arrests by the Japanese during the occupation and by the colonial government in 1957.

• 庄校长最大愿望： 办万人中学. (1998, May 10). 《联合早报》[Lianhe Zaobao], p. 42. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. This article examines Chuang Chu Lin, Chung Cheng High School, Nanyang University, as well as Chuang’s arrest in 1957.

• 庄竹林校长. (2009, August 13). 《联合早报》 [Lianhe Zaobao], p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. This article features students reminiscing about their principal, Chuang Chu Lin.

• 尽瘁教育桃李满天下庄竹林博士昨仙逝今日及明日为探丧之期賻仪全部移充纪念庄博士教育基金. (1973, January 5). 《南洋商报》 [Nanyang Shangbao], p. 4. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. This article is a report on the death of Chuang Chu Lin, members of the funeral committee as well as the setting up of a scholarship in Chuang’s name.