The archived photos about Selegie House are curated from the National Archives of Singapore with courtesy to share on this blog.  The building under construction along Selegie Road, Singapore in 1962.  Selegie House was officially opened by former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on 31 May 1963.

This personal blog is inspired by the demise of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the Founding Father of Modern Singapore on 23 March, 2015. Lee Kuan Yew said:  “At the end of the day, what have I got?  A successful Singapore.  What have I given up?  My life”.

Singaporeans and people all over the world who know Lee Kuan Yew are emotionally moved and touched by the departure of a great Man who completed his extraordinary human tasks with the blessings of all the Divine Providence.  He would simply present his report card of his life to whoever the God the Creator who sent him on a successful and fulfilling mission to this “Little Red Dot on the map called Singapore”! Rest in Peace with your beloved lifetime wife for many eons in the Pure Land, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

In his eulogy (selected excerpt for the blog) at the cremation ceremony on 29 March, 2015, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: “We are gathered here to say our final farewells to Papa – Mr Lee Kuan Yew. After the formalities of the Lying in State and the State Funeral Service, in this final hour Papa is with his family, his friends of a lifetime, his immediate staff who served him loyally and well, his security team who kept him safe and sound, and his medical team who took such good care of him. So much has been said about Papa’s public life in the past few days. His public life is something we share with all of Singaporeans, with the world. But we were privileged to know him as a father, a grandfather, an elder brother, a friend, a strict but compassionate boss, the head of the family”.

Changi-Simei Grassroots Leader Tan Kim Hock said: After grieving and shedding tears, it’s time we picked ourselves up again and face the reality with guts and gumption to carry on with our lives. We owe it to our beloved founding father to ensure that his life-time miraculous work, achieved at great sacrifice to himself and his family, will not be discounted with his passing. We should promise him to build on his excellent work and keep Singapore strong and prosperous for generations to come. We will always remember you; we will ensure that our children and grandchildren and their children and grandchildren will always walk tall and be proud to be Singaporeans.
Thank you, dear Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

My fellow Outramian Alvin Oon  created this inspiring video “Spirit of Our Fathers” on YouTube written and arranged by him to share on Facebook :

Our founding father and first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew has left us. He had done so much for Singapore and we are so thankful for all his efforts and determination to make Singapore what it is today. This original music video celebrates his undying spirit which he had imparted in all of us. It is dedicated to all Singaporeans who have shown amazing unity and spirit of one people, one nation, one Singapore. Let us all rise to the occasion to stand up and keep the Spirit of our Fathers strong!

Today, Singaporeans and our guest workers, both public and private enterprises are back to business as usual.  Lee Kuan Yew would be looking at us from up above to get back to work and do whatever we need to do for the continuity of his job set out to rule in 1959.  Strive on heedfully, fellow Singaporeans to work together for future generations. Bring happiness, peace, harmony, prosperity and progress forward to the peoples of Singapore!

With courtesy of my blogger friend Victor Koo on related blog topics here .  The additional information to share with thanks.

Selegie Road itself connects two high-traffic areas of the Orchard Road and Little India belts. At about 300 metres long, Short Street is well, short. Selegie area itself is a mix of education institutions, commercial buildings, hotels, and Indian saree shops. There are also interesting historic buildings like the David Elias Building, Rex Cinema and Ellison Building.

When Selegie House was constructed in the early sixties, it became one of the tallest buildings in Singapore. The housing estate officially opened in 1963 during Housing Development Board’s (HDB) second five-year-plan from 1960 to 1965. It consists of three blocks, two 10-storey tall and the other 20-storey tall. Towering by sixties’ standards. Back then, it was a housing project so impressive it drew bystander crowds on its opening.

Selegie House set a precedent as a successful early HDB project. The 505 housing units were fitted with fast lifts, electricity, water and gas supplies. Phone lines were also installed. While the estate may not occupy a large compound, it still offers residents community spaces like sitting areas, an outdoor badminton court and exercise corner. The approximate 40 shops on the ground floor range from provision shop to hair salon to printing services. There is also a Singapura Seafood Restaurant, which exudes an old world charm of the seventies.

In the sixties however, it was another school that had claiming rights as the darling of Selegie. The ten-storey tall Selegie Integrated School, which opened in 1963, was believed to be the tallest school in Southeast Asia. An integrated school then simply means a co-ed school for boys and girls today.

Once the tallest school in Singapore, the former 10-storey tall Selegie Integrated School is occupied by student hostels and a private education institution today.

Selegie Integrated School was the first Singapore school to be higher than five storeys and was said to be able to house an estimated 1,500 students in a single session. The school had two sessions. Naturally, there were vertical challenges for a high-rise school. The school had two canteens on separate floors and two large cargo-sized lifts to cater to the large number of students.