Report Card Days

The 1930s was a time when people thought that schooling for girls was unimportant. For the fortunate few who managed to receive an education, the opportunity to be able to study in a school was something that they really treasured. The fear of not being able to continue studying was great. The following diary entries are based on oral history accounts and the report cards of girls who studied at the Singapore Chinese Girls’ School in the 1930s.

I am ten years and ten months old. I am in Standard Three and I go to the Singapore Chinese Girls’ School. I study many things in school like Arithmetic, History, Geography, Grammar and Needlework. I enjoy going to school because I can make new friends and play games. It is more fun than staying at home.

Dear Diary, Yesterday was Report Card Day. Mama had never been to school so she could not read or write. Papa read out my results to her. She was happy with my results because I did not fail in any of the subjects. However, when Papa read out what Teacher wrote at the end of the report card, he was not pleased to hear that I was weak in my penmanship. Mama said that she would make sure I practised my penmanship until it was good. I promised Papa that I would do better.

Dear Diary, We received our report cards again last week. Mama was not pleased with me because Teacher had written that I was untidy in appearance. My general tidiness was only graded as ‘Fairly Good’. She expected me to have perfect tidiness at all times because I was a girl. Papa tried to pacify her by saying that I took after him and it was not my fault. Mama ticked him off and said, “Are you going to say that to her future mother-in-law when she comes complaining about your daughter’s untidiness?” Papa looked at me and I had to make a promise to be neat and tidy at all times.

Dear Diary, Report cards again. Mama was unhappy because my teacher had written that I was untidy as well as careless. She reprimanded me, “Isn’t it enough to be untidy? Must you be careless as well?” I was really scared that Papa wouldbe angry too because my marks were not so good this term. However, he was very kind. He looked at my report card from the first term and saw that the marks for all the important subjects like English, Geography, History and Arithmetic had improved. He told Mama that I got only 71 marks for Arithmetic then but now it’s 94!

I was so happy to hear that. That meant I could continue to go to school. Next year, I will be in Standard Four! Hurray!