The year was 1951. The first Asian Principal of the School, Mrs. Lim Bock Kee, started a small association of 35 alumnae. They elected as their President, Tan Kah Joo (later known as Datin Aw Kow), a member of the prominent Haw Par family.
The Association was named the Fairfield Methodist Girls’ School Alumni Association. The group’s first activities were an Alumni Picnic and an Alumni Dinner, held at the sprawling grounds of Haw Par Lodge. Back then, Alumni Dinners were held at Christmas, at 178 Neil Road. Often, husbands and boyfriends were roped in to the events, making the occasions cosy and enjoyable family affairs.
In this way, the alumni network grew and established itself. In 1961, the Association was formally registered as a society with a Constitution and membership protocol. In 1963, the Alumni Dinner was merged with the School’s 75th Anniversary Dinner, and was a celebration of much grandeur in the old School Hall. This marked the beginning of a long and rewarding relationship between the Association and the School, in a tradition that became the icon of our partnership. The Association grew from strength to strength.
Driving forces included alumni-teachers Tan Tin Kim, Cheong Yuen Lin and Tan (neé Sim) Geok Keng. Others who served tirelessly, managing the Association alongside the school, included Liu Lai Wan, Cheong (neé Lim) Poh Choo and Lee (neé Hoo) Mui Lee.
Their leadership and dedication over several decades galvanised successive generations of school-leavers to maintain and strengthen ties with the school.
In the ‘70s, the Dinners became also the Graduation Dinners for school-leavers. Over time, these became the school’s birthday on 4th August, by then commemorated as Founder’s Day.
From then on, the Association’s Annual Dinners became major Founder’s Day events at hotels, much looked forward to by Fairsians, both young and old. In 1983, Fairfield relocated to Dover Road, expanding into separate Primary and Secondary Schools, and becoming co-ed. The Association geared up to welcome its first male alumnus in 1986.
In 1988, the Association had its most memorable moment celebrating the Schools’ 100th year at the Fairfield Centenary Dinner with Mr Wee Kim Wee, the President of Singapore at the time.
In 2000, it revamped the Constitution to reflect the School’s change of name, its co-educational enrolment, and expansion into 2 separate Schools. It was renamed “The Fairfield Methodist Schools’ Alumni Association”. Changing economics also called for changes to membership fees, hitherto entrenched in the Constitution. 2000 also saw the Association’s newsletter officially named “In Tandem“, a name chosen to underline the dynamics of the Association‘s role alongside the 2 schools.
Throughout its history, the Association played a critical role in each of the Schools’ fundraising projects.
It funded a Reading Programme at the Primary School, and started the tradition of awarding examination fee bursaries annually to O and N level students.