College Motto

The school's motto "The best is yet to be" is adapted from Robert Browning's poem 'Rabbi ben Ezra'.

Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be
The last of life, for which the first was made:
Our times are in His Hand
Who saith, "A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half, trust God:
See all, nor be afraid!"

The quotation "The best is yet to be" is attributed to Henry Martyn Hoisington in 1929. It has subsequently been quoted and other ACSians as the ACS motto as a reminder that whatever success achieved cannot be final, but that ACSians should always strive for even better performance and fight against being proud and superior. It has remained as the rallying call to ACSians and was incorporated into the ACS shield in 1959.

School Crest

The ACS shield was devised by Mr Yap Pheng Geck when he was teaching in ACS.

Placed in chief azure above the three letters of the school name is a golden creature with a lion's head, eagle's wings and a dragon's body with claws, representing that fact that the School was founded when Singapore was a British colony, by an American Methodist mission and during the Qing Dynasty in China. Technically, this creature is an heraldic wyvern.

The lower part of the field consists of two panels, blue and gold, which represent heaven and earth. The colours also symbolize both spiritual and material accomplishment. The letters "ACS" in red symbolize life forming a bridge between both; they also symbolize the blood of Christ uniting heaven and earth. In addition to the school name, the letters ACS are also variously said to spell out Academic achievements, Christian Character, and Sportsmanship or Service beyond self.

Finally, the overall shield shape represents the knightly virtues of chivalry, honour, loyalty, valour and manliness.

"The age between 16 to 18 are very important, even critical for teenagers. We stop being kids, We become young adults with more opportunities and also more responsibilities. We mix much more with the opposite sex. For the boys, it is just before most of us will enter National Service. I remember my time at ACJC in the tumult of those years of personal growth. There were opportunities in College for friendship and learning, and to develop new interests and a moral compass. I also did some studying and was encouraged by the interest and supervision that a number of our teachers gave us. Because I was then a keen tennis player, I had an offer to join another college instead of ACJC. Although I was tempted, and some of my friends from ACS did not continue in the College, I feel I made the right decision. I remain in touch with a number of friends I made in those years. Indeed, many of the lessons that I learnt in the classroom and also from the overall experience of ACJC remain with me."

College Motto

School Crest

Mr Simon Tay

Chairman, National Environment Agency

Chairman, Singapore Institute of International Affairs

Class of 2AD3 - 1979