'Iolani School Archives: School History

This page reflects current knowledge of the history of 'Iolani School. History is always revealing itself, providing the opportunity for ongoing learning.

King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma
Images: Hawai'i State Archives, call # PP-97-8-011 and PP-96-4-009

In 1862, following a request from King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma to the Church of England, the first Anglican bishop and priests arrived to establish the Diocese of Honolulu.

"I may mention a very interesting fact, in connection with the subject, that your Majesty is the first independent sovereign who has invited an English Church Establishment into his dominions."
Manley Hopkins to King Kamehameha IV, 9 March 1860, Box 1, Folder 3, MS 127 Manley Hopkins Letters to Kamehameha IV 1858 - 1862, Bishop Museum Archives.

For more about King Kamehameha IV click here.
For more about Queen Emma click here.

Appointed the first Bishop for the missionary district of Honolulu in December 1861, Thomas Nettleship Staley arrived in October 1862 sent by the English Church in response to requests from King Kamehameha IV to establish a mission in his kingdom. He formed the Hawaiian Reformed Catholic Church (later the Anglican Church of Hawai'i). 

In 1863, Bishop Staley, Archdeacon George Mason, and Rev. Edmund Ibbotson, with the patronage of the King and Queen, established St. Alban's College ('Iolani School).

Timeline:
October through December 1862, missionaries arrived, founded the church in the islands, and prepared to open the school.

• 10/11/1862 - Bishop Thomas N. Staley, Archdeacon George Mason, Rev. Edmund Ibbotson arrive. Rev. William R. Scott arrives soon after.
• 10/12/1862 - First service in the Hawaiian Kingdom
• 10/25/1862 - Hawaiian Reformed Catholic Church charter accepted at the courthouse
• 11/08/1862 - Notice in the Polynesian newspaper that a "Collegiate Grammar School for Young Gentlemen" would be opening soon.
• 11/09/1862 - First Hawaiian language service.
• 12/14/1862 - First service in Lahaina, Maui
• 12/27/1862 - Polynesian newspaper announcement that school will start January 12, 1863 at the Parsonage House, Kukui Street (behind the temporary cathedral; temporary; Mason residence; beginning of St. Alban's College). "The Warden will receive a limited number of boarders."
• Summer 1863 - Rev. Scott establishes an English day school for boys in Lahaina, Maui

Bishop Thomas Nettleship Staley 

(Bishop of Honolulu 1861- 1870)

Appointed first Bishop for the missionary district of Honolulu in December 1861. Staley arrived in October 1862, sent by the English Church in response to requests from King Kamehameha IV to establish a mission in his kingdom. He formed the Hawaiian Reformed Catholic Church (later the Anglican Church of Hawai'i). 

In 1863, Bishop Staley, Archdeacon George Mason, and Rev. Edmund Ibbotson, with the patronage of the King and Queen, established St. Alban's College ('Iolani School).

For more about Bishop Staley click here.

'Iolani was founded as an all boys school. The implementation to coeducation was gradual.

• Coeducation began in Fall 1979 (school year 1979/80).
• Grade 7 (class of 1985) is the youngest coeducational grade at onset in SY 1979/80.
• 1982- two girls appear in the class graduation photograph.
• 1983- First large group of girls appearing in class graduation photograph.
• Fall 1985 (SY 1985/86) girls began entering kindergarten.
• First Daughters of ‘Iolani = class of 1998

Many changes have taken place in the long history of the school; including name changes:

• St. Alban's College
• Lahainalalo or Luaehu College (in Lahaina)
• Iolani College (also known as Bishop's College School)
• 'Iolani School

Conflicting Information
In materials reviewed, ‘Iolani as the school name has been attributed to both Queen Emma and King Kamehameha V.
Primary source documentation has yet to be explored in order to make the determination.
Kamehameha V is mentioned as naming the school in the
Hawaiian Church Chronicle, August 1930, page 3:

"On an official visit to the school, Kamehameha V gave it the name of Iolani."

"Very soon, however, Mr. Mason leased the Booth premises in Pauoa, and the school was transferred to that place. A new building was immediately put up and duly inaugurated, Queen Emma giving it the name of Iolani School.
(Note- The late Pierre Jones told Bishop Restarick that Kamehameha V gave Iolani its name.)"

Source: Andrews, Lorrin. A Dictionary of the Hawaiian Language. 1865. p. 74.
Iolana, v. See Lana. To float in the air, as a bird.
Note: "Iolana" appears, not "Iolani"

Source: Judd, Henry P., Mary Kawena Pukui, and John F. G. Stokes. Introduction to the Hawaiian Language. Honolulu: Tongg Publishing, 1943. p. 247.
io, hawk

Source: Pukui, Mary Kawena, and Samuel H. Elbert. Hawaiian Dictionary: Hawaiian-English, English-Hawaiian. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1986. p. 102 

Since its small beginnings, the needs of 'Iolani School have grown and changed. Campus location has changed several times to meet those needs.

• Parsonage House, Kukui Street, Honolulu, O'ahu: 1863 briefly
• Ka'ala, Pauoa Valley, O'ahu: 1863 - 1888
• Lahaina, Maui: End of 1863 or 1864 - 1868
• Bates Street, Nu'uanu Valley, O'ahu: 1873 - 1901
• St. Andrew's Cathedral Grounds, Honolulu, O'ahu: 1901 - 1927
• Judd Street and Nu'uanu Avenue, O'ahu: 1927 - June 1953
• Kamoku Street (Ala Wai Campus), Honolulu, O'ahu: Nov. 1946 - present

O'ahu - Maui Merger

(Click to enlarge clip.)

~   ~   ~

(Click to enlarge clip.)

Archdeacon George Mason

(Warden 1863-64, 1868-72)

Archdeacon Mason was part of the initial party that arrived on O‘ahu with Bishop Staley in 1862. He played a crucial role in establishing the school and was the first Warden.
The 1862 newspaper article announcing opening of registration states that

"The Warden will receive a limited number of boarders.
The School will be conducted for the present at the Parsonage House."

For more about Rev. Mason click here.

An Episcopal school from its founding, 'Iolani became an independent school
January 20, 1942.

Clip from the Hawaiian Church Chronicle, February 1942
(Click to enlarge clip.)

This list, compiled from our sources in the Archives, is not definitive or all-inclusive; much of the early information is unavailable or unclear. Titles were used inconsistently and sometimes interchangeably. Years indicate the end of the school year; for example, "1950" denotes the 1949-50 school year. 

Hawai'i Education Reports

Available digitally via HathiTrust from various collecting institutions.