Punahou School
Punahou School, formerly
O'ahu College, is a private, co-educational, non-sectarian college preparatory school located in
Honolulu, Hawai'i. With a student body that averages 3700 students annually in kindergartern through the twelfth grarde, Punahou College is one of the largest independent schools in the
United States.
Founded in
1841 as O'ahu College, Punahou School was originally a school for the children of
Congregationalist missionaries serving throughout the
Pacific region. The land on which Punahou School sat was a gift of
Queen Kaahumanu to the
Rev. Hiram Bingham, the first Christian missionary in Hawai'i. The first class was held on
July 11,
1842 and consisted of only fifteen students.
Folklore
Punahou School derives its current name from local folklore about the area's water source. According to the story, an aged Hawaiian couple lived on the land but had to travel quite a distance for water. As this was difficult for a couple of their age, they prayed for a spring. In a dream they were told to uproot the stump of an old pandanus tree. Upon doing so, they discovered a spring which they named Ka Punahou, which in Hawaiian language literally means the new spring. Located beside the school chapel, the spring is the centerpiece of the Punahou School campus.
Recent Developments
A generous gift by AOL founder Steve Case, a Punahou graduate of 1976, led to construction of a new middle school for grades 6-8. The new middle school is scheduled to open in August 2004.
Notable Students
\n* Bingham, Hiram, III, U.S. Senator from Connecticut\n* Case, Steve, America Online founder\n* Kalanianaole, Jonah Kuhio, Prince of Hawai'i\n* Obama, Barack, Illinois politician\n* Wie, Michelle, youngest winner of an adult USGA and PGA golf tournament
Links
\n* Punahou School official Web site
Category:Education in Hawaii\nCategory:Private education in Hawaii
