La Pietra: Hawaii School for Girls
| La Pietra, Hawaii School For Girls | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
|
2933 Poni Moi Road Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96815 United States |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Private, College-prep, Day |
| Founder | 1964 |
| Head of school | Mahina Hugo |
| Gender | Girls |
| Enrollment | 240 |
| Average class size | 10 |
| Student to teacher ratio | 6:1 |
| Campus type | Urban |
| Color(s) | Royal and Powder Blue |
| Athletics conference | ILH |
| Mascot | Lady Panthers |
| Accreditation | WASC |
| Affiliations | NCGS |
| Website | www.lapietra.edu |
La Pietra: Hawaii School for Girls, also referred to as La Pietra or Hawaii School for Girls, is a private school for girls in grades 6–12 located in Honolulu, Hawaii. Founded in 1964 by Lorraine Cooke, it moved to the current La Pietra campus in 1969. Barbara Cox Anthony chaired the school's board of trustees until her death in 2007. The school is at the foot of Diamond Head. The main building was designed by Chicago architect, David Adler and was modeled after an Italian villa in Florence, Italy of the same name.
The site was near or partially on an ancient Hawaiian heiau (temple) called Papaʻenaʻena. Referred to by early writers as "Leahi" (the Hawaiian name for Diamond Head) heiau, it was quadrangular, about 80 ft (24 m) across with ocean facing terraces leading into the structure and several altars located at near the back wall. Papaʻenaʻena was arguably built by Maui King Kahekili to commemorate his conquest of Oʻahu. This heiau was destroyed by Kanaia about 1856 and its stones were carted off to Waikiki for use as rock walls and driveways. Papaʻenaʻena figured Kamehameha I's conquest of the Hawaiian Islands. In 1804, when Kamehameha was on his way to invade Kauai he halted at Oʻahu with an army of 8000 men. An epidemic killed more than two-thirds of his army. During the epidemic Kamehameha, upon the advice of his priests, instituted a ten-day kapu (restriction) and sacrificed three humans and many hogs and edible plants. The men sacrificed were accused of eating tabu coconuts. Kamehameha also is reported to have sacrificed his nephew, Kanihonui, who broke the tabu with Kamehameha's Queen, Kaʻahumanu, at Papaʻenaʻena. " It overlooked what is today First Break, the beginning of Kalahuewehe, a surfing course famous for hundreds of years. Kahuna at Papa’ena’ena flew a kite at the heiau to inform surfers that the waves were up."
During the Mahele (when formal land titles were used for the first time) this site was given by the Kingdom of Hawaii to the future King Lunalilo. After the king's death this site was sold to James Campbell, in 1883. Walter F. Dillingham bought the land from Campbell and built a home for his bride, Louise Gaylord. Dillingham was the son of Benjamin Dillingham, of Oahu Railway and Land Company. The Dillinghams were married in Florence, Italy, at Villa La Pietra, the 600-year-old villa of Louise's aunt Hortense Mitchell Acton. After selecting the Diamond Head site as their home, Louise Dillingham and her husband hired Chicago architect David Adler to draw up plans for a villa that would draw its inspiration from Villa La Pietra in Florence, but not copy it. When completed in 1922 for $400,000 the main building included five bedrooms. These rooms, 47 years later, became the classrooms of the school. For 40 years La Pietra was the social center of Honolulu. The Dillinghams hosted many notable visitors, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Walt Disney.
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