International School Community Blog

Random year for international schools around the world: 1932

There is much history in the international teaching community.  We have international schools with founding dates of 1838 and 1854 and we also have many, many international schools with founding dates in the 21st century.  The numbers are increasing for sure.

Utilizing the database of the 1193 (26 April, 2012) international schools currently listed on International School Community, we found 4 international schools that were founded in 1932 (excepts about their founding are taken from the schools’ websites):

Maseru Preparatory School  (Masero, Lesotho)

“The Anglican Diocese of Bloemfontein helped to establish a school for the children of European officials, traders and missionaries active in the Maseru area of the British colony of Basutoland about 1890, in addition to their other missionary work. Deaconess Maria Burton was the first teacher to be identified with the school. She travelled from Bloemfontein in 1893, changing from the post cart at Ladybrand to a ” spider ” carriage for the journey to Maseru via horse drawn ferry over the Caledon River.

Sister Maria established the school, subsidized by the Basutoland government, in a private house or cottage. During the next fifteen years she also raised funds for the establishment of the first Anglican Church (St. James) and the Basotho Anglican Girls School (St. Catherine’s). Sir Godfrey Lagden (Resident Commissioner 1890-1901) sent his children to “The European School of Maseru”, writing that he paid Sister Maria £1.10 for six weeks schooling. E.B. Sargant’s “Report on Education in Basutoland 1905-6″ also mentioned the school, by now housed in “a small iron building” located close to the site of the present Maseru United Church. It was thought to have been one of the prefabs brought to South Africa by the British Army during the Anglo-Boer war. The so called “tin tabernacle” was sold to the forerunner of the Maseru United Church when the Government built a small sandstone school on what is now called Old School Road. Even in these early days the extent of government subvention and control over the school’s independence was a “grey area”, and it remains so to this day.

In 1932 the school changed its name to Maseru Preparatory School. This continued to the mid 1950s when the present title of Maseru English Medium Preparatory School was adopted, the Colonial development Fund having financed a “handsome new European School” on the Caldwell Road site. However, even today, the school is still most frequently referred to as Maseru Prep!

Amongst other important events witnessed by children at the school was the Royal Visit of 1947, the 1962 “Winds of Change” visit of Harold Macmillan and Independence in 1966. The first Basotho children were admitted in 1962 and the numbers have risen to become the largest single group of children by a long way, despite 20 odd nationalities being still represented.”

The Henderson International School  (Henderson, United States)

“Early in 2007, the Meritas Family of Schools brought together two of the area’s finest private schools to create The Henderson International School. Today, the new school takes its place as one of the best private schools in the region. The support and resources of Meritas have expanded our curriculum, created international connections for our students, and provided a world-class education. The Henderson International School combines a traditional college preparatory education experience with the progressive ideas and practices needed to prepare students for the global challenges of the 21st century.”

Saint Julian’s School  (Lisbon, Portugal)

“It all began when José da Cruz, treasurer to D. José I, built himself a palace in the middle of his winegrowing estate or Quinta in Carcavelos. Little did he know that his holiday home would become a land mark in educational history.

Once the Palácio was built, in the 1750s, D. José I, then king of Portugal, frequently came to Quinta Nova, perhaps to enjoy the fine wine, as Quinta Nova had an extensive vineyard with an annual production of over 500 barrels.

More than a hundred years later, the British Eastern Telegraph Company arrived in Portugal to complete the telegraph lines between England and India. It purchased the property, which was thought an ideal location being close to the ocean and to the city of Lisbon. The handsome price of “23 contos” (equiv. 115,00 €uros today!) secured them the property and grounds.”

Yew Chung International School (Hong Kong)  (Hong Kong, China)

“Founded in 1932 by Madam Tsang Chor-hang, Yew Chung has been providing quality bilingual education to the learners of Hong Kong for almost 80 years.”

Check out the rest of the international schools listed on International School Community and check out their histories as well!  We have over 1193 international schools that have profile pages on our website.