Punahou School

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Punahou School

Seal of Punahou School
Location
1601 Punahou St.
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96822 Flag of the United States United States
Information
Affiliation(s) non-sectarian
President Dr. James Kapaeʻalii Scott '70
Type Private Preparatory Day (Primary and Secondary)
Grades K-12
Mascot None
Color(s) Buff and Blue
Established 1841
Students 3,700 (approx.)
Nickname "Buffenblu"; colloquially "Puns" or "Buff 'n Blue"
Newspaper Ka Punahou
Yearbook Na ʻOpio (K-8)
The Oahuan (9-12)
Website
http://www.punahou.edu/
The school was originally called Oahu College, and the main gate at the corner of Wilder and Punahou Street reflects this.
The school was originally called Oahu College, and the main gate at the corner of Wilder and Punahou Street reflects this.

Punahou School, formerly known as Oahu College, is an exclusive[1] private, co-educational, non-sectarian college preparatory school located in Honolulu in the U.S. State of Hawaiʻi. With about 3,700 students attending the school, in kindergarten through the twelfth grade, it is the largest independent school in the United States.[2] The student body is diverse, mixing the offspring of multimillionaires with children of middle-class parents, and scholarships are often awarded to financially-disadvantaged youth. In 2005, its sports program was ranked by Sports Illustrated as the fourth best in the country.[3]

Along with academics and athletics, Punahou also offers visual and performing arts programs. Students have access to a jewelry studio, photography darkroom, and glass-blowing facilities. The Punahou marching band performs in the Rose Bowl Parade once every four years, and the student yearbook, The Oahuan, has won national awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association[citation needed] and the American Scholastic Press Association[4], including the first Columbia Gold to be awarded in the State for the 2002 Oahuan[citation needed].

Tuition is $15,725 a year for the 2007-2008 school year[5][6] (lunch not included), which is still not enough to cover the entire cost of the education of a student. This "deficit" is met by the school's endowment.[7]

The 115801 Punahou is an asteroid named in the school's honor.[8]

Contents

[edit] History and tradition

Founded in 1841, Punahou School was originally a school for the children of Congregational missionaries serving throughout the Pacific region. It was known as Oahu College from 1859 to 1934.

The land on which Punahou School sits (colloquially known as Ka Punahou) was given as a gift from Oahu's Governor Boki and his wife, Liliha (as suggested by Queen Kaʻahumanu) to the Rev. Hiram Bingham, the first Christian missionary in Hawaiʻi. The first class was held on July 11, 1842 and consisted of only fifteen students. The school was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.[9] Many traditional events take place on the campus. On the first Friday and Saturday of each February, the campus hosts the annual Punahou Carnival, whose proceeds benefit the Financial Aid program.[10] The campus also hosts the Alumni Luau Weekend, where alumni come together and meet. The new graduates are invited as well.

[edit] Case Middle School

Before plans were made for a new middle school complex, America Online founder and Punahou School graduate of 1976 Steve Case donated ten million dollars. [11] This led to construction of a new middle school for grades six through eight.[12] The Case Middle School was actually named in honor of Steve Case's parents.

The middle school was designed and built by John Hara Associates Inc. Some time into the project, the school learned about Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The school then hired a design consultant, John Hara ('57)[13] for sustainability[14] and found out that they could earn the LEED Gold certification.[15] [16] At the time, few projects anywhere had earned this rating.

The middle school also won the Energy Project of the Year award in the Seventh Energy Efficiency Awards, sponsored by Hawaiian Electric Company.[17][18]

Different methods were used in addressing issues of sustainability within the building. Installed sensors shut off air conditioners if windows are opened to let in the breeze; the buildings are situated to take full use of the tradewinds, with the help of the Venturi effect. There are also sensors in place that turn the lights on or off depending on whether motion is detected, and dim the lights on sunny days or brighten them on overcast or cloudy ones. More efficient fluorescent lamps are used, saving 75% of the energy and lasting 13 times as long as incandescent ones.

Air conditioning for the buildings is provided by three ice-making plants, one for each grade level's section. The units freeze and accumulate ice at night when electricity is cheaper, and allow the ice to melt during the day to cool the air.

The whole school cost more than $50 million USD and was made possible solely through donations.[16] The new middle school opened on January 4, 2005, although the sixth graders had been using their buildings since the beginning of the 2004–2005 school year.

Case Middle School consists of nine color-coded buildings—green for sixth grade, blue for seventh, and red for eighth—on the lower east side of Punahou campus.

One of the nine new Case Middle School buildings on the Punahou Campus.
One of the nine new Case Middle School buildings on the Punahou Campus.

[edit] Athletics

The Punahou athletics program is the most successful in the state and one of the most successful in the nation, having won more state championships (322) than any other high school in the nation.[19] In 2005, it was named the #4 U.S. high school athletics program by Sports Illustrated.[3] Athletic facilities include the heated Waterhouse Pool, holding an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and the Atherton Olympic size 8-lane Mondo track surface. The school also has a fieldhouse for competitive athletics, a gymnasium for physical education and intramural sports, and a tennis center with 9 hard surface courts.[20]

Punahou students have the opportunity to compete in 22 sports, including air riflery, baseball, basketball. bowling, canoe paddling, cross country, cheerleading, football, golf, gymnastics, judo, kayaking, riflery, sailing, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling. Punahou has approximately 120 sports teams. The school is a member of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.

Punahou also has a tradition of sending athletes to the Olympic Games, contributing seven gold, five silver, and three bronze medals, competing in nine of the past ten games, and over half of the modern games. Punahou alumni include 2008 Olympic hopefuls Noa Sakamoto and John Flanagan (swimming), and Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger (volleyball).

[edit] Notable alumni and students (short list)

Main article: Punahou School Alumni

Star Professional Athletes and Olympic Gold Medalists
Leading Medical Doctors
Other Leading Educators and Researchers
Civil Rights Leaders
Elected Congressional Representatives
  • Hiram Bingham — Republican US Senator from Connecticut 1924-33, discoverer of Machu Picchu, lecturer at Harvard and Princeton, Professor of History at Yale, buried at Arlington National Cemetery, possible inspiration for Indiana Jones
  • Barack Obama — Democratic US Senator from Illinois 2004-present, 2008 Presidential candidate, lecturer at U Chicago Law School, two bestselling books, Grammy Award winner
  • Otis Pike, attended — Democratic US Congressman from New York 1961-79, decorated USMC WWII pilot, known for work on environment, Pike Committee investigations of Richard Nixon misues of CIA, Otis G. Pike Wilderness Area (Long Island, NY)
Military Leaders and Heroes
Musicians and Composers
Stage and Screen Performers
Other Entertainment Industry Producers
Business Leaders and Philanthropists
Cultural Notables

[edit] Notable faculty and staff

  • Edward Lane-Reticker — former Latin and Greek teacher, directed banking and law centers at Boston University
  • H. Wells Lawrence — former Computing teacher, commanded 339th Fighter Squadron in WWII, one of the first US pilots in the air during Attack on Pearl Harbor; Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart
  • Queenie B. Mills — former Director of Kindergarten, University of Illinois Head of Human Development Department, helped design the Head Start Program and programs for animal visits to nursing home residents
  • Susan Tolman Mills — former principal, founder of Mills College
  • Willard Warch — former schoolmaster, Professor of Music at Oberlin College, author of texts such as Music for Study and Beethoven's Use of Intermediate Keys

[edit] Alma Mater

Oahu wa*
Oahu wa, Oahu wa
Punahou, our Punahou;
Mau a Mau, oh! mau a mau,
Punahou, our Punahou.

Throughout the years we've shown our light,
We glory in Oahu's might;
The Buff and Blue's a glorious sight,
Punahou, our Punahou.

*Sung to the tune of Maryland, My Maryland. The spelling is from the original words to "Oahu wa" written in 1902 by a student.

School Shout
Strawberry Shortcake, Huckleberry Pie
V - I - C - T - O - R - Y
Are We In It? Well I Guess!
Punahou, Punahou, Yes, Yes, Yes!

Handbook 2007 - 2008, Punahou School, 2007

[edit] See Also

Punahou School Alumni, a longer list of notable graduates, former students, and former teachers

[edit] Further Reading

  • "Punahou School: a private school with a public purpose," Hawaii Business, September 1, 2003.
  • A. Alexander, "Baseball at Punahou Thirty-Seven Years Ago," Oahuan, June 1906.
  • Mary C. Alexander, C.P. Dodge, William R. Castle, Punahou, 1841-1941, U. California Press, 1941.
  • John B. Bowles, Day Our World Changed: December 7, 1941; Punahou '52 Remembers Pearl Harbor, Ice Cube Press, 2004. ISBN 1888160020
  • T. K. Chow-Hoy, "An inquiry into school context and the teaching of the virtues," Journal of Curriculum Studies, 2001.
  • D. Cisco, Hawaii Sports: History, Facts, and Statistics, University of Hawaii Press, 1999.
  • Ethel Mosely Damon, The Seventy-Fifth Anniversary Pageant Punahou, published by the author, 1916.
  • Charlotte P. Dodge, Punahou, The War Years, 1941-1945, 1984.
  • Nelson Foster, ed., Punahou: The History and Promise of a School of the Islands, published by Punahou School, 1992.
  • James A. Michener, Hawaii, Bantam Books, 1960. ISBN: B0000CKM6G
  • Norris W. Potter, The Punahou Story, Pacific Books, 1969.
  • M. Tate, "The Sandwich Island Missionaries Lay The Foundation for a System of Public Instruction in Hawaii," The Journal of Negro Education, 1961.
  • Kirby Wright, Punahou Blues, Lemon Shark Press, 2005. ISBN 0974106712

[edit] References

  1. ^ Calmes, Jackey. "From Obama's past: An Old Classmate, A Surprising Call", Vol. CCXLIX, No. 68, Wall Street Journal, 23 March 2007, pp. 1. 
  2. ^ About Punahou. Punahou School. Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
  3. ^ a b Menez, Gene and Woo, Andrea, with special reporting by Doug Huff (16 May 2005). Best High School Athletic Programs. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved on 2007-04-15.
  4. ^ Plass, Richard M.. Annual Contest/Review for Scholastic Yearbooks, Magazines and Newspapers; Yearbooks 2006 - FIRST PLACE. American Scholastic Press Association. Retrieved on 2007-07-21.
  5. ^ Tanji, Melissa (17 June 2007). Tuition going up, but so is demand, at private schools. The Maui News. Retrieved on 2007-07-20.
  6. ^ Da Silva, Alexandre (25 February 2007). Private schools to raise costs 6%. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved on 2007-07-20.
  7. ^ Punahou: Tuition and Payments. Punahou School. Retrieved on 2007-04-14.
  8. ^ 115801 Punahou (2003 UW236). JPL Small-Body Database Browser (21 March 2006). Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
  9. ^ HAWAII - Honolulu County - Historic Districts. National Register of Historic Places. Retrieved on 2007-07-21.
  10. ^ A pirate’s life for all! Aarghh!. Honolulu Star-Bulletin (4 February 2005). Retrieved on 2007-07-21.
  11. ^ Duchemin, John (28 January 2000). $10 million grant from Steve Case energizes Punahou. Pacific Business News. Retrieved on 2007-07-18.
  12. ^ Punahou Earns "Gold" LEED Certification. Punahou School. Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
  13. ^ Punahou Case Middle School. Herman Miller (2005). Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
  14. ^ Zhang, Linda; Rigney, Lauren (27 November 2006). Service program focuses on environment, Punahou urges students to help the community. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved on 2007-04-18.
  15. ^ McRandle, P.W.; Smith, Sara Smiley (15 August 2006). The Top 10 Green Schools in the U.S.: 2006. The Green Guide. Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
  16. ^ a b Shenitz, Bruce (11 July 2007). A Green Star. msnbc.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-17.
  17. ^ Shining Stars- Punahou's Case Middle School wins award. Honolulu Star-Bulletin (16 January 2007). Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
  18. ^ 2006 Energy Efficiency Award Winners Fact Sheet. Hawaiian Electric Company. Retrieved on 2007-07-21.
  19. ^ Punahou School. SportsHigh.com (2002). Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
  20. ^ Punahou Athletics Facilities. Punahou School. Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
  21. ^ Sun Yat-sen's Christian Schooling in Hawai`i Irma Tam Soong. The Hawaiian Journal of History 31 (1997): 151-178.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punahou_School"
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