Iona College

It was established as a girls’ boarding school built on land donated by Mr Hugh Campbell.

In its infancy, Iona developed very quickly and prospered under the leadership of Miss Isabel Fraser, the founding headmistress, who offered her services free for the first five years.

Iona has survived wartime, the force of a 7.9 earthquake, the deprivation of the depression years to thrive today as an integrated boarding and day school for girls with a full roll of 300 students.

Iona College was the dream of three visionary yet practical people:

Mr Hugh Campbell of Breadalbane, Havelock North, who offered the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand eight acres of land, initially for the establishment of a Deaconess College.

Reverend Alexander Whyte, Minister of St Columba’s Church, Havelock North, 1898-1910, who saw the need for a Presbyterian Girls’ School and petitioned the Presbyterian Church to establish one.

Miss Isabel Fraser, Principal of Wanganui Girls’ College, 1893 — 1910, whose dreams were for a Christian education for young women and who, in 1909, offered her services to the Presbyterian Church should a girls’ boarding school be established. Incidentally, it was Miss Fraser who introduced the kiwifruit to New Zealand.

These visions coalesced when the 1911 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church set up a committee to ‘investigate the support for the establishment of a girls’ boarding school’. During the next year a further four acres of land were donated by Mr Mason Chambers; Miss Fraser travelled to Britain where she visited schools seeking ideas and models, and funds were sought throughout the North Island in order to meet the conditions of Mr Campbell’s gift.

Architects Rush and James were asked to submit a plan for the school taking Miss Fraser’s ideas into account.

The committee itself was enlarged and an Executive Committee was appointed.

Miss Fraser again travelled to Britain seeking equipment and staff. She was overseas when on May 14, 1913, the College Foundation Stone was laid by Mr Hugh Campbell at a gathering attended by over 1,000 people. The Foundation Plaque sits in the main building outside the Principal’s office.

TO THE GLORY OF GOD
THIS STONE WAS LAID MAY 14, 1913
BY
HUGH CAMPBELL ESQ
OF BREADALBANE
THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM

1914-1924

During its early years, Iona College developed at an unforeseen pace. In 1916, the staff cottages were built and the swimming pool was opened. In 1917, St Oran’s was built as a separate hospital but, upon completion, was used for boarding accommodation such was the demand for places. By 1918 there were 125 boarders.

Miss Fraser retired in 1921. Her name lives on in one of the school’s four Houses and her generative wish for the school is contained in these words:

May Iona do its share in furnishing our beloved land with women whose bodies are free with the freedom of health, whose minds are free from all littleness, and whose souls are free with the fruits of the spirit against which there is no law.

Miss Fraser was succeeded by Miss J R Barr, from New Plymouth Girls’ High School, who convinced the College Council that Iona should become a registered secondary school. This became possible after the conversion of a classroom into a science laboratory.

Despite the manse upbringing and excellent academic record of Miss Barr’s successor, Miss Ann Drennan, her term as Headmistress was short and, at the end of 1924, Miss Irene Stollery was appointed as acting Principal and then Principal in 1926.