OUR SCHOOL
School History
The old baka (banyan) tree at DelaTuraki stands as the lasting testament of it’s founding mother. Under the shade of the enormous landmark of Toorak in Suva, Methodist missionary Hannah Dudley conducted classes in Hindi and Urdu for the poor and the neglected members of the Indian Community.
Miss Dudley arrived in Fiji from Australia on August 24, 1897 and began a mission which would last 13 years, most in what was regarded at the time as the Indian quarter in Suva. From Toorak her work reached out towards Nausori as she taught the young and administered to the sick.
Her love for and dedication towards this community stemmed perhaps from the fact that she was forced to quit India after six years of mission work due to ill health.
Despite several attempts to return to the mission field on the sub – continent Miss Dudley was refused permission by the British Methodist Missionary Society. Upon hearing that was a need for missionaries to the Indian community in Fiji, she leapt at the opportunity.
This missionary had a few educational qualifications but what Miss Dudley had lacked in knowledge she made up for kindness and self-sacrifice.
In such high regard was she held that the Indian community in Suva including the non-Methodist referred to her as Maharaji Mataji (Our Honored mother). Her work with the Indian community did not end with education and preaching the Gospel. Miss Dudley took in five children whom she reared as her own, one of them rising to become the President of the New Zealand Methodist conference in 1956.
The Methodist Church named Dudley High School – initially a school for young Indian women – in honor of this dedicated missionary.
After extending its hostel intake to rural indigenous girls and opened its doors to boys in 1964, it stands today at the corner of Amy, Holland and Eden street in Toorak as a proud symbol of a diverse, multiracial, multicultural educational institution. When the roots of the old tree started to threaten the existence of the school, a proposal to bring it down was vigorously challenged. All efforts that were made to bring it down failed and this old tree still stands till today. And it was under this tree that the nurturing of doctors, scientists, lawyers, teachers, engineers, economist, journalist, business people, sports stars and many other profession were held.
Some of Miss Dudley’s students went on to teach here among other missionaries inspired by life of servitude before them.
Heads of School From 1897 – 2020 (123 Years)
School Rules
It is important that all Students and visitors to the school adhere to the School Rules. By doing so, you ensure that Dudley High School is a safe and supportive environment for all students. Please download the document below and familiarize yourself with the School Rules.
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