St. George's Girls' School

St. George's Girls' School is an all-girls secondary school in George Town, Penang, Malaysia. An Anglican school established in 1885, it is notable for its academic achievements, leading to its inclusion in the Malaysian Ministry of Education's Cluster School and High Performance School systems.[1][2]

St. George's Girls' School
Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (P) St. George (Malay)
圣乔治女子中学 (Simplified Chinese)
Address
St. George's Girls' School
Location within George Town. The purple zone denotes the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Macalister Road,

George Town
,
Penang
,
10450

Malaysia
Coordinates5.42233°N 100.307946°E / 5.42233; 100.307946
Information
TypeAll-girls secondary school
MottoLatin: Aut viam inveniam aut faciam
(If There's a Will, There's Always a Way)
Religious affiliation(s)Christian
DenominationAnglican
Established1885 (1885)
GradesForm 1 - 5
GenderFemale
Number of students~1300
Colour(s)Red and white
AbbreviationSGGS
Websitewww.smkpstgeorge.edu.my

The school, originally funded by St. George's Church, was first located at Farquhar Street in the city centre.[1][3] It was relocated several times before finally arriving at its present grounds at Macalister Road in 1954.

History

The history of St. George's Girls School stretches back to 1884, when Mrs. Biggs, wife of the Rev. Louis Coutier Biggs, began conducting informal classes within their residence, known as 'The Manse', at Farquhar Street.[3] Biggs was a British missionary who, at the time, was serving as a preacher at the nearby St. George's Church.[1][4]

St. George's Girls School was formally established in the following year, with R. A. Shackleford becoming the school's first principal. The school was named after St. George, the patron saint of England and principally funded by St. George's Church.[1]

The school started off with an intake of 40 students.[3] In 1888, increasing student enrollment led to classes being moved into a newly constructed bungalow next to 'The Manse'.[1][3] However, the school's "close proximity" to the Eastern & Oriental Hotel just across Farquhar Street was deemed "undesirable"; it was stated in an administrative report in 1899 that "keeping boarders... was a loss for the school's funds".[3]

In 1909, the British authorities took over the administration of St. George's Girls School and renamed it the Government Girls' School.[1][3] Subsequently, efforts were made to address the shortage of qualified teachers and the relocation of the school to accommodate more students.[3] In 1911, the Government Girls' School was moved to Northam Road, and further expansion occurred with the acquisition of two bungalows. The British authorities also proposed in 1916 to turn the all-girls school into a co-educational school, but this idea did not materialise.

The administration of Government Girls' School was handed back to St. George's Church in 1920, at which point the school's name was reverted to its original name, St. George's Girls School.[1]

In 1954, St. George's Girls School was shifted once more, this time to its present grounds at Macalister Road.[1] The school has since been renowned for the consistent academic achievements of its students. As a result, St. George's Girls School was named one of the Cluster Schools by Malaysia's Ministry of Education in 2008, as well as being listed as one of the country's High Performance Schools in 2010.[3]

Notable alumni
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References
  1. Cheah, Jin Seng (2013). Penang 500 Early Postcards. Editions Didier Millet. ISBN 9789671061718.
  2. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/26/nation/5543554&sec=nation%5B%5D
  3. Khoo, Salma Nasution (2010). Giving Our Best: The Story of St. George's Girls' School, Penang, 1885-2010. Penang: Areca Books. ISBN 9789675719042.
  4. "Missionary couple's contributions are well-recorded in Penang - Community | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  5. "PENANGPAC-The latester venture by Faritah and Joe". PENANGPAC-The latester venture by Faritah and Joe. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  6. "Chuah first Malaysian-born mayor in Britain - Nation | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  7. "CMIS > Councillors". colchester.cmis.uk.com. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  8. "Heritage activist Khoo Salma made Penang city councillor". 4 January 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  9. "News". www.penangphilharmonic.org. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  10. "Alumni 1". www.smkpstgeorge.edu.my. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  11. Chin, Christina. "A tribute to Penang's SGGS - Community | The Star Online". Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  12. "The Japanese NÔ Stage at Royal Holloway, University of London" (PDF). University of London.
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