The history of QVS

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Matasawa-I-Loma of Yanawai where students of other province used for swimming. Picture: SERAFINA SILATOGA

THIS is the second series on the history of Queen Victoria School which started at Yanawai, Cakaudrove in 1881.

Last week’s series contained information shared by Dawara villagers and landowners of the Yanawai area and these were passed down from their elders.

After the first series, former QVS scholars and former senior government officials living around the country and abroad showed keen interest in the story.

They sent scripts from various historic books that contained information about the establishment of the initial school at Yanawai.

However, they have preferred to remain anonymous.

In 1879, the Bose Levu Vakaturaga agreed for the founding of a school for the luve ni turaga (chiefs’ children) from 12 to 16 years.

According to some historic documents printed in 1953 and provided by former High Commissioner to the UK and retired senior civil servant Emitai Boladuadua, official approval was made in 1881 and classes proper started in 1883 at Yanawai with 130 students.

“This was the first government school in the colony,” he said.

“The students also planted their own food.

“In 1894, it was agreed to close the school and build one closer to Suva, thus the shift to Naikorokoro — between Togalevu and Montfort Boys Town. “This was closed down in 1902 when it was turned into a quarantine station.

“In 1902, the Council of Chiefs asked the governor of Fiji to establish a school modelled on English public schools or colleges for the education of Fijian youths.”

Another former scholar living overseas, who preferred anonymity, said information in the Brewsters book stated the council agreed to build the school with the money raised for a memorial to the Queen.

“In his budget address in 1905, the Governor Sir Everard Ferdinand Im Thurn announced, ‘… the building of a school at Nasinu (outside Suva) for the young generation of Fijians (iTaukei) in order that as far as desirable they may imbibe European rather than Fijian habits of thought and work and what is to my mind not the least important item — language’?”

According to these historic documents, the school was to be restricted to the sons of chiefs.

“Governor Im Thurn believed that there were two classes of Fijians and that so far as these performed two different functions — the chiefs as thinkers and overseers, the commoners as manual labourers,” it stated.

“He recommended that a different education was desirable for each class.

“On November 17, 1905, a notice of intention to establish the school was gazetted. “Foundation works of Queen Victoria School started in 1906 and in July of the same year, the first headmaster, J B Thomson arrived to help in the planning and construction of the school which was erected at Nasinu, five miles from Suva. “On January 3, 1907, the school opened with a roll of 32 boys.

“An average of two students were selected per province by the Native Commissioner and the Roko Tui (provincial offices) of each province.”

The documents stated that students took classes in hygiene, agriculture, type-writing and shorthand, telegraphy for employment in branches of the Public Service and the Native Department.

“At first, only a fraction of the students were sons of chiefs, however, under the insistence of the headmaster, this policy was soon reversed and by 1910, only the sons of chiefs were admitted.”

The headmaster Mr Thomson stated: “After three years of experience, I have come to the conclusion that as a general rule, a chief’s son is far more intelligent than the son of a commoner and that it will always be to the advantage of the Government to admit a chief’s son in preference to another.

Many of these boys will become roko and buli and such will be able to repay the Government for the training that they have received.”

In describing further developments, Mr Boladuadua added: “Because of World War II (1939-45) the school was taken over by the US military forces in 1942.

“On August 10, 1942, the school became a US General Hospital for their military forces and students were shifted to the Provincial School Southern at Sawani and to the Provincial School Eastern at Lodoni to complete the year.

“QVS started proper in 1943 at Nanukuloa, Ra, near the Viti Levu Bay.

“In 1948 the boys were moved to Lodoni where they shared the site occupied by Ratu Kadavulevu School and plans for a new school were under consideration.

“A generous donation of 205 acres of land at Matavatucou by Sir Henry Scott was the first step and construction of the new school started in 1949, and the boys finally moved to Matavatucou in 1952.

“There were six dormitories built for 180 students with 30 in each dormitory.”

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