IN 1996, two former boarding students Suraj Maharaj and Rachel Bhagwan of Dudley High School met for the first time after more than 17 years at a reunion.
According to an article published by The Fiji Times on March 4 the same year, hostel matron Ms Bhagwan said the reunion, which was attended by more than 30 ex-boarders from around the country, was an opportunity to discuss the future of the hostel.
“We hope to give a facelift to the hostel as we do not want to lose the building itself,” Ms Bhagwan said.
“The hostel has come a long way, and we want to keep it that way.”
Ms Bhagwan said it was very difficult to get in touch with the ex-boarders because most of them had either migrated or were residing in rural areas.
“With this first meet, we hope to get a humble beginning and eventually build up from there.”
The boarding school was established in 1898 for Indian girls with financial difficulties.
It was set up by Hannah Dudley, whom the hostel is named after. It was later called Dudley House School before it received its present name, Dudley Hostel.
The school pioneered education of Indian girls as well as training them to be teachers.
Dudley High School principal Vula Koroi said she would be looking forward to assisting the Dudley Hostel’s ex-students committee in their plans.
