Today in assembly the Po‘e Ka‘ahele students put on a Founders’ Play. This play was in honor of Hanahau‘oli’s 100th year of running and in honor of Sophie and George Cooke. I learned that Sophie wanted a school which her kids could have fun learning, but she couldn’t find one. So she got the idea from Gudrun Thorne Thomsen to create a school of her own that made her desires come to life. Within the four months of Sophie getting the idea to make a school and acutely make it happen, Hanahau‘oli was created. During the 20th century most women didn’t have much power to do things, so the fact that Sophie was able to create a school in four months was pretty amazing! Soon after the school opened, John Dewey (a man famous for his education philosophies) came to visit at ninety-one years old, and he gave Sophie and George the “green light” to continue. Ever since then Hanahau‘oli has been open, and this year has just made 100 years! The play was fun to watch, and we can’t wait to see a sequel!
