Taranaki Dio first opened in 1914 with founding headmistress Miss Maria Elise Allman (Ella) Marchant as Principal and Miss Shepherd as assistant teacher.
Maria Marchant had previously been headmistress at Otago Girls’ High School where she was an admired figurehead for the school: always composed and well dressed, she was an accomplished public speaker and debater and a woman of considerable intellectual bearing. She was widely read and took a lively interest in current events and travel, her signature on the Womens’ Suffrage petition is still admired by our senior students’ annual visit to Wellington.
The school commenced with the title The Church School for Girls and later was known as St Mary’s Diocesan School Stratford. The school opened with two boarders, 10 day girls and 10 day boys. The school roll climbed and the school outgrew the site quickly. The school board in 1917 purchased the current site of 11.5 acres and arrange for new buildings to be built. The building named after Miss Marchant, originally provided accommodation, but with the building of the new Girdwood and Roberton boarding houses it is now used as a teaching space.
Courageous Leaders, Successful Learners, Resolute Women
In its early days, the Principals of St Mary’s Diocesan were without doubt women of education, vision and courage. It is on foundations left by these women that Taranaki Dio continues to thrive.
The building of the current chapel by Miss Roberton is one illustration of the qualities of these Principals. When she asked for a chapel to be built Miss Roberton was told there was no money—and to build it herself. What else was she to do but do just that? Once the plans were drawn up it was all hands to work. Staff, students and others were all pressed into digging and laying the foundations, making bricks and fundraising. With this kind of determination it was not surprising the chapel was opened in 1956.
A History of St Mary’s Diocesan School for Girls—Stratford was compiled by former Principal Miss R. Robertshawe for the 90th Jubilee in 2004. In 2014, a new rose, “St Mary’s Rose”, with lovely fragrant cream and lemon blooms, was commissioned from Rob Somerfield Roses to celebrate 100 years of the school.
The school’s name was changed to Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls in October 2018 to strengthen its association with the Taranaki Cathedral Church of St Mary. The chapel was renamed the Chapel of St Mary so that the rich history of the name was not forgotten.
As we move towards our 110th anniversary, in 2024, we remain committed to:
Our maxim:
Courageous Leaders, Successful Learners, Resolute Women
He wahine maia nui, He wahine angitu, He wahine manawa nui
