, motto_translation = The Right Education Makes The Heart As Strong As Oak , type =

State State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

, grades = 9 - 13 , grades_label = Years , gender = Girls-only , established = ; years ago , address = 41 Tennyson Street , region =

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

, city = Otago , zipcode = 9016 , country = New Zealand , coordinates = , principal = Linda Miller , song = The Chambered Nautilus , newspaper = Nautilus , houses = Allan
Benjamin
Cruikshank
Williams , roll = () , decile = 8P , MOE = 378 , homepage
otagogirls.school.nz
Otago Girls' High School (OGHS) is a secondary school in

, Otago, New Zealand. It was opened 6 February 1871, after a long campaign by

Learmonth Whyte Dalrymple Learmonth White Dalrymple (c.1827–26 August 1906) was a New Zealand educationalist who campaigned for girls' secondary education in Dunedin and for women to be admitted to the University of Otago. This was the first Australasian university to ...

. It is reputedly the oldest girls state-run secondary school in the Southern Hemisphere and the sixth oldest of its type in the world. The school has its own radio show on

Otago Access Radio The Community Access Media Alliance (CAMA) (formerly the Association of Community Access Broadcasters (ACAB)), also known as the Access Radio Network, is a group of twelve New Zealand community radio media organisations. The stations were establ ...

History

At its foundation the school occupied a neo-classical building on its present site which it shared with

Otago Boys' High School , motto_translation = "The ‘right’ learning builds a heart of oak" , type = State secondary, day and boarding , established = ; years ago , streetaddress= 2 Arthur Street , region = Dunedin , state = Otago , zipcod ...

. A new building on another site was built for the boys which they marched away to occupy in 1885. In 1910 the present main block was opened, designed by

Edmund Anscombe Edmund Anscombe (8 February 1874 – 9 October 1948) was one of the most important figures to shape the architectural and urban fabric of New Zealand. He was important, not only because of the prolific nature of his practice and the quality of ...

(1874–1948) and the old building on Tennyson Street was demolished. Anscombe's conception of a rouge-brick Elizabethan mansion, dreaming in the sun, was slowly extended. Temporary structures were replaced in the 1970s by

Ministry of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...

blocks, contextualised by the use of brick to the Anscombe building. In the 1980s the main block was scheduled for demolition. After protest it was restored and extended by a sympathetic addition designed by

Ted McCoy Edward John McCoy (23 February 1925 – 17 January 2018), generally known as Ted McCoy, was a New Zealand architect whose practice was based in Dunedin. He designed the sanctuary of St Paul's Cathedral (completed 1970), and the Richardson (form ...

, and in 1987 was listed as a Category I Historic Place. The school has since acquired part of the old King Edward Technical School site. It has erected structures there accessible by way of a pedestrian underpass beneath Smith Street. The school gained international attention in February 2022 after a Muslim student was beaten for wearing a hijab by her peers, and resulted in the student being hospitalised with a concussion. The incident led to an international and domestic outcry, with support for the student coming from

Bella Hadid Isabella Khairiah Hadid (born October 9, 1996) is an American model. In 2016, she was voted "Model of the Year" by industry professionals for Models.com. Over the span of four years, Hadid has made twenty-seven appearances on international '' ...

, Sonny Bill Williams, among others. Two of the students responsible for the attack were subsequently expelled while a third was referred to counselling. Principal Bridget Davidson confirmed that the school was working with the victims, Muslim community and Police to address the bullying and assault. Otago Muslim Association chairman Dr Mohammad Rizwan welcomed the outcome.

Notable alumnae

* Mina Arndt - artist *

Ethel Benjamin Ethel Rebecca Benjamin (19 January 1875 – 14 October 1943) was New Zealand's first female lawyer. On 17 September 1897, she became the first woman in the British Empire to appear as counsel in court, representing a client for the recovery of a ...

- New Zealand's first female lawyer
/sup> *

Kelly Brazier Kelly Brazier (born 28 October 1989) is a New Zealand rugby union and sevens player. She has played flyhalf, centre and fullback for the Black Ferns, New Zealand's women's national rugby team, and has competed at three Rugby World Cups in 20 ...

- rugby union player *

Kushana Bush Kushana Bush (born 1983) is a New Zealand artist based in Dunedin. She is best known for her paintings which typically blend historic and contemporary styles. Bush has won several awards for her works and has held international exhibitions. Wo ...

- artist *

Silvia Cartwright Dame Silvia Rose Cartwright (née Poulter; born 7 November 1943) is a New Zealand jurist who served as the 18th Governor-General of New Zealand, from 2001 to 2006. She was the second woman to hold the office, after Dame Catherine Tizard. Ear ...

- former Governor General of New Zealand * Ann Chapman - first woman to lead an Antarctic expedition * Mai Chen - constitutional lawyer * Constance Clyde - writer * Margaret Cruickshank - New Zealand's first female medical doctor * Elizabeth Gunn - paediatrician * Alison Holst - cook * Grace Joel - painter * Millie Lovelock - student journalist, singer-songwriter-guitarist *

Juliet Marillier Juliet Marillier (born 27 July 1948) is a New Zealand-born writer of fantasy, focusing predominantly on historical fantasy. Biography Juliet Marillier was educated at the University of Otago, where she graduated with a BA in languages and a ...

- author * Shona McFarlane - artist, journalist and broadcaster * Judith Medlicott - family lawyer and former

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate ...

Chancellor * Emily Hancock Siedeberg - New Zealand's first female medical graduate * Patricia Payne (mezzo-soprano) - opera singer *

Raylene Ramsay Raylene Lammas Ramsay (born 1945) is a professor emerita of French culture, in New Zealand. She has published on avant-garde French novelists, French women politicians, and has translated Kanak poems and published a cultural history of New Caled ...

- French culture researcher *

Olga Stringfellow Olga Stringfellow (4 June 1923 – 1995) was a New Zealand journalist and author of romantic and historical fiction. History Stringfellow was born in Dunedin as Olga Elsa Brown on 4 June 1923. She was educated at the Otago Girls' High School i ...

- writer * Nancy Tichborne - watercolour artist * Yvette Williams - first New Zealand woman to win an Olympic gold medal

Notable faculty

* Katherine Browning * Jessie Buckland * Clare Mallory * Maria Marchant

References

External links

Official Website

Dictionary of New Zealand Biography on Learmonth White Dalrymple
{{Authority control Heritage New Zealand Category 1 historic places in Otago Girls' schools in New Zealand Educational institutions established in 1871 Secondary schools in Dunedin Edmund Anscombe buildings 1871 establishments in New Zealand Association of Community Access Broadcasters 1910s architecture in New Zealand Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia Central Dunedin