A Collection Of Photographs Showing Scenes From The School And Other Locations On Tutuila In American Samoa, C. 1932. [Samoa. Atauloma Girls School.] Missionary,Pacific,Photography

Approximately 178 photographs, mainly snapshot size 6 x 8.5 cm. but with a proportion of larger images up to 14.5 x 9cm., approximately forty captioned to verso in different hands, three captioned in the negative, the remainder unidentified, a number of duplicates; a small proportion of the images slightly age-toned, small corner loss to one image, but overall in very good condition. These photographs provide a record of the Atauloma Girls School, its staff, pupils and their activities, in the early 1930s. Established in 1900 by the London Missionary Society, Atauloma was the first secondary school to admit girls; their education mainly prepared them to become pastors wives, or nurses at the Pago Pago naval base. Around a quarter of the photographs are annotated to the rear, allowing identification of some of the persons and places, including staff and students. Other locations identified include Fagasa Bay, Mount Matafoo (Matafao), Pago, and Amenave; a couple also relate to Apia in Western Samoa, one captioned "Stone in Apia opposite Church where John William's bones buried", and another of "Robert Louis Stevenson's tomb" (the latter probably a studio image). The girls are shown engaged in a formal debate, and two groups of images, annotated "Cinderella" and "Robin Hood", indicate their involvement in plays or pantomimes. Another reads "Government School boys & girls amuse themselves with a little dance. This during cricket match. It is the custom for a crowd from time to time to start a siva [Samoan dance]".