Alexandra College is located in the old Dublin 6 suburb of Milltown to the south of the city centre, Republic of Ireland. Today, it takes girls from ages 7 to 18 as boarding or day pupils. The school has a reputation within the media of being one of the most expensive and exclusive schools in the country. It has had an important and prolific involvement in the education of women from its foundation in 1866.
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History
Known as 'Alex' for short, the school takes its name from Princess Alexandra of Denmark, the school's patron. The school colours, red and white, were adopted from the Danish flag in her honour. Alexandra College was founded by Anne Jellicoe, a prominent quaker educationalist in 1866 in the name of furthering women's education. Under Anne Jellicoe, the school grew from a small establishment focused on providing a governess style education to Irish Protestant ladies into a pioneering force for womens rights and education, providing an education to women equivalent to that available in the mens schools, with a grounding in mathematics, history, classics and philosophy. As Alexandra settled into its role, Ann Jellico was convinced that a major obstacle to the liberal education of women was their exclusion from the university campus. She passionately believed that until women were admitted to Trinity College University (founded in 1592), the voice of women would not commonly be heard in politics, literature or in academic debate. The first steps were taken towards the end of the 1800s, when lectures from Trinity began to provide tuition for the ladies on the Alexandra campus. Alexandrans were the first women to receive degrees in the British Isles; when Trinity opened its doors to women in 1903 Alexandra girls were the first to enroll, and made up six of the 'nine graces'; the first to achieve successes at the Royal University from 1891 and at Trinity College from 1903. The school was originally situated in the historic Earlsfort Terrace, across from the National Concert Hall, but moved out to its sports grounds in the 1960s to in order to accommodate more students. The original building has since been adapted into a Hilton Hotel. The 1916 rebel Padraig Pearse was once employed as an Irish language teacher. The first ever international hockey match was held on the Alexandra College hockey pitch. It was England vs. Ireland, and Ireland won 1-0.
Religion
Alexandra College is under Church of Ireland management and the Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough currently acts as chairman of the school council. The students are addressed weekly by a female Minister and a school assembly is held daily at which Church of Ireland hymns are sung and which finish with the extended version of The Lord's Prayer.
Junior School
Children from ages 4-12 are taught through the Froebel method. There is a strong emphasis on the arts, and the students perform regular shows throughout the year. The attendance fees for the primary school are in fact higher than the secondary school due to the high number of teachers of subjects which are not subsidised by the government on the payroll. The kindergarten classes are obliged to wear a red tracksuit, which the older classes wear only for sports, wearing the brown uniform of the secondary school for normal classes.
Alexandra College today
Alexandra College is a fixture in the top of the school league table. Despite its reputation for academic prowess, the school has managed to remain strong in the arts. An unusually wide range of subjects are available to study, choice being the greatest reason behind the high fees. The school crest reflects this, featuring a cross with a book, a ball, a harpsichord and a palette in its corners. It remains a prime feeder of the world's best universities, and always emerges as a top contributor to Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin. The school has historically attracted a proportion of its student body from around the world, and its strength has always lain in its provision of a uniquely rounded and in depth education to a dynamic student body. Unfortunately, the reputation of the school has necessitated a rigourous application selection process to try and limit the length of the waiting list. The school was greatly benefitted in 2004 with the opening of the Milltown Luas stop at the back gate of the college.
Charity work
Undertaking charitable initiatives has always been a feature of school activities in Alexandra College. In the spring of 2005 a group of teachers decided to support the work of the Irish Nepalese Educational Trust in trying to build a new primary school in Phuleli, a remote village in Nepal just 50 km south of Mount Everest. At Easter 2006 a group of teachers from Alex travelled to Nepal and visited Phuleli and were present at the foundation stone laying ceremony at the site of the new school. As one villager said: “we must educate our children: education is wealth”. The prestigious 'Children of Ireland' award was last year awarded by the president Mary McAleese to five Alex students who went to work in Calcutta to work with the Hope foundation charity, [1]. The school devotes up to five full days per school year to raising money for a range of charities decided by the student body. These 'Charity Fun Days' are entirely student-run and very successful, raising up to €4000 per day.
The Guild
From its earliest days Alexandra College has had a reputation for looking outward to the community. The Guild was founded in 1897, not only to form a bond of union between past and present students and staff, and to keep them in touch with the College, but also to promote a spirit of service to the community and to undertake social and philanthropic work. The Guild has several branches worldwide and known as a force of Alexandra alumni. Facets of The Guild include The Alexandra College Golfing Society, The Old Alexandra Hockey Club, Alexandra Guild House and the Alexandra College Bursaries, which supports 25 ladies throughout the country and assists families in need around Dublin and elsewhere.
Distinguished Current Students and Alumni
- Catherine McGuinness, Justice of the Supreme Court (2000 - )
- Susan Denham, Justice of the [[Supreme Court (Ireland)|Supreme Court] and pro-chancellor of Trinity College Dublin.
- Chloë Agnew, member and featured soloist of the international touring group Celtic Woman.
- Henrietta White, educationalist.
- Katy French, model and socialite.
- Elaine Beverley Tyrrell, artist.
- Ivana Bacik, Senator and Fellow of Trinity College Dublin.
- Anne McMaster (Carson) Yandle, author and historian.
- Edith Oenone Sommerville, artist and novelist(Somerville and Ross).
- Violet Florence Martin, novelist (Somerville and Ross).
- Dorothy Eleanor Whitehead, educationalist.
- Thekla Beere, politician.
- Fay "Flying Fay" Taylour, motor racing world champion.
- Kathleen Delap, feminist.
- Winifred Letts, poet.
- Rhoda Sinclair Coghill, musician and poet.
- Antonia Kerrigan, publisher.
- Geraldine Kennedy, editor of the Irish Times.
- Mary Butler.
- Hilda Simon, author.
References
http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2006/02/26/story12162.asp
