Point 5

This is the Lihue Loop Audio Tour and you are currently on point 5, Elsie H. Wilcox Elementary School.

Did you know that this was not the original location of the school nor was it first called Elsie H. Wilcox Elementary School? It was first called Lihue Grammar School and there were originally 87 students enrolled with principal Mr. John A Moore and his assistant Miss Ada Tannar. The school was first built in September of 1881 where the Kauai Economic Opportunity offices are located and then moved to a spot west of the Lihue Plantation Mill in 1923. But because the school was so close to the Lihue Plantation Mill it became unsanitary for children. Also, there was a baby boom and there was a need for more educational facilities so the school was moved to its current location in the spring of 1959.

After the move, the school was renamed to Elsie H. Wilcox Elementary School to honor Elsie H. Wilcox, Kauai kamaʻaina and Hawaiiʻs first woman senator. Ms. Wilcox was known for her hard work to champion broad, progressive, public school standards for all of the children of Hawaii. What people may not know is that renaming the school in her honor was a hard-fought battle. At the time schools were named after the location of their surrounding community and some wanted the school to be called Lihue School. It took some time and effort and an intervention from the attorney general to clear the path for the school to be named in her honor. Today the school serves families from Puhi to Lihue.

Aloha My name is Corey Nakamura and I am the principal of Wilcox Elementary School. Wilcox Elementary is a kindergarten to grade 5 school and we have approximately 775 students. In addition to our core subjects, we offer specialty subjects such as art, Hawaiiana, physical education, stem, library, and creative arts. Thank you!

Wilcox Elementary School continues to be an important part of the Lihue Loop and this town. Thank you for listening and have a great rest of your day around the Lihue Loop! This is Aaron Hinazumi from Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School’s Advanced Media Class. Aloha!