Chanel College in Samoa was established in 1962. That was the year that Samoa became independent. This weekend it is celebrating its jubilee while the country is celebrating fifty years of independence.
The celebrations will be attended by many former teachers and students from all over the world, including one of the founders, Father Conrad Bryant.
Chanel was founded by the Marist Fathers. The school was originally a boys only boarding school, with special permission for non boarders, but later became a day school. In 1992 it became co-educational.
The first principal was Fr Bernard Doherty. The first Head Prefect was Lino Samoa, who later received from his family his chiefly title of “Taupa’u”.
The school has been staffed by a combination of Marist Fathers, Salasian sisters, various volunteer organizations and regular employees.