The Historical Compendium

Archdeacon Dandeson Crowther in whose memory the school was named was the son of bishop Ajayi Crowther, the famous founder of the Niger Mission in 1857. The Arch deacon’s operational base was the area covered by the now Niger Delta diocese. Mr E.M.T Epelle who wrote his biography regareded him as the founder of the Niger Dekra pastorate.

In the area of the Old Niger Mission, from the Northern end in Onitsha down to the southern end in Port Harcourt and the Riverine area, there were few institutions initially started by the Missionary society out of funds raised by the home supporters of the Mission in Britain. Some of these institutions were:- Iyi-Enu Hospital Ogidi, C.M.S. Training College Awka, St. monica’s Girls’ School Ogbunike and Archdeacon Dennis Momorial Grammar School (DMSGS) Onitsha.

Archdeacon Crowther Memorial Girls’ School (ACMGS) Elelenwo was born in 1943 out of the need to provide a post primary education for girls comparative to that provided for boys at DMGS, Onitsha and also to have some institutions in the Southern or Niger Delta end of the Niger Mission. The protagonist of this idea was tIe venerable E.T. Dimieari (later Bishop Dimieari, mow late) the then Archdeacon and supervisor of schools in the Niger Delta.

The school was therefore started at Elelenwa (now Elelenwo) near Port Harcourt on a large pience of land donated by the community to Archdeacon Dimeari for the purpose. The foundation stone for the school was laid by the Rt. Rev. B. Lasbery (D.D.) – the Bishop on the Niger on Staurday 9th August. 1941. The initial buildings were erected out of funds from the Church Missionary Society.

The other secondary schools of the Anglican Diocese of the Niger Mission were products of a kind of partnership between the local community or country council and the diocesan authorities.

Having built the school, ACMGS, the next problem was who should head such a new venture. They found a very competent, brilliant Mathematician, miss M.N. Hill (M.A. Newham) who had been at St. Monica’s Girls’ School. Ogbunike and for the previous six months was doing relief work at W.T.C. Umuahia. She arrived on the compound on the 15th December, 1942. It must be noted that the final decision not to site the school at Gboroki in Port harcourt, but at Elelenwa was taken by Miss Hill who saw the advantages of the railway station, the nearby stream and the solitude of the virgin forest. The Elelenwa chief and elders were most generous in granting so much land for a token annual rent of one shilling, a goat and some drinks as a sign of peace and friendship.