The Central Middle School community is celebrating the state Board of Education’s approval Thursday of a request to rename the historic downtown campus after the Hawaiian alii who once owned the property.

Previous action in the early 1900s that renamed the historic downtown school after Princess Ruth Ke‘elikolani was dropped after it was decided her name was too difficult to pronounce, according to a 1927 newspaper account.

“The proposed name, (Princess Ruth) Ke‘elikolani Middle School, places the uniqueness of our prized place and culture in Hawai‘i at the forefront to celebrate the rich history and diversity of our school campus,” said Principal Joseph Passantino in a letter supporting the change.

“As we continue to learn more about our school’s history, it became clear and was suggested by historians and cultural practitioners that changing the name of the school to Ke‘elikolani Middle School would solidify and celebrate the school’s proud history and profound connection to a cherished ali‘i.”

Passantino told the BOE committee that plans are under way to paint a large campus mural honoring Princess Ruth to be finished in time to celebrate her birthday on Feb. 9.

School leaders and community members have been working since 2019 to rename the school after the princess, whose home, Keoua Hale, once stood on the grounds of the current campus. When she died in 1883, her property, including Keoua Hale, was bequeathed to Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, according to documents submitted in support of the name change. After Pauahi’s death in 1885, the property was purchased by the BOE for what became Honolulu High School in 1895.

When the high school vacated the property in 1907, it became Central Grammar School before it was briefly changed to Ke‘elikolani School. It reverted back to Central Grammar School and became Central Junior High School in 1928, then Central Intermediate School in 1932 and Central Middle School in 1997.

A building on the campus, which is located on Queen Emma Street, still bears the name Ke‘elikolani School, and several buildings there were placed on the state Register of Historic Places in 1994.

According to a profile on the Kamehameha Schools website, Princess Ruth was “an anchor supporter of the perpetuation of Hawaiian traditions, culture and language.” Although well-educated and able to speak English, she conducted all business and correspondence in the Hawaiian language.

“An incredibly formidable force” in her own right, Princess Ruth was the hanai daughter of two of the most powerful women in Hawaiian history, Ka‘ahumanu and Kina‘u, the profile said. She held several leadership roles in the kingdom as a member of the Privy Council and the House of Nobles, and also served as governor of Hawaii island for nearly 20 years, from 1855 to 1874.

She died in 1883 at the age of 57.

Other recent public school name changes include East Kapolei Middle School to Honouliuli Middle School in January 2020, and Hale Kula Elementary in Wahiawa to Daniel K. Inouye Elementary School in 2016.