Established in 1905, Huleia School was originally located in Huleia Valley.
Then in 1919, Huleia School was relocated to a site not far down the unpaved road beginning at the dead end of Kipu Road and to the left of the William Hyde Rice Monument (built in 1925).
The students of Huleia School came from nearby Huleia Valley, Halfway Bridge, Seki Camp, Stable Camp, Aakukui Camp and Rice Camp.
And, most were the sons and daughters of employees of Kipu Sugar Plantation (1907-42) or Grove Farm Plantation (1864-1973).
The school consisted of two wooden buildings that formed a U shape around an open court.
One building was used for classrooms and the other housed the cafeteria and assembly hall.
Restrooms were provided in a small building at the back of the schoolyard.
Nearby, there were playgrounds and a garden to raise vegetables for the cafeteria.
In the early days, there was no electricity and no running water, so rainwater was collected in wooden tanks.
Grades 1 through 8 were taught at Huleia School, usually with two or three grades assigned to each teacher.
Teachers included Mrs. Hamayo Hamano, Miss Bessie Wiebke, Mr. Diuichi Hamada and Miss Alice Reid.
In its heyday, Huleia School enrolled over a hundred students.
But, as Kipu Plantation struggled through the Great Depression, which occurred during 1929 through 1940, families left Kipu and school enrollment dropped.
Later, during World War II, the Army commandeered the school, converted it into a military hospital, and the students moved to the Japanese Language School, which was closed for the duration of the war.
When Kipu Plantation shut down sugar operations in 1942 and transitioned to ranching that required fewer employees, school enrollment dropped further.
Finally, in 1946, Huleia School closed its doors, its students were transferred to Lihu‘e School, and its buildings were abandoned and eventually demolished.
Lihu‘e School was located approximately within the area now bounded by today’s Pua Loke Street, Wehe Road, Lihu‘e Cemetery and the Kaua‘i Water Department buildings.
In 1957, Lihu‘e School moved to Hardy Street, and in 1959 it was renamed after Kaua‘i educator Elsie Wilcox.
