About HBA

History of HBA

In 1949, Hawaii Baptist Academy opened in surplus Army barracks on 2 acres in Makiki near Roosevelt High School. Enrollment was 36 7th and 8th graders. Southern Baptist missionaries Hugh P. and Mary McCormick, who had arrived in Hawaii several years earlier, led the school. They joined a handful of other missionaries in the islands who, for the most part, had been ousted from Asian countries during World War II and were busy building churches.

Mr. McCormick served as the first school principal. Mrs. McCormick was the school nurse, librarian, and, according to those who knew her, the one who performed the unassigned tasks necessary in running a school.

In the beginning and during its first decade, HBA was financially supported and built with gifts from the Woman's Missionary Union of Virginia (the first $125,000); gifts from individuals, churches and missionary organizations; and teacher support from the Southern Baptist Convention Foreign Mission Board.

After only one year in operation, the elementary division was started with transfer of the primary grades from Olivet Baptist Church's school. By 1953, the school had students grades one through twelve. The first class of three young men graduated in 1954. Five years later, the Territory of Hawaii became the State of Hawaii and operational control of HBA passed from the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board to the Hawaii Baptist Convention. Enrollment at that time was already 340. The McCormicks retired and returned to the mainland, as did many of the missionary teachers.

During the 1960s, additional lots surrounding the small campus were purchased, expanding the property from about 2 acres to 4, and the Hawaii Baptist Convention (renamed Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention in 1997) struggled to build and grow churches, as well as attend to the needs of the school. The school continued to grow, offering a full curriculum, maintaining high standards, and earning accreditation in 1965.

In 1972, the Academy purchased 13.6 acres in Nuuanu, the former Robertson Estate, for a permanent site.  The secondary school moved to the new campus at 2429 Pali Highway in 1975 when the four-story classroom building was completed.

By 1984, a multi-purpose building with gymnasium, cafeteria and classrooms was completed at the Pali campus and adjacent State land was leased for parking.  The high school campus was later named the Stan Sagert Campus in honor of HBA’s emeritus president, 1970-1987.

In June 1987, HBA purchased the former Sacred Hearts Convent School as the new location for the elementary campus.  It is about 1/2 mile from the middle-high school campus and includes nearly seven acres of prime land.  The excellent facilities and spacious playground further enhanced the overall program of the school.  The elementary school was accredited in 2002.

In August 2004, construction began on a middle school adjacent to the high school campus.  The new facilities were completed in June 2006, and 220 seventh and eighth graders began classes on the newly named Dan Kong Campus on August 1.

HBA’s remarkable development is a tribute to the dedication of the faculty and staff and to the faith and support of mission-minded people and churches on the mainland, friends and churches in Hawaii, corporations and foundations, and the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention.