Gia Long High School Alumni Association of North California. History.

Foundation: In 1908, a number of Vietnamese educators and intellectuals launched a campaign to establish a single sex school for girls. They filed a petition to the local government regarding an establishment of a multi-level school (Kindergarten, primary, and middle school) for female students only. In 1909, their petition was officially approved by the government; however, there was no budget to implement their plan at this time. Five years later, the construction of the school began in November 1913. The school occupied a large area located on the street of Legrand de la Liraye in Saigon, Vietnam.

School Opening: Two years later, Governor-General Roume declared the opening of the school. At the grand opening, the school organization committee had chosen the color of purple for their students' uniforms. Purple was a symbol of integrity of Vietnamese women. Since then, the school was known as "Truong Ao Tim" which translates to mean "School of Purple Dresses".

First School Year: The first school year began with 42 female students. These first students came from the families living in Saigon and its vicinities. Later, the school received more students from other cities. To help accommodate these out-of-town students, the school began operating a boarding facility. The school consisted of many levels, from Kindergarten to more advanced levels. At the end of the advanced levels, the students had to take an examination of the Basic Educational Preparatory Certificate.

Expansion: In 1918, a second building was built parallel to the first. The ground level of this building was used as a dormitory for all boarders. Behind this building was a one story house where a small clinic, laundry, and kitchen for all boarders were located. Some cooking and embroidery classes were also held in this house.

Middle School Opening: In September 1922, Governor-General Albert Sarraut opened the middle school level. In front of the school was a marble bearing the name "College des Jeunes Filles Indigenes". However, this name was not as popular as the traditional name "School of Purple Dresses". The first principal of the middle school, Mrs. Lagrange, was from France. The school consisted of grades 6 through 9. Prospective female students would be those who passed the Educational Preparatory Examination and passed the school entrance examination. Students began studying French in their preparatory level. French was an official instructional language for the middle school level. Vietnamese language was taught only two hours per week. While in school, students were obliged to communicate in French. They would be fined one or two cents for speaking Vietnamese. However, this rule was not strictly enforced.

Political Involvement: In 1926, Mr. Phan Chu Trinh's funeral (a well-known Vietnamese revolutionary) had resulted in a walk-out of students of all schools from North to South Vietnam. The students of "School of Purple Dresses" actively supported this movement. As a result of this support, some students were arrested and dismissed from the school.

School During World War II: In 1940, the Japanese armed force occupied the school while the students were on summer vacation. As a result of this occupation, the students had to be transferred to Do-Chieu school in the Tan-Dinh province. After the school was returned to the school authority, it was again taken over by the British army and used as military barracks. The students again temporarily moved to a kindergarten school. At the end of 1947, the British army withdrew from the school, and the school was returned to its students. The school principal, at this time, launched a campaign for a financial assistance in order to repair the school after the occupations of the foreign armies.

Enrollment Increase: In 1949, in response to the increase in the students' enrollment, the school opened a new two story building located on the Ba Huyen Thanh-Quan street.

Vietnamese Authority Takeover from French: The year of 1950-1951 was a memorable year as the school was, for the first time, administered by a Vietnamese female principal: Mrs. Nguyen Thi Chau. She was also a former student of the school. In 1952, the French educational system was gradually replaced by the Vietnamese system. In the new system, the students were required to take French and English as foreign language courses.

Uniform Change: In 1953, the students' purple uniforms were replaced by white with an emblem of Hoa-Mai (a yellow flower). Later the school emblem and name were embroidered on the students' uniforms. The Vietnamese government, after regaining the independence from French, ordered to use Vietnamese as the national official language. Since then, the school was re-named Gia-Long Girl High School (Gia-Long was the first king of the Nguyen dynasty).

More Expansions: Through its development process, the school had successfully undertaken many new constructions such as its library (built in 1965), Physics & Chemistry laboratory (1966), swimming pool (1968). After the fall of South Vietnam to communists in 1975, the name of the school was changed again.

List of Former Principals: The following is a list of principals of the school since its foundation: Lagrange, Lorenzi, Pascalini, Saint Marty, Fourgeront, Malleret, Dubois, Nguyen Thi Chau, Huynh Huu Hoi, Nguyen Thu Ba, Tran Thi Khue, Pham Van Tat, Tran Thi Ty.