This is a photograph of a group of girls on the porch of Atauloma Girls School in Tutuila (American Samoa). The school was founded by the London Missionary Society in 1900 and was the second educational facility on Tutuila and the first to allow girls to attend. Later in the 20th century, it was used as a training facility for nurses. The building was closed in 1970, and is under the care of the US National Parks Service as a historical site.

Thomas Andrew: Photographer of Samoa

This photograph is part of a large collection of photographs taken by Thomas Andrew, a New Zealander who lived in Samoa from 1891 to 1939. Andrew is best known for his studio portraits, but he ventured well beyond that controlled environment. He photographed political events, recorded daily life, and shot idyllic scenes for the tourist market, as his diverse portfolio reveals.

References

Johnson, Edward W. (1954) 120 years of Nursing Amongst Them. Pacific Islands Monthly Vol. XXIV, No. 8 (Mar. 1) 

United States National Park Service https://www.nps.gov/places/atauloma-girls-school.htm

https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_Terr/72001445.pdf