Dr (Mrs.) Ferguson David from Diocese Anglikan, Singapore, founded St. David's High School in 1912. She was also the founder of St. David's Hospital in Melaka; the hospital's service was ended and was replaced with a school, Sekolah Tinggi Cina. In 1956, Commander Hudson from the Christ Church Parish Committee had given a piece of land (5.5 acres) in Bukit Baru to be the site for this school. In the same year, the Director of Education (Dr F.J.A. Rawcliffe) with the permission from Allayarham Tun Abdul Razak, Minister of Education, started the project. The school was open by the end of the 1950s, but not in its actual campus; 160 Form One students met during the afternoons using the facilities of Malacca High School that year. The next year, four years after the project was started, a three-story building, including toilets and canteen, was ready and opened by the Governor of Melaka, Tun Hj. Abd. Malek bin Yusuf. A few additional classrooms would be added over the next few years.
Three years later, the Form 4 classes were started with 29 students in the art stream and 23 students in the science stream. In 1964, for the first time, 55 students sat for the Cambridge exam in this school. The Melaka state government gave a piece of land (2.5 acres) to the school as a field in 1964; two years later, in 1966, a hall and industrial art block were opened. On 25 September 1970, Deputy Director of Education Malaysia, Mr. Abdullah Sultan opened the opening of the ‘Seni Perusahaan' building. On 5 August 1975, the science block was opened by YB Mr. Chan Siang Sun, Malaysia's then-Deputy Director of Education. In 1989, the school started to accept female students, and in 1994, The Khoo Wing, consisting of four classrooms, was opened, removing the need for floating (or roving) classes.
Sejarah
Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tinggi St. David telah diasaskan pada tahun 1912 sebagai projek Dr.(Mrs) Ferguson David, isteri kepada Diocese Anglikan Singapura yang mengasaskan hospital St. David di Melaka. Pada tahun 1915, hospital ini telah memberhentikan perkhidmatannya dan digantikan dengan penubuhan sebuah sekolah tinggi Cina. Pada tahun 1956, Commander Hudson dari Christ Church Parish Committee telah menawarkan sebidang tanah seluas 5.5 ekar di Bukit Baru dengan harga RM 100,000.00 dengan syarat sebuah sekolah mesti dibina di atas tanah itu pada tahun 1960. Pada tahun 1956, Pengarah Pelajaran Dr. FJA Rawcliffe dengan kebenaran dari Allahyarham Tun Abdul Razak, Menteri Pelajaran ketika itu, telah membenarkan projek itu pada tahun 1960. Pada tahun 1960, bangunan utama dan kantin telah didirikan. Bangunan ini dirasmikan oleh pihak Gereja Anglikan pada 4.1.1960. Bangunan ini mempunyai 4 buah bilik darjah dan menerima kemasukan pelajar seramai 160 orang di Tingkatan Satu. Pengetua yang pertama ialah En. Saurajan. Pada tahun yang sama, sebuah bangunan 3 tingkap lengkap dengan tandas telah dibina sebagai tambahan pada bangunan yang sedia ada. Pada 17.11.62, pembukaan rasmi sekolah ini telah disempurnakan oleh Tuan Haji Abdul Malek bin Yusof SMN; DMK, Gabenor Negeri Melaka pada masa itu.
