[citation needed] The school is widely known as by its initial "SGI" and the students of St. George's Institution are called Georgians for boys and Georgianas for girls.

He suggested to the then British Resident of Perak, Sir Reginald George Watson (1913–1919), for the establishment of a Catholic school for boys.

His request was approved by the Perak State Government, and a piece of land nearby the hospital was granted.

In 1914, the foundation stone was laid by the then Acting Resident of Perak, Oliver Marks, and the opening ceremony was attended by prominent European families and Malay rulers where most of them comprised from the State Council Members and the social elites in Perak.

The school was completed in 1915, with 7 teachers, 49 students and 6 classes, housed together in the original three-storey building.

The school was run by La Sallian missionaries from all around the world, however it received partial financial assistance from the State Government.

The rumoured brutality and torture committed by the Japanese military police during the tenure of the school is a source of ghostly legends commonly circulated by the students even today.

The Lassalian brothers were placed under house detention, old boys of the school during this period time risked their lives to assist the detained missionaries.