But it wasn't until a large house came on to the market that the Woodford House of today was set into motion.
Hodge was able to raise a loan of £500 from the Bank of New South Wales (now known as Westpac Banking Corporation) and put plans in place for the boarding school.
The doors opened in February 1894, with four boarders and 18 day pupils. She and four other teachers taught English, German, French, arithmetic and music.
By 1905 there were 24 boarders and 51 day pupils, and by 1908 a larger space was needed.
A company, Woodford House Ltd, was formed, and the site at Havelock North selected for the region's new boarding school.
Patricia Dickson, now well into her 90s, remembers her great-aunt as a "very affectionate" and kind woman.
"She was never cross. She liked law and order and she liked obedience too."
They're qualities which she expects were held by her successors.
Dickson attended Woodford from 1939-1940.
For renowned New Zealand actress Dame Kate Harcourt, her time at the school which cemented her love of the arts.
It took her two days to travel from her family home in Amberley in 1940.
"We had to come in from the country to Christchurch and then catch the train to Lyttelton and then the overnight ferry to Wellington and then a train trip up to Hastings.
At just 13 years old, Harcourt says it was an "extraordinary thing to do".
"My years at Woodford House were very special and I am very grateful to my parents for sending me there".
Upon taking up the role as principal in 2015, Julie Peterson became the latest in a long list of formidable leaders to steer the school.
Her office is the beating heart of Woodford House, surrounded by windows which draw the eye outward to pastures, treetops and a bustling courtyard.
Girls pass by in a flurry of grey skirts and chatter. For her, they are what it is all about.
"I've learned that the most important thing is that the girls are at the centre. I think one of the things that I wanted to achieve was to lift the girls' horizon from provincial to international, so they have a global perspective."
She believes Hodge's focus on 'the head, the hand, the heart' as underpinning the philosophy of education was not only true back then, but still is to this day.
"I think that's probably why our girls are very well-rounded, because it has always been about the whole person."
The anniversary is a celebration, not only for Woodford House, but for the Hawke's Bay community, she says.
"It is about celebrating the history, celebrating the girls and how it has and continues to be a wonderful opportunity."
As the school looks to the future, holding on to the "wonderful traditions" is crucial.
"I think there are many challenges for the future, not only in education, but in terms of equipping young woman to be prepared. My role is to ensure that I can lead and be at the forefront of the best in education practice."
"We are merely stewards. This is such a responsibility and such an honour. But the work that I picked up is the work of so many principals before me."
To buy tickets for the 125th Anniversary, visit the website:woodford.school.nz/125years
