Polynesian., 1853-11-26
Che ]Dolpnesiiall.
Hawaiian Public schooIs...-No.
From the New Era and Argus.


communication that the native common
schools have been in systematic operation,
IN the hands of government for some seven
years. During that time, their average an
nual cost has been about S25 1897 90, or
ISL ,55 per scholar, equal to SO0i05 per day.
This is a much less amount than many pa
rents in more civilized countries are willing
to pay merely to have their children kept out
of the way We have known not few, in
deed. willing to pay the highest rates-of tut
ton, with hardly sny other object. II would
seem, then, that as most Of the native chill
dren do learn to read and write, and acquire
some facility in computation, though general
ly slow in the application of their knowledge,
there is an ample intellectual return for the
money spent.
Much more than this is, however, really
gained. In every country the advantage to
character and habits resulting from regular
attendance at public school, from being
obliged to discharge regular duties at regular
times, is by no means one of the minor OBJ
jects Of such schools Especially is this of
importance here, where children are subject
ed TO very little or no restraint, except at
school.
1t is in the schools, in the Improvement in
punctuality, regularity and industry there,
that the chief hope of amendment in the list
less and indolent habits of the natives lies
One good school will do more in this direc-
ton than any amount Of talking from the pull
pit OF, the press.
We have always supposed, however, that
in order to this incidental benefit, il was ne
cessary that the schools should be efficient
in their own rights, that the scholars should
at least be supplied to some extent with text
books, and should have books aud newspa-
pers, or fresh literature aud general inior-
nation, in some shape, within their reach,
enough to awaken chid's natural curiosity
which can afterwards be nurtured into gem
uine love of knowledge. We had supposed,
too, that it was of some Importance that
teachers should be able to draw on sources
of instruction inaccessible to their pupils, and
should be themselves growing in knowledge,
as well as in skill in imparting it. Hardly
otherwise can they keep proper sense of
the Importance of their calling, or an interest
in the progress Of their pupils. In both these
respects the Hawaiian schools are so sadly
deficient that it is matter Of surprise that
they accomplish as much as they do. AT
present, many of the most important text
books are out of print, with little prospect of
being soon reprinted They are feW in num-
ber at the best, while to think Of increa sing
them, or enlarging the circle of native secu-
lar book reading, IN the present condition Of
the native press, seems to be useless. No
one will write books when there is no hope
of getting them printed.
The native newspaper, most irregularly is
sued and so small as hardly to contain any
thing but laws and court notices, is most un-
satisfactory to the more intelligent natives.
They feel daily the need of secular know
ledge, which they see within the reach of the
white man, but which to them is like the ap
pies of Tantalus, before their eyes but out of
their reach. If a school teacher happens TO
be mo iring enough to start question now
and then, and cannot find an answer in his
elementary school books, his Bible, or the
published laws, he must SIT down in igno-
rance, or wait till some white man comes
along who can tell him As a consequence,
inquiry is stfied, and in five cases out of ten
the teacher becomes a mere eye-server,
working after a fashion when watched, NY
and negligent when left to himself.
1t is matter of comparatively little mo-
ment whether the school houses are of wood
or of grass; whether the scholars dress IN
broadcloth and linen, kappa and calico, or IN
the pure Hawaiian fashion; but how schools
are to work efficiently without the most ne
cessary apparatus, or how people are to be
enlightened to any extent without books aud
newspapers, it is hard 10 see. There are, |
am aware, but two things to be done 10 meet
the difficulty, and both of them cost money.
One is to teach, the teachers at least, the Eng
Iish language, and thus open TO them the
stores of foreign literature. This has been
repeatedly tried, without success, when The
schools were chiefly filed with adults, but it
seems feasible now with children. 1t is, how
ever, very expensive, aud certainly will re-
quire more money than the pittance appro-
priated to 1t by the last Legislature. AT best,
| it must be too limited to supercede the ne
cessity OF increased native printing, though
indispensable to the prosperity Of the schools,
and to the preservation of a remnant of the
people.
do not know precisely on what footing
the native Mission press now stands, and lear
that it would be useless to speak of the i'm
portance of the issue of more book and news
paper matter in the native tongue, and also
of the preparation of books adapted TO teach
the natives English. A few thousands judi
ciously spent in this way would accomplish
much, but are hardly to be expected from a
government that, professedly native, has its
only organ in a language not understood by
lone in two thousand of1!s subjects, and Is de-
ipendent for the publication OF its laws TO
Those most concerned in them, on the conve-
lnience of press altogether inadequate, and
Ibeyond its control Still, government. that
when reduced to such straits by its poverty,
had yet financial ingenuity to find Sl4, ,OoO to
be expended on military force, may per-
|haps devise the ways and means to satisfy the
Ineed am speaking of