Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1853-11-19
Che 1Dolpnesia,1.
From the New Era and Argus

49, -
From the New Era and Argus
Hawaiian Public Schools. -
Mr.. EDITOR Il venture to send you herewith
an outline Of the history of education in this king
dom, as recently drew it up for my own informa-
tion have thought that it might possibly inter-
est some among your readers. If it trespasses on
their patience, hope that it will still meet with
kind construction as the topic is often alluded to
but not much discussed in the papers.
| 1t Is now 35 years or more since the education
of Hawaiians was commenced in the persons of a
few Hawaiian youth in the United States. This
was followed by the arrival of Missionaries here
in March, 1920. In July of that year, saws the
historian, Liholiho could read intelligibly, and
several of the chiefs had made rapid progress
by November, four schools, containing 100 pupils,
were established. In January, 1922, the first at
tempt at printing native made, and the first
sheets, worked off, it is said, by Lholiho himself.
were those Of a native spehng-book. During that
year the native alphabet was systematlsed; the
chiefs became more interested in learning +; the
king also learned to write; and BY September, 500
pupils were in the schools.
At first, and for some time, the chiefs were dis
posed TO confne the benefits of instruction to them
selves and their immediate dependents, but gradu-
ally the notion of general education of the mass
es gained favor. Many of the missionaries were
diligent in their endeayors to instruct those who
came within their reach, and in urging the import
ance of instructing all upon the chiefs
In 1924, the chiefs begin to send to their lands
on other islands, and in remote districts, such per-
sons had become somewhat qualified, to instruct
their people, ordering their konohikis to see that
these were supported. This was usually done by
giving them patch of ground to cultivate but
the support was often uncertain and inadequate,
though from no fault in the intentions ofthe chiefs
Many Of them, as Kaahumanu, iioapili and Kai-
kioewa, in their circuits and visits to their ands
were in the habit of calling together and address
ing their people, and seldom forgot to urge atten
ton to the schools. Many of the best of the na-
tives were employed as teachers, and though under
great discouragements, the schools gradually eX-
tended till in 1880 they numbered 900, taught by
natives, and having A S95 pupils under their lnfu-
ence. (See Jarves and the other hstorians
1t should not be forgotten, however, that but
very few, if any, Of these pupils were children. BY
far the greater part of mature years, with IA
culties slow to act upon new objects, their minds
seemingly as utterly incapable of seizing the for
eign ideas offered, it was found their vocal or
gans were of utterng the sounds of the Saxon
tongue Great labor and patience were required
for small progress.
The teachers, of course, were not often much IN
advance of the pupils yet the modicum of informa-
ton impaired to them spread on the whole rapidly.
and constantly falling back on the missionary for
instruction, they served to raise one step in the
scale almost the whole mass of the people. The
King and chiefs, as well large portion of their
subjects. could read and write. Many of them,
moreover, not only could but did, use to good pur
pose the rather scanty of instruction that
the mission press put within their reach.
In 1881, the Seminary at Lahainaluna was es-
tablished, in the hope of raising up higher class
of teachers, who could take their pupils little
higher up the hill of knowledge than the old ones.
1t was not however, till 1885 q, that the schol
ars of this institution began to enter into the pub
lie schools. Meanwhile, the foul days of Kaomi,
in IS33 the civil difficulties, and the disputes of
the religious sects seriously hindered the progress
of education. Still, in 1888, the Charity School at
Honolulu was commenced and considerable was
accomplished in the way of translating and print
ing. In 1884, also, the first newspaper in native
was attempted, and with occasional Interruptions,
one has been kept up to the present time, with
cil culation varying from 2OCO to 4JC0 copies.
II was, perhaps, not the fault of the mission that
the mission created literature SMALL and con-
fined mostly to religious and elementary school
books. The latter were indispensable, and of the
former, perhaps no one book is better adapted,
from its combination of history, poetry and ethics,
for the purposes of general education, than the
Bible. Other works would certainly have been de-
slrable, but native printing, then now. was very
expensive, and probably the instructions OF the
Board in Boston did not allow of much more than
was done. At all events, of what should have been
done from 1888 to 1896, | will not presume to
Judge being Just now more interested in what can
and should be done between 1858 and 1856. In
1886, several boarding and select schools were es-
tablished in different parts of the Islands, chiefly
supported by the A. B. c. F. NJ, aided in some
cases by grants of land from the government.
In 1889, the Royal School, for the children of
the chiefs, was commenced, and after the first year
or two, was well supported by government, and by
the parents of tie scholars. About this time also,
a change in the mode of supporting the common
schools took place. From the first, they had been
sustained in great part by the chiefs, and as the
government took more definite form, and felt more
clearly the necessity of intelligence among the
people for its existence, 1t still continued to
care for them. That portion ofthe labor tax known
as the paahao, was devoted to the schools, and an
inspector general appointed for each OF the islands,
with general superintendent for the whole. The
paahao, or the Kings labor days, amounted to
three days labor in each month, commutabe for
IL 1.2 cents per day.
The law of 1911, besides the above, provided
for the establishment of school wherever fifteen
scholars could be got together, If school OF the
same denomination already existed within rea-
sonable distances and also for the election by the
parents in each school district, of school commit
tee of three who, in concert with the Inspector OF
the Island had charge Of the school. This was
the foundation of the present school system, and in
form a. least, was great improvement on the for
mer state of things. 1t was system, and system
in such matters is much, though not every thing.
Like other first attempts, it had many defects, but
helped to prepare the way for something better
1t was found that the Island inspectors had each OF
them much larger field than he could do justice
to. The portion of the tax devoted to tho schools
was not a ways economically applied, and it was
difficult to get it accounted for.
From 1912 to 1S46, there seems to have been
no reliable returns of either the number of scholars