Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1854-07-29
APPROVED July Doth. 1854

OF ENGLISH SCHOOLS FOR HAWAIIAN
YOUTH.
APPROVED July Goth, 1854.
WHEREAS, A knowledge of the English Ian
guage is very important to the success of the Ha-
waiian people in the pursuit of wealth, and to
their Intellectual progress therefore,
Be it Enacted By the King, the MOBILES and Represen-
tdtiUes of the Haacaiian Islands, IN Legislative
Council Assembled:
SECTION l. The House of Representatives of
the Hawaiian Islands shall, bennially, on
the third week of their session, elect by ballot
two persons for each election district of the
Islands, who, with the School Inspector or
School Inspectors of the District shall constitute
Board of School Directors for the encouragement
and support of English Schools for Hawaiian
youth. The said persons being duly elected, shall
hold their Offices for the term of two years. or till
their successors shall have been duly elected and
qualified and they shall possess the powers and
perform the acts hereinafter granted and pre-
scribed.
SECTION 2. The Boards of Directors as aforesaid,
shall have power to make their own bye-laws, not
in conflict with the laws of this Kingdom, regula-
ting the time and places of their meetings, their
choice of officers, the method of conducting their
business, to fill all vacancies that may occur in
their number, and to locate, establish and control
such schools for the instruction of Hawaiian youth
the Government in their support, provided that in
all cases, they shall keep regular and permanent
records of their proceedings, and make a full re-
port annually, through the Minister of Public In
struction to the Legislature at least month pre-
yious to the commencement of each session.
SECTION 3. majority of each of the said
Boards at any meeting duly notified, shall be ne
cessary to constitute a quorum for business, and
all questions of business shall be decided by ma
jority of those present.
SECTION f. 1t shall be the duty of the several
Boards of Directors aforesaid, and of their in
dvidual members, to use their best endeavors to
impress upon the minds of the people the impor-
tance of a knowledge of the English language to
their children, to induce them to provide for them
as soon as possible the means of acquiring it. by
contributing, according to their ability the means
of supporting English Schools of good charac-
ter among them. All money or property entrusted
to the Boards OF Directors shall be carefully applied
by them to the object aforesaid, and shall be mi
nutely accounted for by them in their annual report
with accompanying vouchers.
SECTION 5. The Minister of Public instruction
shall be, er o6fciO, corresponding member of
each of said Boards of Directors, and shall Coop
crate with them, in carrying out the provisions of
this Act. 1t shall be his duty, on receiving from
any Board of Directors certificate, that a suita-
bic schoolhouse has been provided in their District
and that they have received from responsible par
ties subscriptions for the support of an English
school or schools, TO the amount of four hundred
dollars per annum or more, to open an account
with the said Board of Directors, and to draw
upon the Minister of Finance for a sum not exceed
ing one hundred dollars per quarter for each Rep
resentative in Parliament which the District may
be entitled to send, and in no case exceeding the
amount which has been actually paid in by the pri
vate supporters of the school.
SECTION g. Should the Boards of Directors of
two or more adjoining election districts fail after
effort to obtain the means of support
ing a separate English school for the object afore
said in each of said districts, it shall be lawful for
them to unite on such terms and for such period as
shall be mutually agreed upon by themselves In
writing for the support of at least school for
the several districts which, in that case, for the
purposes of this Act, shall be regarded as one dis
trict and it shall be lawful for said Boards of
Directors to commit the immediate care and man
agement of such school to such sub-directors, cho
sen from their own number as they shall deem prop
er who, when duly authorized, shall, for the time
being, while said districts thus united be the
Board with whom the Minister of Public Instruc-
ton shall correspond and cooperate and who shall
be held accountable for the funds of the school
committed to their care.
SECTION Z. The Directors contemplated by this
Act shall be entitled to no compensation from the
Government for their services but the Minister of
Public Instruction shall be authorized to reimburse
them for any reasonable expenses actually incurred
by them in discharging the duties imposed upon
them by this Act.
SECTION g. At the earliest convenient day after
the passage of this Act, the House of Representa-
tves for 1854 shall elect by ballot the two persons
for each election district contemplated in the first
section of this act, who shall hold Office until the
third week of the session of the Legislature of
1885, or till their successors shall have been duly
elected and qualified
SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect from and
after the day of its passage.