Polynesian., 1854-06-03
CHE polpnesiau.
Published by Authority of the House of Rep
resentatives.
REPORT.

struction, ask leave to report as follows:
The common Free Sc lools must ever hold the
first claim to the consideration of the friends of
education.
1t appears that the number of scholars attending
these schools has been reduced from 13948 to
l2,2O5 during the year, showing decrease of
IL 1-2 per cent. The decrease of population
during the year has been about 8 per cent. The
diminution Of the number of scholars has there
fore been greater by one half than that of the
population generally. A similar ratio of decrease
has held for five years past
The reason why the number of scholars has
fallen off more rapidly than the number of the
people may be found partly In the fact that
larger number of children, in proportion, than of
adults, die each year, and partly in the fact that
as labor comes more in demand each year on the
Islands, boys leave school at an earlier age. This
latter cause is not altogether matter of regret,
provided those who leave school engage in useful
employment. The Hawaiian youth need to ac-
qulre habits of industry quite as much as to gain
stores of knowledge.
The amount OF money available for the support
of schools is lamentaby small. During the year
the entire receipts from the school tax were $780,
755 SO. Add to this the income derived from the
school lands and it appears that the available means
for the support of schools were S22,054 10. Sup
pose that the amount shall be collected during
the present year, we cannot hope that 1t will be
greater, suppose too, that the 423 schools now in
existence are to be continued, this will give to
each of them $50 IA. The expenses of the schools
for the two last years, for building and repairing
houses, stationery, pay of inspectors, &C., have
amounted TO % per cent. of their income. Deduct
25 per cent from the income of each school, 1903
and there would remain for the pay of the teacher
$50 ii.
The law requires that the schools should be
kept open 200 days in each year. Each teachers
pay per cay would therefore be l9 55-l00ths cts.
This sum is clearly not enough 1t is less than
any good laborer can earn ; good teachers cannot
be had for such wages. Either poor teachers
must be employed, or the number of school days
must be very much reduced. The law, to be
sure, provides that in case the funds arising from
the present school tax are not sufficient to sustain
the schools in operation for 200 days. it shall be the
duty of the parents of the scholars attached to each
school to make up the deficiency by assisting in
the support of the teachers and the repairs of the
schooI-houses, as shall be directed by the School
Inspectors and Tax Collector of the district
Grhs law, however, does not contain any provl-
sion for enforcing its own observance. As the
Minister of Public Instruction suggested in his
report for the year 1853 it would be very difficult
to carry out the measure 1t proposes, and It has
never been attempted
Your Committee fully agree with the Minister
that eighty dollars per annum for each school, in
addition to what may be needed for the supply ot
books, is the smallest sum that should be deemed
sufficient TO carry the present system. The
committee do not propose TO suggest how such al
amount shall be obtained, it does not come within
their province it will not do to increase the pre-
sent school tax That is already burdensome and
unequal in its demands
A considerable increase in the average income
per school would be attained by u consolidation OF
the schools and consequent dminutlon OF their
number. Many of them are now very small. The
average number of scholars connected with each
school during the past year was but about twenty
nine. If the number of schools was reduced from
423 to 300 the average number of scholars in each
would be about forty, and the income of each
school would be increased about one third. The
great obstacle in the way of such arrangement
is to be found in the present system of organizing
the schools according to the sectaran character OF
the parents and not according TO territorial limits.
In many places there are now two schools, where,
but for this mode of orgazation, but one would ex-
lst.
The attention of the Legislature has been called
to this subject in the report under consideration,
and also in numerous petitions which have been
referred to the undersigned. The views of your
committee on this important subject will be pre-
sented in their report upon those petitions.
Your committee have read with much pleasure
the report o the Trustees the Lahainauna SEM
inary The institution is IN fou:lShng condition
Two thousand dollars year have been saved to
the government by introducing the manual labor
system into the institution.
| This result is gratifying. 1t relieves the gov
ernment of burden and it furnishes new proof Of
the advantages of the manual labor system. The
undersigned would be very glad TO see that system
generally adopted in our schools. They believe II
would greatly help TO raise the national character
| Your committee cordially record the suggestion
of the Minister on the expedency of an approprla
of to m rebuilding the HllO Man
| ual Labor School, which was recently destroyed
/ by fire. That school has for many years supplied
teachers for most of the common schools on the
I island of Hawaii, and it ought to be sustained.
/ The undersigned earnestly recommend that the
government give all the aid IN It's power TO those
who wish to have their children taught the Eng
/ lish language. Throughout the islands the desire
to learn English is now very strong, much st!onge
than it ever was before. 1t is reasonable desire
A knowledge of the two languages Haawiian anC
English is daily becoming ore important to those
who would succeed in any business. The numbe
of books in the Hawaiian tongue is small and mus
always be so. The cost of preparing them would
be great, and the number of buyers small. OI
the other hand, the number of books in the Englsl
is immense beyond calculation. The stores. %
knowledge contained in these books ought to bt
unlocked to the Hawaiians. They embrace tht
collected wisdom of many generations. They vii
only be unlocked to those who can interpret th'
records for themselves.
Hawaiian children can learn the English Ian
guage. This can no longer be question The ma
tive pupils of the Royal School and of seyefa
other schools have proved it.
In view of the importance of this subject, tb
committee recommend that the present leglsatur
appropriate sufficient sum to enable those parent
who wish to have English schools established, an
will pay according to their means for the object
to obtain this great blessing for their children.
To the end that this subject may receive the at
tention it deserves, and that definite action may
taken upon it, the committee propose shortly t
Introduce an act to encourage the establishment G