The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-07-23
Correspondence of the Pacific Com. Advertiser,

Mr.. EDIToR:-It is encouraging TO know that the
subject of popular education is before the public
mind. A slumber like that of death has seemed to
be upon US in regard to it. Perhaps it was only a
silence produced by the apprehension that you were
about to fulfil your promise of nearly a years stand
ing, and open your artillery upon the department of
the government which; has this subject in charge. if
So, now that the smoke of your guns has vanished, like
Mercury from the sight of 4Eneas, ia tenuem auram,
our little world may again breath freely; and we may
ask, in all sincerity, ''Watchman, what of the night 20
AS practical teachers, l am sure we must rejoice at
such a 'waking up of dormant mind; especially
after our acknowledgement only by that of the
before mentioned hero-at finding that we are not
hurt.
1t is not contemplated, in this communication, to
defend, to any extent, Oahu College, the Aladdin
University of which you speak in your editorial of
the 18th ult. That will speak for itself in due time.
What is purported is, to throw n small 6 flood of
light upon educational matters in and about town.
as they have been alluded to in the papers of the last
few weeks. Some of the articles which have been
published manifest a degree Of ignorance upon the
subject Of which they profess to treat, which we know
not whether to lament or ridicule. If such ignorance
is positively unavoidable, it is much to be lamented;
but if it be otherwise, it is simply ridiculous.
Your own illusions to the Royal School are pecu-
liarlv unfortunate. You speak of its former &c excel
lent schoolmaster'' as having had g just the schools
for both boys and girls, with no discrimination as to
race or color, while you seem to find inexpressible de
light in heaping contumely upon the hoary head of
the individual who was so fortunate as to secure the
services of such a schoolmaster," while they were
entirely unknown to each other. Its present ''teach-
err you call an sc accomplished" one; but what au-
thority have you for saying so much What are
your means of knowing whether this is, or is not.
true? Because he lifts his hat to you in the street
it does not follow that he is an :" accomplished
teacher His pupils, had they the pleasure of your
acquaintance, could do it as well. Neither does pay
ing the printer entitle him to such distinguished con-
much. You can have almost no other means Of
knowing, for you have never darkened the doors of
his schooi-room, nor heard what was going on within,
unless, indeed, you have played the part of the
(. mouse in the wall.'' We're 1 he, I should thipH
you were given to hattery. You see that this af<Sdn
proceeds on the presumption that the .adSe tsefss
editorials echo the sentiments of its editor.
You also speak too confidently Of a 6ssdty''
which forces zone or two (you should E4ye doubled
the number) foreign children to attend ~ school
as though their parents or guardians did, hive in
a free country-as though there were no. Town
School" to which they could 90 anu be free, ofuoarly
free, from tuition, and where more than some u t4p
foreign children might be found.
You 60 on to say that g foreigners will not 6eiid
their children to associate with natives, not becadi
they are any better, but because they do not wish
them to AGO.; nlEesssss Io2
seem not to know that these fore;or c6.laS =