The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1858-08-05
ITS PA0IFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
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Or he Beard 81 Edscaaiea 80 she Haw aiian
- - LegislasuFe, 1855. -

our schools is placed, by law. under the care of loca
Boards Of Directors in the several districts, n major
ity OF whom are chosen by the House OF Representa-
lives The School Inspectors are sr oecio member
Of these local Boards, and the President of the Boar
Of Education is only . corresponding member. Henc
these English schools for natives are only, to a YER
? limited extent, under the direction of the Board Q
Education, and cannot be called 10 account by 1t 70
. any Of their conduct.
II delinquency in duty. or NAL administration oc
ours, the law does not point out the officer who's
iuty it shall be TO alItheofender to account, or ever
remove him from office. This is an evil that calls fd
> remedy The law requires those local Boards o
Directors to :. report annually, through the Presiden
OF the Board OF Education. TO the legislature at leas
one month previous to the commencement of each ss
son;'' but there have been only three regular and
fall reports, covering the whoie time since January
1st, 1856, received at the fhce-and hence the sta
fistics in the table ut the enc of this report are only
an approximation to the truth They are the best
hat can be collected from the imperfect returns.
From the table referred to it appears that there
were in operation in 1856, seventeen English schools
for naiiyes-four on Hawaii. three on Maui, one on
Molokai. seven on Oahu, and two on kauai-embra-
cling 75S scholars; of those reported $50 were boys,
and $50 were girls The aggregate number of weeks
taught, as reported, 529-fve days each week. The
number of scholars and weeks taught in three of these
schools is not reported, and the number of scholars
put down in the table is only an estimation of these.
The amount expended by the government ON these
schools during that year was, according to the reports,
S5,065 40. This does not include $500 90 contrib
ufed by the Directors of English schools TO the Royal
Schocl-aor S143 90 drawn for English schools in
district /, of Oahu. The total expenditure was S5,-
SOS 0S for English schools in 1856. At least an equal
amount must have been expended by private indiVid-
uals.
In 1857, as viii be seen by the table referred to,
the number OF English schools for natives was only
ten; number Of scholars AZ, including two schools
not reported-boys reported 81, girls rs; aggregate
number OF weeks taught, as reported, SoJ, not IN
cludipg three schools, number OF weeks taught not
reported-include these viii make the number of
weeks. say $50. The amount expended by govern
ment on these schools during that year, by the re-
ports, Was IS ,3t3 Sd: at least this amount was ex-
pendei-hy private Individuals
The average amount expended by government on
each scholar learning English in 1886, was not far
from 81 81 Double this. and the whole cost will be
Sl4 GO for each In 1857, the average WIS not far
from 81 OF. Double this viii be Slf OF for each
scholar.
The returns are too imperfect to enable me 20 make
these estimates strictly accurate.
The inquiry viii naturally arise, why such a
falling oil in these schools during last year, The
cause is easily assigned. IL WAS simply for the want
Of means TO support them, and in some cases a decline
Of inferesfsou the part of the parents SS,OO Was
appropriated BY the legislature for the support of
this class Of schools, for each Of the past two years,
but owing 10 the low state of the treasury, il was re-
dueed, by order Of the Privy Council, to 81 1000. But
the principal cnuse was the failure on the part of
parents to pay their proportion. as the law requires.
In the case OF many, there has been an absolute ina
oillty 70 pay, but more generally the difficulty has
been a want Of interest.
In order 70 secure the most speedy success in Civ
ing The English language to the nation, the Engiish
= school law of 1854 needs, as il seems TO me, and the
Board Of Education is of the same opinion, TO be
somewhat modified These ~ho enjoy the advantages
OF these schools, in part at government expense,
should come under some formal obligation to send
their children steadily for q length of time, sufficient
TO secure the object; otherwise, after the scholar has
got only a mere smattering of English, just enough
% al him with eonceit. and do him, perhaps. as much
harm as good, he leaves school, and what has been
eyceuded On him ia ahouf a a good as LOST The plan
adopted in the Royal School to bind the parents. by a
written obligation. to send their children regularly
for a series Of years, paying n portion of the expense,
has worked well, and 20 far remedied the evil alluded
70.
Again, in order TO success, these schools must he
permanent, and in order to this, their support must
ee sure. AT present this is not the case The sup
port depending in part on parents, many of whom
sre poor, and more are 6ckle-ninded, is not sure, and
teachers Of course lssve and seek other employment.
The basis Of the law is not too broad for the wants of
he nation. but too broad for our means. Better have
8 lew English schools Tor natives, well supported and
xell taught BY we'll qualified masters, than many only
half sustained. and consequently poorly taught.
Our first and direct aim should be to raise up a
skss OF natives to teach the English language 70
their own people To teach The nG'ion by the en-
Dloyment Of foreigners only, would lie altogether too
expensive. and in fact impracticahle; but, it may be
lone. and well done. through natives. The expert
cJur1s;ng IN this respect Several Of the first class.
che a young lady, are daily employed. part of the
time Ia feaching. under the eye OF the Principal, and
vsth succe<s Should such spends few years in Oahu
College. e-cn IN the preparatory department, IL viii
e OF great advantage to them. and there is Nc reason
why they may not be well qualified 10 teach the Eng
ksh languages; ani through that medium communi-
cs'e knowledge 70 the natives This done. the main
difficulty viii b. over Natives can afford TO work
much cheaper than foreigners, and can live anywhere
On the group With this view also, the Royal School /
requires to be vigorously sustained as a normal
schcoi. and TO ft pupils for the preparatory depart
nenf offbe College.
Schools NOT rSpEn CARE OF GOVERNMENT.
-OxHr CoLLEeE Res. z G. Beckwith, President;
Gforgs & Beckwith. Professor of Latin. &c: VIII
lam De Witt Alexander. Professor Of Greek, &c.
Inc Professor Of Latin Is now on leave of absence
IN account OF iii health; anil is authorized by the
russeee to secure another Professor in the United
States
Il vas stated in the last repor, of this department
70 the Legislature. that the King and Privy Couaeil
had given q pledge TO the Trustees Of this institution
Of = grant CT $4,000 towards its endowment, on con-
tition that ut least 10000 more be raisel for the
same purpose, within three years from July ls,. 1855.
In order TO secure this endowment: the Trustees sent
President Beckuith to the United States last year to
solicit funds from the friends of education there II
also pleased His Majesty. and the Board of Eiuca-
ton. TO acouiesce IN the wishes Of the Trustees. 10
send the undersigned on the same errand. The mis-
sion vas not wholly successful, having resulied in the
collection Of only Se.2 12 in money. besides about
"a 900 worth Of hooks for the library Owing to TIE
severe financial revulsion Of last year. in that coun-
try. the endowment WAS not completed. Ii was, in
fact. vor~ than useless to prosecute such an object
At such q ime commercial distress. But the Board
81 Missions IN hoston. Being unwilling that the Col
should fail. male an unconditional grant of
8 1000 towards its endowment. besides the lands,
b1ildinx, Re. estimated NJ S27 900 transferred toits
corporation here. and gave an assurance. as il had
ability. % furnish the means TO carry il on. until the
can be completed Having done so lber-
ally. fhst Board FELT justified in suggesting to the
King and government. that they make the grant of
$1,000 unconditional also. This was done BY a very
respectful lester from the Rev. Or. Anderson, of Bos-
10 His Exceiiency R C. wyllie. the Kings Min
'sfer OF Foreign RelsfSons. which letter Eas submitted
TO the King and Pr;vy Council. on the 10Th day of
March iast, and was referred. together with Mr.. wyl-
rspls, to the same to the Board Of Education for
consideration Copies Of these letters, together with
the reportof the Board. on their subject matter, which
Vas siopsed BY tie Priyy Council on the 2osh day of