Polynesian., 1858-07-03

God and their fellow beings, aRd if this informa-
tiOn is wisely C) left out'' of the programme of
the Hawaiian Free Schools, where will it be OBJ
tanned; or is it matter of secondary considera-
ton, to be dispensed with or at least subordnated
to an understanding of'' the constitution and laws
of the land" and ability to bear their share
in the administration of government!"
Without arguing the subject of religious instruc-
tion in the public schools at present. we will SIM
ply submit few suggestions for the consideration
of the Board of Education
| Before the President attempts to vindicate the
unsectarian character of the common free schools,
would it not be well to commence with an enquiry
into the unsectarian character of the Board of
Education itself, and ascertain how far the two
gnntreligious divisions of the country are therein
represented for if the head of the system is sound
and well balanced, the incidental action of the in
ferior members can neither be productive of great
mischief nor lasting injury.
Again, it is said that the State has undertaken to
educate all The people common ground. With
all respect, however, for those who originated, or
continue to their. purposes with this express
sion, we are constrained to denounce it as political
catch-word lofty but hollow, ignoring or coniouni-
ing the primary normal relation between State and
People, and at best only arguing in a circle the
more so, when the State coolly repudiates the
beginning of wisdom"
The " impossibility of supporting a separate
class of schools for each Sect which the President
advances as financial reason, closing the argument
by an appeal to the pocket, will, if properly an
alysed, lose much Of its formidable character.
Formerly over 400 free schools supported from
one-third less revenue and while the President is
pleading economy, there is yearly increasing
balance on hand accumulating with the different
treasurers, enough apparently to keep another 300
schools agoing for the same time and at the same
rate, as the 3l2 reported for last year.
In view of the fact that 90 difficulties have arisen
between the School Inspectors and portion oi the
Catholic population and their priests sectarian
grounds" (the correspondence whereof the Presi
dent does not enclOse,) it might assist the Legsla
ture (suppOsing always that nothing is due to pub
lie opinion outside of the walls of the L.g>i ture)
in deciding upon these difficulties, if the number
of schools composed entirely from either of the Two
denominations had been mentioned and Ils1 the
number of mixed schOOls-the proportion in wnica
they are mixed aud how many Of them kept ~
Protestant and how many by Catholic teach is
The President then devoteS section Of Lle Re-
port to a review of the % comparative valus of the
free schools" which has apparently been ELECTED
by the attacks - of portion of the press"
These are some of the benefits conferred by the
free schools since their present orglnization in
1876 they have taught the people to read and
write their own language to the extent of thra,-
fourths of the population: they have given in
struction in arithmetic, geography, history and
last and least-morals. Commenting on this, tho
Report says:
sOfwhat value the ability read their own Ian sulse
and acquire knowledge thereby has been the HIl-
ian people how much II h IS hd to To with their ai-
van in legislation. So:iI mproye.n domasi
comfort, agriculture, mJrai'y and religion AMI Iu
fact every hing thlt pertains TO their ci.z ton the
Legislature JUICE anl there Is o,Iy oi gueu
more competent 10 jui 5e For On', think llcy htye
hli most important AMI ben h;IIl Ieucy IN al these
respects and the nation hem much JfitS pros
perity for the last twenty years. Oar eGlgon pro-
portion Of them. cln rerl. Otherwise there would be
no sense in giving them priutel Cons, ,dton, aui
laws nor allowing them the right of suffrage or to st
on jures and the experiment thus far shows that
they can be thus governed, and vel governed
That 50 the ability to read their own language
and acquire knowledge thereby has been one OF
the elements of civilization in this cIuntry W. are
far from denying but contend that that civiii-
cation would have been more extensive and less
superfcal-that knowledge greater, more practical
and available, had the instruction Of the schools
been conveyed from the first in that language
which opposition, no p1stponeinent can prevent
from becoming the commercial, legal, scientific and
Court language Of the country.
In comparing this group with other Poynesian
islands, such as Tahiti and New Zealand. where
Christianity has been introduced, but without such
an admirable school system ours enjoy, the Pre-
sdent thinks that they would suffer much in COM
parison with us-because, as he says
ssWherein the Hawiians have the advantage in COM
parison is owing to the fact, in great degree that
through school system, all the people are taught
more less, to read and write and eypher at least
and hence the masses have been operated upon largely
through the press, and eau be governed by written
constitution and laws
And finally the free school system is made to
contribute +" very generally to the promotion of
good government and the I" law abiding disposi-
ton of the people.
The statistical tables prepared upon the Govern
ment schools reveal the startling facts that under
the very noses of the Board Of Education and in
the metropolitan island of the group. with popu-
lation exceeding that of Maui, and but Ert.. less