The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1859-09-14

English Schools ON Hawaii.
Mn. EDITOR The statements of s'Hawaii" in re-
gard To EnpIisa& chools on Hawaii, in the Pofyne-
s;on of August 10, seem to US to require q moments
notice. We are much inclined to question both his
facts and his reasonings. He says: "In 1856, we
had seven or eight schools kept by missionaries and
others. in which the English language was taught.
and there was a large attendance Of native youth"
win ..Hawaii'' please to state where these seven or
EIGHT English schools were located, and by whom
taught We have had some opportunity to know
abont such matters, and we are not aware that during
those wears, there were more than four such schools
on that island, including the Hilo Boarding School.
The official returns show only four. In 1857. there
were three, including the Hilo school, and more re-
Gently only one, which continues to this time.
..Hawaii'' further says "To-day I do not know
of a single English school for Hawaiian youth on
this island.' Very singular indeed. that q person
who writes go we'll, knows so little of what is going
on. on the island of his own residence. A little sum-
mer excursion to Hilo and Kau, might have revealed
to him the fact, that at least two large fourishing
schools exist there in which the English language is
taught, and we'll taught. to native youth; aye; and
the teaching done in a great measure too by pure
native masters; also, that arrangements are in pro-
gress to start a new school of the kind at the former
place on the basis 6f the provisions of the Civil Code,
to which scholars from all parts of that island may
be admitted. True, Hawaii is sufficiently backward
in this respect. but not by any means 30 badly off. as
this writer would have US believe.
But why have two English schools on that island
been suspended? In part. from the want of funds
in the treasury during a portion of the year 1856, TO
meet the drafts Of the local directors, but more espe-
cially from a failure on the part of parents to pay up.
A glance at the figures in the Report of the Board of
for 1858, will show this: The amount
actually paid in by private parties having greatly
diminished, and the government being restricted by
law to pay the same amount, the teachers had not
sufficient encouragement, turned to other business,
and the schools of course we're given up. This has
been the case, not on Hawaii only, but elsewhere, and
here has been just the weak spot in this whole
machinery for supporting English schools for natives.
1t is so still. So long as half Of the support of any
school must come from private sources, it will be
precarious, and success doubtful. If our lawmakers
are really in earnest to introduce the English language
to the natives. they must furnish our school officers
with money sufficient to place this most important
class of our schools on a permanent basis, and employ
that talent that will make them efficient. True. the
natives are not backward to kokua, as Hawaii
says. He should have rather said. they are not back
ward to promise; they are not apt to be But to per-
form, to pay up. is quite another thing, especially in
most remote districts. Even though the amount re-
quired of them is small, not generally over $40 q
year, it becomes burdensome after n time; the child
rem too 6ud it to be a long up hill, steady pull, as
many youth do who undertake to learn Latin and
Greek they get tired of the task and drop it.
As to the fling at the Board of Education for
all its attention to keeping up the present
system, we ask ssHawaii,'' to whose care the
law has hitherto committed our English schools. To
the Board of Education! By no means, except to q
very limited extent. They have been placed under
local directors, a majority of whom were appointed by
The Lorer House, and not in any way subject TO the
control of the central Board. Hawaii has had its
own local agents, and if they have not incited the
people to do their part, who was to call them to ac-
,ount but those who appointed them
Under the Civil Code the case is different. These
schools come under the more immediate care of the
and We already begin to see Indications of life
md progress, in the preparation to erect a new and
inc school house on the Royal School premises, where
ire daily assembled $50 native children learning
English, under a corps of able teachers; in a similar
movement at Hilo; in the expansion Of the English
chool at Lahaina, and good beginnings in other
places. But we repeat, the weak spot in this part of
UT euuCatronfi tuaCniuery is IL ieKal reStr1cI1On
placed upon the government, to pay no more towards
heir support, than private parties pledge and actu-
pay docn. Why not leave the Board free to use
he avails of the school-tax for the support OF English
chools for natives. without any other condition on
he part Of parents, than to send their children regu-
to them for a term of years, and furnish them
nth books and stationery. MAUI.
KooLAULoA, Sept. 9, 1859.