The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1860-03-29
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY, MARCH 90.

Ou K tAi W hOS CNtato We 81
Indifferent to the great Importance of the subject
but that he might deliver himself of whatever
ideas he has had to put forward, without being
led off into side issues. His articles on this sub
ject have been rather discursive, indefinite in Ian.
guage, and incorrect in many material points
In fact, the general reader, after perusing them,
is left quite unable to discover what his object is,
except that a change Of some kind in our school
system is sought for by him.
We agree fully with the government editor on
the Importance of the subject of education, for it
lies at the foundation of the domestic and social
happiness, the political security, peace and very
existence of the hawaiian nation. In his issue
OF February 4th, he commences with a very de-
served commendation of the efforts that are being
made, by private charity, for the domestic educa-
tiOn of Hawaiian girls, and thinks it will newt
ably lead to a separation of the sexes in all our
schools, 80 without which it would be almost i'm
possible to educate the girls into intelligent
women, faithful wives. and conscientious moth
ers." And moreover, that it will be the IS end
of the Hawaiian school system, with Its mixed
schools and p~roftless labor"
He declares that our common school system is
constructed after the model of those of other
countries, and not at all adapted to this, mas
much as the girls and boys are combined together
in the same free day schools, and are wanting in
s. family training While they learn with as
tonishing rapidity to read and write, " where do
they learn not to abuse these accomplishments
into forging deeds, or writing prurient love let
tiers ?" How many deeds, or other important
documents, we ask, can the editor show to have
been forged by natives? Can he produce a half
dozen cases? We doubt it. And if he did, or
if he finds occasionally a "prurient love note,s
it would argue nothing more against our free
schools than can be argued against those of Bos-
Ton or Berlin, the best in the world.
The great want in our Hawaiian education he
considers to be :. family training" That is very
nothing can be more true; nor is this
training to be obtained in native families. True
also. As a general thing, native children do not
receive in their families 80 those lessons of modesty
and refn' lent'' that go a great ways towards
securing good behavior at school and abroad. In
respect, however, they do not differ from
those in other nations. Children of the poor
and uneducated classes do not, TO a great extent,
in any country, receive moral training at home,
and still they are sent to the public schools, with
all their bad habits, because that is the best that
can be done for them, and is a great deal better
than nothing.
But where shall we look for this domestic
raining for nine thousand native children? The
.Polynesian says sit should come from the church"
And to prove this position, he reverts to the state
If the schools previous to 1910, when the govern
nent first assumed the care and the expense of
hem. At that time, he seems to think things
vent on about right. What was lacking in the
amily, the church, in other words, the mission
Iries, made up. The State, seeing the want of
his family training, Z" was obliged to appeal to
he religious element through the pastors and
eachers Of the various denominations &c.
And the early missionaries nobly responded
nd for many years the schools taught ethics as
veil as rubrics."
We pause here, just to ask a question or two.
When was this appeal made by the government
D the SO religious clement and in what way?
editor snot historically correct in this state |
lent, if we are properly informed. The truth
es in the opposite direction. The missionaries
ppealed to the government to do what they,
lemselves, had not the means of doing. From
he time schools first began to be established in
300, until 1910, they had no regular support.
he chiefs were liberal, and being sensible of the
ilue of education, gave orders to their kOnohikis
supply the school teachers (who were natives,
nd then acquainted with only the simplest rudi-
ents of knowledge) with food, or land from
hich to get it. They also ordered school houses
be erected, in the ordinary native style, and
lied upon their people, old and young, to at
nd them and learn. But in process of time
is support was found to be entirely inadequate
lie schools languished for want of support;
achers got tired of working without pay, and
the year 1888, at a meeting of delegates of the
merican Mission at Lahainaluna, the King,
or Royal Highness Kaahumanu ID, and several
her high chiefs, were present by invitation,
a view to devise means for the more efficient
pport of the schools throughout the kingdom.
is Majesty and the chiefs took a lively interest
the subject. Mr.. Richards was about the same
called to their service as teacher and trans
tor, and the subject of schools was not for
Two years afterwards, the first school h,c was
Iblished Il very crude, imperfect one, it is true,
re everything else in those early days, but it
severed the purpose for the time, and prepared
c way for a better. This statement may be
lly relied on as true, for we have received our
formation from one who was present at the
owe conference, and took part in the discussion.
I'd we have made it, in order to correct a his
rical error of importance here, because it has
the editor, and it might his readers, astray.
e maintain, as a matter of history, that the 8
religious clement appealed to the State all
ing for the support of schools, and not the
tie to the " religious element" which, through q
: aid received from the chiefs, kept them in f
and exercised a general control over 6
I'm. o
Again we inquire, as a matter of history, dur t.
|, those early years, when the schools were s.
lght .'ethics as well as rubrics, was their ''do-. n
site training which the editor justly regards
so important, attended to? How much was |
ne in this way up to 1910? Were there sepa- +
% cnbnnlS Enr hnrs or nirls rhnn the n1hlic 4