The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1860-05-03
TIE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY. 4 ,.

}. MA -.
We have occupied "A good deal Of space in ou1
paper Of late, in the consideration Of the school
reforms proposed by the Pohunesiqi, from a sense
Of the importance Of the subject, rs connected
most Intimately with our social and political
well-being, and from a conviction, long since
formed, that the editor of that paper Is unsDund
to a dangerous extent, in reference to it. His
projects Of reform have been based on but very
partial acquaintance with the condition and edu-
cational wants Of our people, and with their at
tainments in knowledge and he has evidently
written under the influence Of a strong sectarian
bias, combined with a narrow prejudice against
the pioneers in popular education on the islands,
as we had occasion 10 remark, nearly two years
ago. Judging from his late editorials, we should
put him down as an out and out enemy OF popu-
lar education, as his scheme would leave half of
the nation without instruction, and send them
back to heathenism IN ten years.
Having demolished the structure set up by our
cotemporary, our readers may inquire what re-
forms we have to propose in the schools, or
whether we are satisfied to have them 20 on in
the old beaten track, at the old rate.
Without pretending to any great knowledge
on the subject, or 70 any superior skill in point
ing out Just wherein our schoOl-laws are defec-
tive, or their administration imperfect, and with
all due Difference To those better acquainted with
the subject than ourselves, we submit the follow
ing suggestions.
Let the principle adopted by our venerable old
chiefs, now mostly in their honorcd Srayes,-a
principle as old as the reign of William and
Mary in Scotland that was seized upon blythe
FATHERS of New England as fundamental in their
policy, viz that every child is the property Of
the state, and should be provided by the state
with at least a common school education, he still
adhered To. Let every child in the rcmotest cor
ner of His Majesty's kingdom be taught at least
to .'read, write and cypher - and until this can
b. done for all in the English language, let it be
done i'm the Hawaiian. TO this end let our COM
mon free schools De not only sustained to the cx-
tent required, but let every reasonable effort be
made to improve them. At the same time We
Douvse the m:tsscs Ia the free schools can be
taught at considerable less expense than they now
are. The time of their continuance might be re-
duced their number also, 10y combining the
smaller schools, and thus a greater proportion of
the schoOl-tax he reserved for sustaining select
schools, in which English only shall be taught.
Such an arrangement would doubtless he attended
with some difficulties, arising from the scattered
condition of the people in remote districts, but
we believe they can be met.
Let the distinct aim of the government be, as
it has been, in fact, of late years, to suPersedc
the native language 10y the introduction of the
English, a. soon rs possible. With this end III
view, the English schools for natives should be Of
4 decidedly excellent character. well supported,
and placed in the care of none but good teachers.
This will be the cheapest policy in the end.
They should be- located, too, in the English set
Elements ut first, where native children have OPP
portunities Of exercising daily. what English they
learn in school. And in the vicinity of such set
Elements an effort should DC made To- place all ma
tive children of suitable age, say from four to ten
years, in English schools Immediately. For them
to acquire this difficult language in such a district
as KOhala, or Puma. or Hama, for instance, where
there are no white settlements, would be almost
impossible. \ native will never learn English to
any degree Of perfection. or 80 as 10 be- Of any
benefit to him, solely from books and
our conviction Is. after converting with those vino
have had 4 long experience in teaching natives,
that even il they should acquire it tolerahly well,
and continue 70 live remote from the English set
they would los, it very soon To such a
le- rec that it would be OF little use to them.
This Is natural and philosophical. How soon
will a boy who has learned to read Latin or
French, become rusty IN them, after be- ceases
o read or use them? Many natives have
earned English tclerably well in the United
states, bat soon became very awkward in speak
NJ it,. after their return I, their native islands.
But in the midst of an English settlement the !
Is much easier, though even there difficult I
Dr natives and such are the proper locations for {
,nglish schools, the direct object of which should l
K, to furnish native teachers. 70 20 where they
Dc most needed, rs several have already gone :
the Royal School and from LahainalunI, {
nd engaged in teaching English, if We are cor :
sctly informed. Ii i not every native child, by Z
nv means, who Is capable of learnin. English. i
nd care should be taken to select such only As (
re capable, and of 4 proper age. Those who q
re especially promising. and sufficiently adj
Inced, should. by some means OF other. be sent, Il
IT a few years, to the Royal School or Oahu :
oIlege. in order to receive the benefit Of their il
lperior advantages If they need a little gov b
-nment aid in order to do 50. let them have it. "
For the support of the English schools more a
npIe funds should be provided. Independent of d
hat private parties may contribute. and to this r
ID, a percentage of the school-tax ought to be II
voted TO English schools. and less of it To the b
ee schools. To what amount, those better p
.quaintei with the subject than We are, can II
dge. Each district might have the right to it
nd its proportion Of pupils, based on the BE-
Mount of it, money contributed, or on the
amber Of it, children in the free schools, a OF
ing easily arrived at. Il
Here. Is our own observation has discovered. ii
Is been the great fault in our legislation on this =.
Too much reliance has been placed on 81
C cooperation Of native parents, who have n
und it 70 be a much more expensive and dii- kr
lie ,,r1.rr.rIr- fr- tI.S- HID, .. IT,, Ia