The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-06-20
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser,
THTRSDAY. LLNE %.

\. JUNE 20.
The government index, in its last issue,
takes the occasion Of the closing of the annual
session Of the Royal School, (there having been
no formal examination, as in former years.1
10 administer 70 its readers a dish of rehashed
saueT-krdut on government affairs in general.
and English schools in particular. The editor
is evidently Disguised with the present condi-
ton of affairs, as everybody else has good cause
TO be, though in a different way. He says:
We have often and s;reuuously advocated the Introduction
Of the English language IN the Hawaiian schools. ~ the best
and readisst means to improve the condition % this people, and
enable them 20 stand up in the worlds commerce and conflict
With other civilized nations. We have shown that, even With
ne - education furnished IN the Hawaiian language, the
individual 80 educated is almost wholly incompetent u meet
Pres upgnh MN, and thas' with a thirst for knowledEe and
awakened aspirations stirring his mind, he Is beret Of the
credit 70 his country.
Here he takes up his stale old song, with
all the pertinacity of the hard-sheIl minister
We read Of, who played on "a harp of a
and school system as pertinaeiously as if. not con-
tent with a fat berth, he might he striving to
jump into dead mems shoes. All admit the
superiority of the English tongue over the Ia
waiian, as its superiority over the Hindostan
and Chinese is everywhere admitted but all
do not admit the practicability of the jnlniedi-
ate suPpiantGtiOn of the vernacular bv the for
eign dialect, nor the righteousness of attempt
ing such a change, even were it feasible. 1t
Is a work of time, and time must be allowed
Tor IT, The work of introducing English or
French TO become the prevailing idiom of the
nation, (%however desirable it may BEL can
only be gradual and at great labor, care, and
We have gone over this whole sub
before, and given our views in full, and
time only strengthens us in the opinion al
ready expressed, that any hasfy eforfs would
only peril our educational system and retard
the intellectual progress Of the natives. Good
schools for them are established in
in each of the principal cities or towns, where
foreigners are located, and where of course the
of the English language IS only of
value. There are some ten or twelve
IF these schools throughout the group, and ac-
'ording 70 the last report of the President of
he Board of Education, no less than 500 pupils
received instruction in English. These schools
nay not all be now in operation. but the num-
Der of native pupils now learning English is
till large, and any native, old or young,
Wishing 10 learn English, has the opportunity.
20 far, then, from the government doing almost
nothing towards introducing the English Ian
it is actually doing more than probably
NY other nation would do towards supplant-
ne and destroying its vernacular. Should it
% farther, should it fa5u the teaching of the
and cripple its resources 70 expend
fifty OF sixty thousand dollars in pursuit of the
idea which a few half crazy fanatics
would make us think constitutes the only
of the race, and declare that English
lone should be taught. the voice Of the native
would be raised against it, the whole
5reign population would condemn II, and the
7hOle world look on with wonder at "A nation
ir;ually roofing out. and destroying its mo-
her tongue. IL would be quite rs wise
nd polite for the government to decree that.
this day forward, all its business should
e transacted in English. rs that all its teach
y should be done in that language: that
sery officer throughout the kingdom should
. conversant with only the English. and the
rcounts and books kept only in that language.
uch a course would be unwise, injurious and
albeit, were it determined To do away
18th the Hawaiian language. this might be- the
sst and s~Peediest method Of efFccting 1t.
No, let the government pursue its present
purse, Of opening and sustaining English
hools only so fast as they appear TO be need
|, and only in those localities where they are
kelly to meet with the best results. Continue
e native schools where English are not advis-
lie. They are less expensive, and within the
cans of the government. Time will work the
ange fast enough of itself. Eventually for
yuers will increase in number, and render the !
adjustment of English schools in every dis =.
let not only an advantage but a necessity. j
49, Ill - 80 Ia
ease the number and influence Of the foreign 4,
TO such an extent, that every Office I
lst of necessity b. filled by them. and every J
tive will from necessity be obliged to learn !
foreign tongue and teach his children in it. :
t time, then. 'cork these changes IN hr o,rn +
y, for whenever the English tongue becomes c