The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-05-16
PJ BLISHED WEEKLY BY
HENRY VI. WHITNEY. (

I
! the school, generally know only their native
tongue. English, however, now forms u leading
branch Of study. and great pains i taken 10 teach
correct knowledge of II. Ii Is amusing u
notice the difference made IN the acquisition OF
| the English language by students who have been
one, two or three years under instruction. Some
Of the compositions produced were ftultless while
others showed total incapacity % acquire our
anguagc. The same difference l. noticeable in
the pronunciation. With the increasing atten-
ton paid :" teaching the English in our primary
'chOOls, it l. not improbable that before long it
will be advisable to teach portion Of the stu
dents IN this seminary JrhOHy n, English, which
will enable them not only to progress more rapid
ly, but will open 70 them u far wider field Of
study than the few books issued in Ha-
%aian afford
Public Exhibition.
On Friday, May Sd, the rhetorical exercises
were held in DR.. Baldwins church, in the vii
age, on which occasion the building was crowd
d to its utmost capacity. The exercises con-
listed Of four decamations in Hawaiian, three
leclamatiOns in English, and two discussions in
hawaiian, closing with dialogue, half in Eng
lish and half in Hawaiian, the whole interspersed
with several English songs. The debates were
ON the questions
Would it benefit this people substitute English
hawaiian district schools throughout the group
IL beneficial nJuriou for Hawaians iu;ermarry
itlf fJr-isners3"
Both these questions. especially the latter,
Iiorded fine topics for oratorical display, and
nost admirably were they discussed. The first
Peaker on the marriage question advocated in
ternarriage with foreigners very warmly, arsu-
ing that it a necessity, on account of the
iapid decrease of the native race, and pointing
to history to show that a mixed race was gene
rally superior to the supplanted one, and that
it resulted in deterioration. The young
handled his subject with great tact, and
brought out several convincing arguments,
and SO strongly fortified his side Of the question
that had vote been taken when he retired,
probably nne-tenths of the audience would have
sided with him. His remarks We're repeatedly
met with warm applause.
His opponent followed on the stage, remark
ing that though the speaker who had preceded
aim had made a good case, he did not despair of
ais cause, and hoped they would suspend their
.erdict till he had concluded. Then cOmmen
Ing with narration OF the happy state Of this
people before their discovery. and of the .
wills which foreigners had brought with them, .
Ie argued that the decline of the once numerous
hawaiian people solely owing to them,
md how could any benefits arise from internar-
,iage with those from whom much evil had
prung? What wanting in force in his
argument, he made up in repartee. The pure /
ureigner be said was worthy Of our respect so .
long ne remained such and pure Hawaiian /
also SO long ne remained such but when /
they mingle together, of PGkes and I
SDdHIOi1s, of no settled habits. but of Il rowing, |
Ialf wild character, compared with whom the .
lative Hawaiian, cultiyatIng his tarO and bana-
las, far happier and superior. In his hu-
nOrOus way, the speaker brought down the house
n rDars Of laughter. In illustrating the incOn-
.eniences Of intermarriuge, he said that the .
rIeuds of the native wife We're too often met .
.yith the cold shoulder. If they 90 to visit
Ter. ut her home, the foreigner grOwls out (
What do yOU ,cGHt Aere?' On the strangers
imidly answering, that he only wants to
&c his sister, (the foreigners wife, he is met
with the stern rebuff, = Oct ont Of Dly house"
The debate beng in Hawaiian and the foreigners
-epies uttered by the speaker IN English, set off
Iis argument with considerable humOr. He
vas constantly interrupted with applause and
t the close of the debate probably the whole
.ssembly would have voted with this speaker,
y completely did he carry bis audience with
In.
In rhetorical display, the Iawaiians certainly
show great abilities and 1t was clearly evident ut
This exhibition, that the speakers had been under
thorough and systematic training. Those vino
were present at previous exhibitions say that the
Improvement, particularly in the pronunciation
of the English, l. very marked 1t l. Il difficult
thing for Il person To obtain u correct prOHuuclI-
ton of u foreign tongue, in two OF three years
training but those who spoke English pieces
on this occasion. remarkably distinct and
correct in this respect. To Mr.. Henry p. Par
ker who has had charge Of the English classes,
Is due great credit for the improvement notice
able, which could only have been attained by the
most thorough drilling.
VuIuc of I.nhainnIunn Seminary.
The value of this institution should not be un-
derrated. 1t is open to all meritorious natives
That its advantages are appreciated, is attested
by the fact that the applications for admission
each year are beyond the ability Of the seminary
to grant We're the accommodations sufficient
for hro hundred students, it is probable that
number would always be found ready 10 secure
the benefits which it affords. Oahu College Is
open to natives who have been educated wholly
in English but as Yet there few such, who
are fitted to enter it. At Lahainaluna, young
men are received versed only in Hawaiian, who
graduate after four wears. with. in some cases. a
fair knowledge Of English. which must prove of
yalue % them not. according to the positions
they occupy in life, and the opportunities afford
ed them 10 deyeupe and i'm prove their English. ]
If they TO and locate in some remote dis
trict. where there foreigners and no use /
for the English. they must lose what little
they have acquired Some think, and We have
heard it said that the students of Iahainaluna gra-
duute with worse characters than they had when
they entered, in short that they become refined
only for rOguery That some turn out rOgUes
we have no doubt, but that u larger proportion
do here than in other countries. have vet to
learn. 1t is proverhia that many university
students enjoy the character Of being hard
cases and no where more than at ale or OK
ford. But because college life tends 70 create in
some a certain inbred pride and feeling of superb
Ority the rest of their fallow-men which not
unfrequently influence them through ile cauS-
ing their ruin, no argument should be drawn .,
from that fact, that all graduates are alike The
bcHes of colleges and universities more than out
weigh these evils None but those who have
never completed their full course. or WHO have
never merited the diploma which they received.
will ever be found j2qstiHg Of university educa-
tion OF Of any supposed superiority derived there
from.