The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-03-28
Correspondence of the rac. Com. Advertiser ]
HnNoLuLu. March 20. 1861.

HONOLULU, MarCn 70, ICOI.
Mn. EDITOR Sir-Please allow me TO embrace the
first opportunity which the press affords, to notice
the article in the Polynesian of Saturday last,
headed The Royal School.
To what the article has to offer in regard to the
above named = institution - as a means . for the
spread Of the English language, and the teaching Of
civilized ideas, ;" I shall not seriously object. What
! follows self interest tempts me to let alone, for fear
that distrust may be thrown over the truth Of the
article.
But the untruths which occupy by far the larger
portion of it, must furnish the apology for noticing
it at all.
Charity suggests ignorance-not Ignorance in gen
eral, by any means-as the cause of the POiyneslan'S
misfortune. since that estimable virtue entirely
urecludcs the idea that, after the frequent reading
IF free lectures to the Board of Education, the
schools, and the people generally, that paper now
sets down aught III malice. This Ignorance appears
TO be of two kinds-ignorance of the machinery OF
the English portion of our educational system, and
ignorance OF its practical working.
The legislature which enacted the present civil
code, passed a special statute for the Royal School,
which u,aced il under the immediate care and CON-
troll of the Board of Education. At the same time
il made provision, which appears TO have been in
tended TO Oe permanent, for the support OF the
school, and the Beard has ever been prompt and
llbtlakA III luEGAAAlE IT, NNN|It NAINfrN-s AfN~N 4
am confident, have never much exceeded 500 per
annum, beyond my own salary and the occasional
repairs which the premises have required. Hence 1t
will be difficult to see III what direction retrench-
ment can be accomplished, unless II begins ut the
head, which has not been proposed, 50 far | have the
means Of knowing. And further, II will be as
difficult 10 see why the Board Is " obliged 10 study
retrenchmeut." 50 long as the government does not
20 into bankruptcy IN which case the school would
have abundance Of company, the Polynesia" not
excepteL O.
The Legislature above alluded to, while it made 4
sysciaI provision Tor the Royal school, also enacted
a gsusrqi law for the establishment of primary
English Schools in different parts OF the Kingdom.
That law the next legislature modified very ma
terially in the direction Of hbeTaHty. Under II
there are now three separate schools IN Honolulu,
numbering about one hundred and sixty pupils,
For reasons which need not be detailed here, these
schools are located upon the premises OF the Royal
School. They are, according TO the law, and by the
act of the Board of Education, under the direct
control Of a local Board.
One of the duties of this Board is the employ
ment of teachers. In one Of these schools the
- Young Hawaiian lady - who. 10y no desire of her
own. probably, seems to be the head and front Ot the
POiyuesjIR'S offending, and who then was and now
l., an assistant pupil in the Royal School, was EN-
ployei 10 assist ia teaching during 4 portion OF each
day, ami was paid a salary of $50 per quarter.
With the principal teacher Of that school the
Board Of Education had Especial contract, which
grew out OF an application OF the local Board for
permission to pay u higher salary than was allowed
by the Instructions under which ii acted. In that
contract it was thought that the Board ut Education
had driven Il hard bargain; and when 1t was made
TO appear so, that Board, very houoTahly, raised the
salary, or did what Has equivalent To It, 10 some
thing like a fair CONVERSATION for the services rcu-
iered. la the mean time, the local Board were
endeavovIng to eicct an arrangement Tor the grad
nal increase of the salaries OF all the principal
of the primary schools Tor the tact was
notorious that these teachers we've employed AT rates
which Wo.ll scarcely procure respectable board, ex-
by the intervention of friends. is matters
stood, trO Of the schools numbering about
ninety pupils. we're being carried on at about eighty
cent, Of the expense of carrying on the remain
ing oas, which numbered, at most, sIXty-seven pu-
pills.
This school, too, by no fault Of the teachers. but in
consequence Of the prevalence Of the measles among
the small children, mad become much reduced in
numbers, and was likely TO continue so Tor "A con-
siderable time and even when full, according 10 the
cordial acknowledgment OF the principal teacher,
,ould be carried on with less assistance, as its organ
zatUn became more and more complete.
Under the circumstances, il seemed 20 me that both
Prudence and wisdom called for tine saving Of this
Expense, temporarily, n least. Accordingly, rs the
member OF the local Board. 10 whom, 10y virtue IF Il
general supervision ot The schools, had been entrusted
he employment Of the young lady a. d teacher. l
COX the responsibility Of informing her that she
would not. for n time ut least. be needed in that
chooL. At the same time. both in that capacity and
Il that OF a teacher who had had the disposition Of
Ter time for I'VE hours Of the day, during FIVE days Of
he week, for the last five years, my advice was 10
'-N'
ssisiant pupil, and to direct all her energies 10 i
thorough preparation, for a few months, tor as
umIng the ogiire control Of one OF the three schools
Il which there was then information Of an expected
Lcaucy, which vacancy, at the longest. would come
Uon enough for her ultimate good. Acknowledging
he temporary sacrifice which it necessitlted, | held
p the gam IN prospect, and urged the necessity u
hat diligence which, 1t Is true, hai never been want
ng, and also the propriety Of making the best posi-
lie use Of the models before her, OF which, in the
q others, there were three very respectable
her own teacher not Included.
All Jhis was done with something II taat saHcitgde which. il
i-ht h- supposed would attach ITSELF -u one who Aal leeu her
s-r!ctor almost from infancy. and who lad mot another pupil
her sex 90 assume tAe position which she occupied IL was
one, too. .u tLe face ~ tlat injunction of the POiyHss5Ut e
arrsly twelve months ago. u"- O. be ton -sa-ttar o.. success 90
umi,ta- tine conduct &C English >ch.ui- L. ii.waIau~-
such are the material facts Of tm- case. IL the Il.Lc judge
tween them and tn mere street ruupr which Gas been caught
:. with q total absence OF tat wisdom and prudence so freely
.umeui-I 20 others.
Let II h- Understood that Their, l. NO God reason. IN the alb
aC- ot definite information from th- Board itself, 90 SUPPOSE
"a; Is funds are not ia tha- prosperous condition which every
'i wishrr % education, and the Advancement of tile people
ri - fnr. -HE- th' source ~ hoe r,ul- e presumed 20 he