Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1862-05-24

the land, and to enable the people in any way to
spell out Its contents. The people were equally
eager to receive it. and to spell it out In this
there was mutual deception, or a mutual misap-
prehenslon. The whole race, old and young,
chiefs and beggars. stretched out anxious hands to
catch book which they were told had given the
white man all his superiority over them. They
diligently learned their A C., and conned the
pronouncing syllables, that they might be able to
decipher it, and set themselves down with firm de-
termination to master its contents because the ad-
vantages they conceived they were to derive from
it were, in their eyes, inestimable. But then these
advantages were all temporal. They hoped thus
to grasp that new civilization which had dawned
on them, on which they looked with longing eyes,
and expected by means of this wonderful Book to
make their own.
Now, granting that what their teachers told
them was true, and that modern civilization has
sprung out of the Bible, it certainly is not from
that Book direct teachings of the things of this
world, but by its opening up the prospect of new
and better and the belief in that other life
must first be firmly established before it can begin
to react upon the condition of things in this life.
This was conception altogether foreign to the ma
tive mind, which, fixed on material things, was
slow to comprehend-was generally incapable of
comprehending the spiritual. Disappointment en-
sued. Those who had most diligently searched
the Book found they were as far as ever from being
on level with the white man in all that concerns
material CIVILIZATION. The period OF excitement
was succeeded by one of apathy.
The result of that period of excitement was in
deed that many natives had learned to read their
Bibles; but, alas they turned the page with
out reverence; they perused it rather from curl
osity than in faith.
It was about this time that the project of
education systematic plan, seems to have seri-
Ously engaged the attention of the rulers. Through
the narrow optics with which they regarded it,
education appeared to them merely school keeping,
and the great end of school keeping to be able
to read the Bible. Everything that is good, they
said, has come out of that book, and must come
out fit.
They appointed therefore, as teachers of the youth
of the nation, men who had no other qualification
for the Office than simply that they could read that
book, but who were destitute of any prevailing faith
in its divine origin, whose passions, therefore, were
not kept In check by its precepts, and who were
utterly devoid of the knowledge necessary for the
important trust eonfided in them. What wonder
that there was no discipline, regularity, no pro-
gress. What wonder that these schools became
haunts OF Incidence, aye, and hot beds of vice.
Some of the readers of these lines exclaim, 60 This
must be gross exaggeratiOn." In answer, would
say, am provided with abundant details to verify
what | advance; but must be dainty in my choice.
The mass of them cannot be committed to type. L
will however, in support of my assertion, cite a
writer in one of the early numbers of the Haze Ha-
tCdii, who, himself teacher, thus describes the
usual routine of very many schools: Assembled in
the morning, the master appoints one of the larger
boys to take charge of all the younger scholars,
while he himself and the lads and girls who have
attained certain age retire to end OF the school
room, and spend the day in writing love letters to
each other. L have not entered u common school
room for several years, but before that have often
done so, and from personal observation, can assure
the reader that this is no fable. If these were the
doings in school, we may imagine what they were
like to be out oft.
Both sexes were eongregated together. Neither
body nor mind were kept in action. The passions
were violent. The young were, and are
adults in thought long before they are so
in fact. They were removed from the
supervision of parents; they sighted their
authority as being know nothings, whereas they
themselves were to know everything. Finally, and
to crown the whole, the new system, we have
seen. did away in the male sex with all dread of
their vengeance.
How could it be but that the most deplorable
disorders should ensue Yet these were the schools
whose praises were trumpeted forth in other lands
as demonstrating the trumphs which christian
civilization had here accomplished. Beneath all
this seeming goodly show when at the fairest,
fostering corruption lurked to be detected by the
least observant eye, and which now can no longer
be concealed from common view, for the nation is
rapidly sinking under its effects.
That those holding the rule were not cognizant
of the condition OF things would be incredible to be
believed. To show they were so, will utter but
one wOrd-Weiluku might fill I'D the
blank with sad tale. but willingly leave it as it is
and rather refer to something that befell myself in
that locality Twelve years ago. shortly after land
ing on these islands, opened an English school
there for youth Of both sexes. A day or two after
commencing the father of two of the girls requested
| to speak with me. On meeting him he asked me
if it was true that had taken as scholars and B.
naming two young women of about seventeen. I
replied, yes. "Do you know" be said, 60 that
they are notoriously abandoned -?'' applying
to them series of the worst terms in the English
language. ' cannot allow my girls to be contain
mated by them" | of course expressed my sur
prise, and said I would make inquiry, and act ac-
cOrdingly. Certain circumstances in the case per-
picked and puzzled me. / at length summoned
resolution to speak the subject to one of the
ladies connected with the mission. On narrating
to her the purpOrt of what had passed, she ex-
pressed her surprise "Did Mr.. - really say
so! Then he has only done to give you trouble.
After pause of few minutes she proceeded. &c 1t
is very delicate subject for me to speak at all
but see must speak out. I do not see how you
to get on if you remain ignorant of the truth.
Then raising her voice, she continued: They are
all bad, there is not one good amongst them, and
his daughters are probably the worst in the lot.
How can they be otherwise, after the example he
sets them. He will not take them away. You
have nothing, in nv opinion, to do with what may
have taken place out of school. To be sure we
knT that A has been rather 1id, and probably
too, though know nothing of her, but not worse
than the rest, have said they all bad alike
assure you, when think of what old and young
are, | cannot see what all this is to come TO. My
pillow is wet every night with bitter tears as
pray that their hearts may be changed, and feel
that this constant struggle with thoughts which
oyerwhem me is shortening my days" Subsequent
events confirmed all that this very estimable lady
said even as to her own fate, for she died few
years afterwards. victim, do believe, to distress
| of mind.
Thus early were my eyes opened, and they have
not since been closed. One would have thought
that the eyes of the effective rulers of the people