The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-05-01
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THERSDAY MY

PIP %
This is one Of the most beautifully illustrated little
books we have seen. We suppose it to be n school
primer for use in the schools Of Honolulu. II cur
suppOsition is correct, the boys and girls Of that far
distant region will have the delight Of learning their
liquid language from just as charming a book a. can
be obtained by the best children in the Yankee land.
We give a specimen Of the text. Beneath a spirited
picture, representing some boys and dogs. who are
having a grand time with a truck, rs the following
Huro Huro Holo maoli ma kamalii. Aoaoa (!
aOaoa Hahai aku M lilo i na kamalii, me ka leo
oluOlu-
He lealea kupono no na keiki kula, i nea e oluolu
al ka manao, a e ikaika'i Ike kino.
What in the world this means. We do Mt know;
but We suppose the young heather in Honolulu will
understand il"
We find the above notice Of a new elementary
school book in the Massachusetts Teacher, n
monthly periodical published in Boston. The
title is copied as it is given in that journal. 1t
has either been printed wrong in the periodical
from which the notice is taken, or in the book
itself. 1t is a primer in the Hawaiian language,
prepared in the style and with the same cuts as
are in the Progressive Primer now in use in the
schools here, the text having been prepared by
Mr.. j. Fuller, and the work published by the
same publishers who issue the English primer re-
ferred to. We have not of course received a
sample Of the book, but suppose that a supply of
them is now on the way out.
We rejoice in every effort that is made by the
government to improve and facilitate the educa-
tional interests of this people. One great help
towards this is the preparation of a%tractire
school books and one great want in our present
school system, is the entire lack of them, in an
age when other countries are enjoying them in
abundance. Education, ut all times n difficult
task, is rendered in these days comparatively
easy, by reason of the improved methods of i'm
parting Instruction now in use. For instance,
the illustrations IN elementary books help to I'M
part instruction to the youthful mind, which as
yet may gave no comprehension of the ideas
which it nSlst acquire, and which the old books
took a mu<h longer time to impart.
But whSe we are glad to witness these efforts
to impros.. the books used in our schools, we
cannot ar rove of the plan of having the print
ing done ) foreign countries, whenever the work
can be ex' lated just us well here. In all cases,
(and per,,.ps the primer referred to with its
choice ili,.stratiOns may be an exception) this
cannot be J:Jne, but where it can be, q preference
should be given to domestic industry. 1t may
be said, we are personally interested, and SO we
are but it is the same interest that favors the
home production of our own rice, sugar and
wheat, in preference to sending funds abroad
to obtain these products produced by foreign capt.
tai and labor. That printing can be done here
just as well, though perhaps not quite so cheap,
as in other countries, there are evidences enough.
The NIeLe, a little work Of 900 pages recently
printed and bound here. affords the most salts
factory proof of this. And why should il: be
otherwise, when we have the same presses, the
came types, and the same paper, and quite as
good workmen as in Boston or elsewhere? All
- -
wish they were more in number-should be ster-
eotyped and the plates sent here, so that in fu-
ture editions, the printing can be executed here
under the supervision of the government.
To-day the Legislature meets, and it is not i'm
probable that some changes may be proposed
before this body regarding onr public school sys-
TEN. This system is not perfect, none ever was,
and no amount of tinkering and changing can
make it perfect and though some improvements
can doubtless be effected in it, yet it probably
comes as near the present wants Of the people as
anything that can be prepared. What is
wanted is, not a new system, but a head to
the department-one that will carry out the sys-
tenn we have, whose influence will impart vigor,
and system to our public schools, who
will take n personal interest in the progress Of
each school throughout the kingdom. This is
the great necessity now. Since the death of the
President of the Board of Education, Rev.
r. Armstrong, the department has been nomin-
ally under the charge of Governor Kekuanaoa.
well qualified His Excellency may be
for the gubernatorial duties required of him, the
schools appear to have suffered in efficiency since
the death of Mr.. Armstrong, and all that is left
to us now is a system without a head. Ii it is
desired that the rising generation grow up in
n continuance of the present state of
things is all that is required to bring that about.
Ii is well known that Mr.. \. and hi, efficient
Mr.. Fuller, had a plan of Normal
Schools ready for introduction here-similar
to that which has been introduced with such
wonderful effect into the New York, New England
md some of the European school systems, and
which would undoubtedly give a great impetus
to education here, and with like results as in the
where it has been introduced. But the
ieath of the President of the Board prevented
adoption of this system, and since that event
nothing has been done towards it.
The suggestion was thrown out not long since,
BY a correspondent in the Polynesian, We believe,
hat His Excellency PRINCE LOT should be APP
pointed as the head of this department. That
would, no doubt, be an Improvement over the
present. But the main point is, that an execu- j
i've head is wanting. some one capable of i'm l
,arting vigor and system to every branch of our {
EDUCATIONAL interests, watching them as with a {
atherly care, that they may always be progress a
ng, instead of retrograding as they now are. !
IN the education of the rising generation, hang c
he hopes and destiny of the Hawaiian race. 5
he next twenty years will decide what they are /
o be, for ali future time-a race of intelligent, 1
,dru+r,,pa % rabla fraau,aD or a rnca Of iunn- =
ant, lazy drones, hewers of wood and drawers I
& rntnr liz them tho i-sra IL sn imnnrfanf 6