The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-08-13
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY. AUGUST l3.

- THURSDA Y. AUGUST l3.
MUCH has been said and written. within a
few years, about teaching Hawaiian children
the English language, and many and valid have
been the reasons urged why they should learn
it. The government has also felt the importance
of the subject, and has expended thousands of
dollars annually to bring about the desired re-
suit. Schools have been established in all parts
of the islands, and teachers have toiled patiently,
year after year, to impart to their pupils a
knowledge of the English tongue.
And what are the results Of all this expendi-
ture of money and time? What proportion of
the children have been, or will be benefited by
their attendance upon these English schools?
We would not pronounce these English schools
an absolute failure, for one in fifty, or one in
twenty of the boys may be employed in a store,
or in a foreign family, in consequence of his
knowledge of English thus obtained. For the
same reason, 4 very few may gain admission into
the Royal school, and thence into the Punahou
school. But the great majority of the children
will be losers, We think, instead of gamers from
attending English schools. For it is often the
case, that they SO neglect their own language as
to be unable either TO read it huently, or to write
it with any degree of perspicuity and many,
after having spent years at the English schools,
are very ignorant of arithmetic and geography.
"a large proportion of the foreign residents
Have doubts and misgivings about the utility of
English day-schools for Hawaiian children. If
we mistake not, Il majority Of the teachers are
of this number. They commenced teaching with
the confidence of ultimate success. and for a time
they were greatly encouraged by the progress of
their pupils. At length, however, on reaching
a certain point, more advanced in the case of
some than of others, they became stationary, or
nearly so, and all efforts of their teachers in
urging them on were unavailing. Thus were
their hopes disappointed, and the business of
teaching became irksome, because it seemed to
TO be without fruits.
The pupils also become discouraged and leave
the schools. For this and other reasons, many
of the schools have been given up, and the num-
Der of scholars in others has dwindled from
thirty or forty, to ten or fifteen. 1t is not neces-
sary here to point out the reasons why the Eng
lish schools have disappointed the expectations of
their patrons and well-wishers. Suffice it to say
that these expectations in many eases were I'M
reasonable. How few white children obtain at
schools such a knowledge of another language as
to speak it huently! And why should this be
expected of Hawaiian children? And then again.
there are difficulties connected with the pronun-
citation of the English language which it is almost
impossible for Il Hawaiian to overcome, espe-
cially when over the age of ten or twelve.
For some time the conviction has been forced
upon us that English day-schools for Hawaiians
are a failure,-a failure, we mean, as to bring
ing about the time when the nation will be an
English-speaking people. And we therefore add
vOcate the policy of disseminating these schools,
and of inaugurating a more feasible way of
bringing about the desired result.l The object
desired Is, that the Hawaiians substitute the
English for their own language. On this point,
we do not suppose that there is any diversity of
opinion. But is this object feasible Can the
nation be anglicized, as far as the language is
concerned? Here we take the affirmative side of
the question. To accomplish the object will
require the cooperation of foreigners and ma
tives 1t Will require money and patience and
the present generation will not see it accom-
plished. But if the work is engaged in with
zeal, it may be brought about in the second or
third generation, and an incalculable good will
be conferred on the nation.
But hO0 is the work TO be done? The only
feasible way, as it seems to us, is by boarding
schools. Gather all the children, at the age of
five or six years, into boarding schools where they
will hear and speak the English language, and
in three or four years, they may be sent out
with sufficient knowledge of the language for the
common business of life and as these are sent
out, let their places be filled with others. Those
who are thus sent out will be able to avail them
selves of the advantages of English day-schools,
such schools as Mr.. Brewster's, the Royal. and
the Punahou school.
Should this plan be declared impossible on
account Of the expense, and for lack of suitable
persons to take charge of the boarding schools,
then we may postpone our hopes of the nations
becoming an EnGlish-spcaking people TO an in
definite future. I