The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-06-22
REPORT
Common Schools adopted by the
Hawaiian Evangelical Assoc.
Ciation, June ID, SCI

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After a careful review Of the subject of Com
mon school Education on these Islands. we ind
but little occasion for modifying the uttarance OF
this body, made June Ii, 1900.
The Capitalization of power in the hands Of the
Beard OF EdC'5,tIon Ii "a prejudicial a. heretofore
t. the best interests of the schools: and the man
ner III which the inspectors office il filled J. the
same standing expression of .. hostility To the
American Mission ard their doctrines, and great
contempt for the system of school. they inaugur-
ateI.' There l. Il continuous disregard of the
wishes Of the parents-with slight executions
and the same attempt at exclusion of proper re-
ligious influence. The published rules of the
Board If Education still prohibit music-though.
III practice, singing Is Lot entirely excluded, and
provision l., in q few localities. made for teaching
II. Tic ecclesiastical interference is still, CON
tnued of prescribing n form Of prayer: the
- Lords Prayer amended bv the Board of
Education The placing of Roman Catholic
teachers over schools where most or all the chill
dren arc of Protestant Iarcntagc, Is still prac-
ticcd and the division of the sexes in different
schools II still, in several places, made to work pre-
judicially 10 the interests of evangelical religion.
Immoral teachers and agents are still retained,
Notwithstanding all representations regarding
them. Considerable districts are left destitute of
sch0ol-houses and schools, even where there are u
sufficient number of children To warrant them.
Teachers are but slightly, and in but a few cases,
materially assisted by school agents CHINA paIpGi)
in looking after truant children while the uni
form rate of half a dollar a day has powerfully
tended To destroy the enthusiasm of the teachers,
and has unnecessarily exhausted the school di-
trict treasures, - that the schools in large re-
gIOns OF the group are discontinued for months
together, while others are taught less than the
usual number Of DAYS, and some even 80 low as
but two davs III the week-it being left. i'm some
eases at least, with the teacher himself To- open his
school ON any of the days Of the week rs he may
prefer. to suit his own caprice or business.
HE rpIsDrfs we have heard from the Greater
part Of the nearly forty pastors, who have attend
ci this meeting, are incXpreSsibly saddcning as 10
the probable future effects of this provision of the
Common School Education upon intelligence. NOR
atty and religion. Throughout the greater part
of these Islands the public day schools have ceased
To he Il stimulating influence upon the people,
intellectually and morally. Instead of Il help,
the Common School system of the land may
son become Il drag upon the progress of the M
ton. This right arm of life is being paralyze,i;
it already hangs to II considerable degree useless.
1t would seem that the wish of those who are N
different to the education of the nation, and who
only seek a high foreign education for n favored
few, was being carried out by the Board of EiU-
cation.
We would call attention, however. TO one source
of great hope, Notwithstanding all the gloom
in the reports of the last year. The suggestion
made by this body regarding the establishment of
independent schools, where the wishes of the pa
rents are in any serious degree diSrcgarded. has
bl lIt i>lsllial vi Oihu anu Ut tiEdl IGtil tlttl-
lively carried out.
ON Oahu nine independent schools have been
commenced during the year, for and by Hawai-
ians, numbering about two hundred and fifty
pupils. six of which may be called Parochial
Schools, because under the care of individual
churches. Five of these are English schools
under native teachers. Two of these schools are
in Honolulu, IN connection with the churches of
Kaumakapili and kawaiahao, and number over
one hundred pupils. About one hundred chill
dren are gathered into the Independent schools in
the Waialua parish, one of which is Il sclfsup-
porting English school, while the other four Ha-
waiiln schools, numbering seventy pupils, are sus-
tanned by the parents and the church, in local.
ties abandoned by the Board of Education for
want, it was said, of Il sufficient number OF chill
drcn.
In the district of Lahaina, where the common
schools have been so r~ccilcssly sacrificed to the
advantage of other than Evangelical interests. we
are most happy TO report that two parochial
schools have been commenced, numbering now
about seventy-five children, and that two Roman
Catholic teachers of common schools have been
made t. give place TO Protestant teachers as the
only mode of keeping the children from leaving
the Government schools and going nearly en- n,0Sse
to the parochial schools. At keaiwa, also III
Kau, Hawaii, the parents for a time sustained
the common school, which had been suspended,
until it was again resumed by the School Agent.
We rejoice exceedingly in this indication of
spirit on the part of the parents. Let this but
90 on. am Itt aus pI Rcilclfl eiucdtlbn NAV
vet Toe saved, even though the present Admins
tration should continue to set itself 50 persist
entity across the line of progress and general DIFF
fusion of intelligence.
This ueople are, however, Individually falling
back from the high relative position of intelligence
they have for years occupied, and it is due To our
selves as religious leaders of the people, il Is due
to the nation itself ard To the sacred cause of
Christianity, that VIC again record our protest
against this system 20 prejudicial to the welfare
of the people and to the glory of the throne of
the Kamehamehas. We should be guilty before
the world and our Divine Master, did we not in
the most earnest manner call attention TO this
subject, once more protesting against the suicidal
policy of the present, and demanding but the
simple rights &C. men.
In view of these facts, we reach thess three con-
illusions /. There should he no relaxation of the
demand that the parents and friends of education
be allowed n constant and direct influence On
schools, both locally and through the Board of
Education. The day is past in the worlds his
tory when any form of government NAV wisely
set Itself against the progressive ideas of the pcO-
pie. To refuse the direct cooperation Of the
parents in 50 important n matter as education, is
to commit Il great wrong as well a. n dangerous
mistake. Weare free 10 acknowledge that, within
the year, there has been some compliance with
popular demands i'll n few regions; but the doors
are not freely opened, and the parents are not
earnestly solicited u cooperate.
IL II still true that the people of these Islands.
%! our religious faith, being a large majority of
the population, are excluded from anv proi.or-
tiOnatc influence in the Board of Education. 1t
is not sufficient that the honored Patriarch, His
Exccllency NJ. Kekuanaoa-a member of our
Hawaiian ChurclI-is the President of the Board
Eiaszlti""' forIhatP Presidency is noy hut an
honorary Office, shorn of its former power. tt
remaining four permanent ~incumbents of TN;
Board consist of a member of the Roman Cath,
lie Church, and three members of the RefOrme
Catholic Church-one of them being its head
while the executive officer of the BOard-the Ii
spector Generals intensely opposed to the II
hgious faith of the mass of our people; nor is
sufficient that denominational interests are sal
not 10 be considered in the construction and a,
I - - L. IL Il Iii IL II