The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1868-06-10
Report of Committee on Education

His Highness M Kekudndod, President
Of the Assembly:
SIR: The Committee on Education beg
leave to lay before you, and the honorable
House, the following general report on
matters pertaining to their department.
PETITIONS.
Various petitions in the interest of ed
ucation have been referred to the Com
mittee, and the objects petitioned for are !:
First.-1hat parents and guardians be
allowed voice in the ap ointment of
teachers to the district schools.
Second.-That the appointment of teach
ers of the district schools be vested in the
local school boards.
Thlrd.-That parents and guardians who
may support children at select schools be
freed from the school tax.
Your Committee regard these three pc
titions of the people as being reasonable.
They have prepared bill, herewith sub
mitted in reference to the first and second
objects petitloned for. This bill has been
discussed by your Committee, sitting in
consultation with the Board of Education,
and its provisions were mutually deter
mined upon.
In regard to the third object, your Com
mittee would recommend that the bill
introduced by the member from Hama be
favorably considered by the House. They
think it is simply matter Of justice that,
when parent or guardian maintains his
child at select school for regular course
of instruction, he should be freed from the
school tax.
COMMON SCHOOLS.
Your Committee look upon the common
schools of the kingdom as of vital i'm
portance to the nation. and consequently
every measure tending to make them more
effective must be regarded with favor by
the Honorable House. New school houses
are to be built; destitute districts are to
supplied with funds to enable them to
carry on the schools in an effective man
ner Your Committee are in favor of
special appropriation for those districts.
They are not in favor of taking the funds
of one district to supply the wants in an
other, as they are of the opinion that any
surplus in district can be well applied in
that district, in the shape Ct incre sed re-
muneration to deserving teachers. repairs |
on school houses, and the obtaining of !
school apparatus.
Your Committee would recommend the |
of two or more grades for |
teachers; the payment to be apportioned |
according to the grade which the teacher |
may occupy. This, in the minds of your
Committee, would act as an incentive to |
the teachers to qualify themselves for the
higher grades, and thus tend to improve
the schools generally.
Your Committee are also of opinion |
that the sessions of the Government
schools should be shorter and more fire.
quent. They would recommend to the
Board of Eeducation, through the Honor
able House. that there be four quarterly
sessions of ten weeks each one long va
cation of six weeks in summer, and three
shorter vacations between the other SEES
sons. Your Committee are oil opinion
that by so Going, the interest of the diff
ferent schools will be better kept up, as
too long and steady attention to any one
subject, without relaxation, tends only to
Iassitude.
THE BEFoRMAToRY SCHOOL
Your Committee have visited this school
and noted its operations. They have also
examined the records Of the institution.
and find the following facts in regard to
Number committed for leading an idle
and dssolute life, ten boys, all from Oahu.
Committed for larceny, twenty-six. two
Of whom are girls. Of the twenty-six. one
was sent from Hawaii. three from Maui,
nineteen from Oahu. and three from Kauai.
One case of commitment for assault and
battery. from Oahu.
Habitual truancy. twenty-five; three Of
whom are girls. OF the twenty-five, eight
ire sent from Maui, three from Kauai, and
eleven from Oahu.
Total commitments up to May %, 1868,
ifty-nine. OF these, one was sent from
eleven from Maui, forty-one from
Oahu, and six from Kauai. There are at
present in the institution tweDty-elght
Boys and three girls There are fifteen
arc patches under cultivation. which will
lot. however, be available for six months.
The grounds Immediately around the in
titution do not bear the marks Of careful