The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-01-15

horses have died in numbers for the want OF iood
and water, and many hearts have been made sore oy
that most tantalizing pain, hopes deferred. But the
skies have at last relented, aud Waihee, Wanuku,
Makawao, Kula and even the sterile slopes of kaupo,
have been favored with ample and refreshing showers.
Haleakala alone, the very house and stronghold OF
the fiery god, opposes still its ramparts against
Jupiter pluvius. The entire District of HonuaG' \
lies still under the ban of drought. Whirlwinds lift
up thick clouds of dust, clothing nature in the
habiiments of sackcloth and ashes At
UIupalakua
the mill has stopped grinding for want of water. To
the casual visitor the change which the last few
months have wrought upon the surroundings and
the general aspect of the finest plantation on these
islands, the most beautiful place, made so by art and
enterprise developing the grand conceptions of ma
ture, the bright gem, whose settings are mountains,
peaks md extinct craters-alas the change is sad
dening indeed. Like the fiery blast of the sirocco
sweeping over the wide desert, the drought has
breatLed its pestilential breath over fields and gar
dens, over pastures and groves, poisoning the life of
nature, robbing the mOuntain-side Of its bright
green and its brighter emeralds of dew. The sugar
cane is suffering more severely perhaps than at any
other time previous to this. No other place could
have withstood a drought extending over a time Of
more than a years duration like this and such is
the noble capacity of soil and its marvellous recuper-
alive power, that an ample shower of rain to-day
would in a few weeks time wipe out almost every
vestige of the fearful drought. Of all improvements
undertaken during the past year at Ulupalakua zone
deserves a more favorable notice than
The New English School.
All honor and praise to the Hawaiian planter and
landed proprietor, who in the management of n large
estate and in the press of multifariOus business finds
time and pleasure to foster the intellectual develop
ment of the children, whom providence by placing
them on his lands has also singularly placed under
his charge, reminding him of the sublime admoni-
ton, whatsoever you do unto these least ones, you
have it done unto me- Our plantations only and
alone are the cradles from whose discipline, order
and industry a revival of the native race is possible.
If every planter would follow the example of Ulupa-
lakua and take a lively interest in the education OF
the children, the victims of superstition, Ignorance
and vice would be largely lessened in number. The
school numbers some 40 children all told, of whom
IA or 10 are halEcaste, 2 Chinese, and the balance
pure native. Their respective ages range from 4 to
IA, the majority perhaps being under 10 years OF
age. The school was opened about a year ago mainly
as an experiment under the charge of MIR. John
Kavanagh. After nine months tuition, your CORE
spondent had the pleasure or rather the treat to be
present at the examination. If the adagc is true,
that true poets are born poets, whether in the stately
mansion or behind a Scottish pillow, then certainly
true teachers are born teachers, and Mr.. Kavanagh
deserves the unqualified appelation as sc the teacher
The results of the examination were so wonderful
that every spectator or auditor was astounded at the
remarkable progress these children had made during
these nine months of tuition, but of the whole num-
Der of children present there was not one with the
exception of two half-caste children that knew the
alphabet, and amongst over twenty little native girls
and boys not one perhaps ever had attempted to pro-
nounce an English word, previous to their entering
the school. The pure pronunciation of English &c
quired by these native children in so short a time
was truly wonderful. The smallest four-year-old
ones could read their little stories of a rat and cat or
old dog Tray, while those of larger growth read
fuently chapters in the Bible or Reader. Little girls
of 6 and 8 years of age spelt fuently and correctly
from 80 to 100 words. The examination in compost
ton, geography. grammar, arithmetic, writing, ETC.,
all gave the most astonishing results, and I may
truly repeat the remarks made by one of the auditors
&c 1t beats all 1 ever Jaw or heard OFFS Capt. Makee,
who presided at the examination, was delighted with
the complete success which has crowned his expert
ment, and ~contemplates the erection of q much en-
larged and more substantial school-house.
To extend the usefulness Of this school and give to
the poorest native boy an opportunity to acquire q
thorough English education, the proprietor Of Ulupa-
lakua has bestowed on the institution a truly noble
and generous gift. A piece of ground surrounding
the school-hOuse, containing 8 acres. Ito be enlarged
as required, } is set apart TO be plowed, planted in
cane. harvested and ground by the plantation for
three-fourths of it's proceeds, the remaining fourth
being set aside for the benefit of the school and such
boys as are strong enough to handle a hoe and to
keep the cane free from weeds, ETC., they being re-
quired to work during certain hours for four after
Moons per week, none being permitted TO absent
himself from work without tie teachers permission,
and a correct account being kept of the working
time of each young labOrer for q just distribution of
their earnings. BY this liberal and truly philan-
thropic grant the poorest native boy may by his own
exertion and industry earn not only an English
and bonus, and not only acquire habits of
but also that pride and ambition, SO need
full to success in life, and which the general yagabond
life of most native boys can never instill into them.
The whole plan and conception are so unique, so
very much to the purpose, that the result cannot be
but a happy enc, and may perhaps be followed by
more than one of our generous planters, to whom
the veal or woe of his humber fellow creatures and
of the rising generation are not altogether a . matter
Of no consequence" OCCASIONAL.