The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-05-03
Written for the r. c. AdveTtiserl
The Hawaiian Reading Book-Ka Buke 40
Heluhelu.

LIN AA0f A~SL1 ASC1NkAbh 0OS0 M SAhC AN
/ Heluhelu.
Ihis is the title of the reading book now uniformly
used in the Hawaiian Government schools. Il wa,
prepared and printed by the authority Of the Board
of Education. 1t made its appearance in 1871. and
q copy was placed in my hands for examination.
As I had occasion to use the book more or less, as
teacher of the teachers schools, and in quarterly
examinations, I became somewhat acquainted with
its character. Some errors in print, and some in
the use of the Hawaiian language, were detected, yet
there were comparatively few in the portions I read
and l was regarding the book as a very good reading
book, quite an advance on anything VIC had had
before in the schools.
The Bible and Testament had been the reading
books heretofore. in the schools where the Protestant
element predominated, and in the schools where the
Catholic element p~redominated the Bible was ex-
cluded, and in its stead was used q small Catholic
epitoEc of Bible history, in which the Hawaiian k
and ~ were ignored, and { and . used Instead, Civ
ing to the readers the appearance of a new language,
and puzzling them much in the reading. The small
children used a small primary book, containing
letters, words, and very easy reading lessons.
There was an acknowledged necessity that there
be a new reading book adapted to all the schools,
with which neither Protestants or Catholics could
find fault, to take the place Of the Bible and the
Catholic epitome of Bible history, not however to the
exclusion of the Bible and Testament. These are
good reading books anywhere, and they could be
read in schools where it was desired, but not to the
exclusion of the new reading book when introduced.
The preparation of such a book was a great work.
Who will undertake it? Doubtless the Board of
Education found it or would find il a very difficult
matter to procure any competent one to undertake
the work. But the present Inspector General Of
schools saw the necessity, and resolved that he would
undertake the work. Doubtless he found his made
quacy to the task, yet, remembering the old adage,
" nothing venture, nothing have,'' he made the
resolution, and commenced the work with his Gus
tomary enthusiasm. He impressed into the work oil
the help he could easily get. He made use of mate
rails already in print, and in use, he employed
natives who had lad an English education to trans
late selected English lessons into the Hawaiian
language. He invoked the Hawaiian Muse to pre-
pare the poetical lessons, and earnestly pleaded for
help to furnish suitable dialogues, and lessons on
Hawaiian History. The materials were prepared
and arranged in proper order, no small work, the
printing commenced, successful sheets were printed
and submitted for proof-reading to competent persons.
The completed printed book made its appearance
as I have said above, in II, and has been in use in
the schools ever since. The present edition being
about exhausted, a new edition is called for. l had
promised to review the book and make any required
corrections before it was reprinted, that when re-
printed it might appear without the errors in the
first edition.
After reading the remarks on the book, published
in the p. c. fl. q few weeks since, 1 entered in
earnest on the promised work of revision, and it is
completed. While the criticisms in the p. c. n.
are in the main correct, yet generally there are two
sides to a question. The writer of the article in the
p. c. A. presents one side, 1 will present the other
side.
The Book consists of $40 pages. The corrections,
If printed, would fill not over 10 pages, leaving 325
pages comparatively free from errors, mistakes, bad
native, sc. The first % pages is a reprint Of a
small book on 40 kiko. pauses, &c, prepared by
some competent scholar, and printed in 1874, and
has been in use ever since in all the schools, n very
useful work, and contains very few errors, except
typographical ones.
To this are added q few rules for reading with
examples, taken from some English readers. The
mistakes noticed here, arc very few indeed.
Then come reading lessons, selected from acknowl-
edged good English reading books, and translated
into Hawaiian by natives, thought to be thoroughly
acquainted with the English language. These Oc-
cupy about two-thirds Of the book. In comparing
the translations with the original English, I marvel
that the translators have succeeded so well. l found
myself greatly p~erplexed in trying to improve some
of the translation, the English being so difficult to
translate intelligibly.
Most of the mistakes in these Lessons arise from
the lack of a perfect understanding of the English
from using a wrong word in native to
express what they supposed to be the meaning Of the
Ep0lish word. For instance. dear Drlce is found IN
the English; makamae means dear, i. e., precious,
beloved, 30 uku makGmde must express dear price.
The remaining lessons of the book were prepared
History are taken from a book Of Hawaiian History,
in use for some years in the schools, and is very
pure Hawaiian and contain hardly q mistake
There are several lessons, selections from the
Bible, which arc of course free from errors, and all
very good.
/ need not speak of the practical portions of the
book. They are very good selections, aud with few
exceptions are free from mistakes.
The mistakes in the pauses, mostly belong to the
comma that gets misplaced and displaced, &c,
naturally to be expected of little faults. The fault,
should be ascribed to the proof-readers.
In conclusion, let the book be reprinted according
TO the suggested corrections, and used in the Ha-
waiian Government schools as the reading book,
until displaced by a new and better one. LII.
I'VE are informed that our correspondent is in
error as to the present edition of the Reader being
about exhausted.-ED. P. c. Al
The MoDoc WAR.-For some time past the
- 49, rn+Irrsffac haun hanRa nndaarArSr.,