The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1875-06-16
school Examinations.

| The present month enuS the Scholastic year
in nearly all our schools, and most of them
closes with examinations, which indicate the
progress made by the pupils connected with
them.
The first in order was that Of the Pohukaina
school, on Punchbowl street, under the care OF
Misses Corney and Dudoit. The scholars are
all girls, and it was pleasant to notice their
neatness Of dress and,good behavior, which re-
fleet credit on their teachers as well as them
selves. The recitations passed off creditably,
and the answers were generally prompt, show
ing that the pupils understood what was
taught
On Wednesday followed the examination of
/ the ROYAL School, under the care Of Rev. Mr.,
M'Intosh. This school, owing to the closing
Of one or two others during the year, has in
creased in numbers and appears to be over
crowded. Notwithstanding the large roll of
l2O scholars, in the two departments, it was
very evident that the same thorough training
noticed on previous examinations has been kept
up This could be observed in the quick TO
sponses, particularly in mental arithmetic,
when very complicated questions were correct
ly answered with such promptness as to excite
the surprise of spectators. Another most de-
cided improvement was observed in the read
ing of English, showing the thoroughness Of
the masters discipline This last remark
may also apply equally to the Pohukaina
school, In Mrs. Kinuey's department an in
teresting spelling match was given, in which
about 80 pupils were tested, all but one Of
whom were forced to retire, and he carried Of
the prize, gilt bible-well earned.
On Thursday, the Fort street school, under
the care of Mr. Beckwith and Miss Flora Wood,
passed a very fair examination. The pupils
number 6S, and among them are some very
bright young lads. Their proficiency was well
tested in a spelling match, of words written on
the blackboard. Of42O words written out, only
so mistakes occurred. This is really the fair
est way to conduct spelling matches, and shows
the greatest skill.
The examination at Kawaiahao Female Sem
mary on Wednesday attracted, as usual, a
large number of visitors, who listened for sew
eral hours with interest undated to the reci-
tations, singing, and dialogues. The exercises
were conducted under lanai, in the open lawn
mauka Of the school premises, which arrange
ment gave ample room to the guests. Pro-
grammes written out by the pupils were pro-
vided, and we counted twenty-four different
exercises on the list, and were appalled, by the
number; but the judicious variety and the
shortness of each lesson obviated the usual tie
diousness of school examinations. The neat
ness of attire and the quiet, correct department
of the scholars have always been a noticeable
feature of this school, and as we listened to the
intelligent answers TO questions in Geography,
Arithmetic, Physiology, scripture lessons Sc,
we were impressed with the amount of labor
necessarily expended to produce such results
This has devolved mainly for the last few
months on Miss Ingraham and her young as
sistants, Miss Mosely and Miss King Miss
Bingham having been incapacitated by i'll
health from taking he usual part of the burden
The gymnastic and solfeggio exercises were the
great attractions of the occasion, and excited
in us a strong desire that our day schools might
have the same drill. The latter, (singing by
note) is an accomplishment invaluable for
children, and ought to be taught in all our pub
lie schools. 1t carried us back to the good old
days when ado, re, me, fl"
was as familiar as the alphabet and sol-faing
an every day exercise. As for the gymnastics,
we cannot recoliect having witnessed class Of
young ladies practice with more perfect skill
than did Miss Ingraham's.