The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1877-04-04
Report of the Inspector General of
Schools TO The Board OF Edncu.
tien upon his Return from the
United States
To THE HoNoRABLE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION,


To THE HoNoRABLE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION,
GENTLEMEN,
By commission. dated the Goth of January,
1876 you authorized the Inspector Genefal of
Schools to proceed to the United States OF
America, on a tour OF observation among the
schools of that country, and to enquire into the
operation of the various educational systems
there pursued. with view to obtain information
which may prove beneficial to the cause oil edu-
cation 10 these islands"
Thus commissioned. the Inspector General
proceeded to the United States on the LIST day
March 1876. and, after an absence of ten months,
returned to Honolulu on the 18th January. 1877.
In visiting the schools in the United States
my duty was to gain information which might
prove beneficial to the cause of education in
these islands," ! shall, therefore, confne myself
in my present report to such suggestions of
change and reform in our educational system,
which my observations abroad have led me to
deem desirable
| would observe, first. that no civilized "a
ton, with whose representatives | have con-
versed in the great gathering of nations at
Philadelphia, apportions so much time to the
schooling OF its youth, as does ours. In the
United States, Europe and the Canadas, where
ever compulsory education exists, the school
sessions cover a period of from three to six
mouths. With Us every boy and girl is expected
TO attend school at least nine months annually,
In other countries the older boys are to be found
doing outdoor work in the summer months, at
tending school 10 the winter. Nor have | been
able to observe any marked difference between
the attainments OF country pupils who followed
the pillow during the summer season, and their
city companions who attended school summer
and winter. With US there is no distinction
drawn between producers and non-producers in
the school population, although we are chiefly
an agricultural community. But every boy, big
and little must go to school for the same term.
each year. regardless of the fact that very many
Of them might be well employed for portion of
their time in contributing to the support of the
family BY the labor of their hands.
Therefore / would suggest that We may be
spending too much time in the indoor schooling
| OF our young people.
| am satisfied that the intellectual standard of
our common schools could not only be main
tanned as at present, but it could be elevated by
shorter term of schooling. did we possess q
more competent teaching corps. Short terms
and energetic teaching will bring the youthful
intellect on faster and with better results, than
long terms which are apt 10 beget WEAKNESS in
the minds OF even the best of teachers and pupils
/ especially in such warm climate as ours. Dur
I ing the hot months of June, July and August
schools are in vacation, very generally, through
out the States
Whilst advocating reduction OF the time en-
/ ployed in teaching our common schools. would
advocate an increase in the wages OF the teach
ers. Poor compensation is apt to secure bat
poor service, tia world over. Applying the OBJ
servation to our own educational system. would
suggest that we cannot hope to improve the
standard of our common schools to any great ex-
tent until We improve the grade OF teachers. And
this We cannot do until we are able to compete
in the labor market for better material by offer
ing superior Inducements We are now in the
possession of some good material amongst our
common school teachers; but when the planta
ton manager, the Sheriff, or the Governor steps
in with offers of higher, pay we see our best ma
terial slipping through our fingers, for lack o
funds TO retain them.
The number Of our common schools must bt
reduced. We shall then be able to secure bette
service by being able to offer setter wages
part Of the Swedish school system. as expounde6
by DIR. Meyerberg, superintendent OF schools II
Stockholm. before the international Schoo
Convention at Philadelphia, might be accepted
BY u.s. There are many sparsely inhabited par
ishes in Sweden. On this account, permanen
schools cannot be established at every poin
where there may be dozen children. but III
educational need is met by appointing on
teacher to parish. 1t is the duty Of this teach
er to 90 from hamlet to hamlet which are often
times widely separated, collect the children Q
each and instruct them for month at q time
He is expected to make two or three annual cir
cults Of his parish in this manner. Thus 1t i
chat, in Sweden. out OF school population rum
bering 100000 81 per cent attend school.
Nov, / would recommend that this plan b
adopted BY the Board 10 our school district
/ which have sparse and scattered population.
would instance the districts Of Puma and Hama
kua. and portions of the districts of Kobala an
; Kona. Hawaii In the district of Hamakna tb
schools at Kaals and Maanahoano, numberin
! each some ten pupils. might be placed under tn
; charge Of one teacher. These schools are abou
r five miles apart, and embrace stretch Of coun
; try about eight miles along the coast. Tn
schools of Eleio. Kspuleua and KaEela, in th