The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-02-02
Oahu College.

To the President and Trustees of the Oahu College:
GENTLEMEN: = Advancing years, increasing IN
frmities and diminished strength, admonlsh me
that ! must throw of portion of the cares and
RESPONSIBILITIES which have borne with pleasure
in times past. Under this condition. have de-
cided 10 tender my resignation as Trustee and
Treasurer of Oahu College.
And in this connection II seems proper for me TO
briefly review the progress of the Institution and
my relation to it, which have been from Its lncep-
ton to the present time.
have had the care of its monetary interests as
Treasurer 1 have been a member OF Its finance
and building committees to the present time, ana,
until quite recently. have been member OF Its
educational committee.
The school was first instituted for the children
of missionaries; the first positive action towards
its establishment being In the month OF May, lo4u
At that session Of the General Meeting of the Miss
ion, the late DR.. Judd, DR.. Lowell Smith and my
self were appointed q standing committee, to OBJ
tain if practicable, suitable teacher, and open
school at PunahOu.
The committee invited the Rev. Reuben Tinker
of Koloa, Kauai. to take charge OF the school but
he declined and finding themselves unable TO pro-
cure any suitable teacher, the matter remained IN
allowance until the arrival in May, 1871, of the Rev.
Daniel Dole, who was assigned TO the work by the
Mission.
The school was commenced by him at Punahou
in an adobe house built by and belonging to the
Rev. Hiram Bingham, which he cheerfuliy gave up
for this purpose. go
absent in the United States, and during this alb
sence was not con iected with the committee /; but
with the exception of this period, have been con-
nected with the sc lOOl as trustee from the begin
ming.
During this peri ID, the original adobe school
buildings were erec ed. covered with thatch; and
during the decade, the stone dwelling house and
school houses were erected. few years later the
Octacon dwelling b luse was erected by Mr.. Beck
with. The original expense of all these buildings
was about $4,000; and the American Board has
been at the sole expense Of school and buildings
up to this time.
name Of +" Trustees o. Ia Punahou School.
On the sd day of May. 1858, new charter was
issued granting new powers and privileges to the
CORPORATION increasing the number of the Irus-
tees, and changing the corporate name to :" The
Trustees of Punahou School and Oahu college. 2
On the 10th of March, 1851 the corporate name was
amended TO read, The Trustees Of Oahu College"
On the 10th Of February, 1850, two additional ar
ticles were added 10 the charter allowing the hing
to nominate two additional Trustees, to be con-
frmed by the American Board, for the period OF
twenty years in consideration OF the payment OF
the Government subscription of $1,000, which
had originally been conditioned upon the raising
of $4,000 within limited period.
On the 18th of October, 1S4a the wood lot of
l25 S0lOO acres was bought for the school. On the
18th of November of the same year, an adjoining
lot of pasture land of IS 1870 acres was bought
for the Institution
On the-day OF --ls6St the American Board
decided TO the Trustees the original Punahou
grounds containing Us 9i-100 acres.
The children Of missionaries receiving their sup
port wholly. or in part from the American Board
attended the school without charge for tuition
until 1858. But for a few years previous small
fund was derived to the school from tuition OF he
children of those who had been missionaries, and
of foreigners attending.
Since this period, al have paid tuition alike
but the Board have made annual appropriations
of $3.50 70 each one Of the missionary children VINO
are entitled to attend the Punahou School, 10 be
continued for the lsss-Od Ct i've years. Ihis RUE
is in existence at the preseIis tune, but tnink
there are none who entitled to, OF are awaiting
themselves of its benefits
/ shall submit herewith to the Trustees list OF
the names of the main contributors to its Endow-
uent Fund. both here and in the United states
a glance at which will show that they are SYM
pathizsrs and aiders IN the great WOIk OF the
American Board, and would cordially approve the
conditions upon which the Board has made lis
benefaction. not even excepting the Hawaiian
Government which. at the period Of the subscr1p-
ton in the DAYS of KaEehameha LII. was admin
istered by Messrs- Judd, Armstrong. Myllle, Young
and Lee; the latter not being member OF the
Cabinet. but deservedly having great influence IN
its councils. The Hawaiian Legislature, from and
since 1862 have made biennial appropriations Tor
three hawaiian scholarships IN this institution,
which ID the Legislature Of 1850 they increased TO
sir.
The Principals and Presidents Of the Institution
from its commencement have been, Doe. Beck
with CorEin. for short time, acting Presioent)
Mills, Alexander Church, Pratt and Jones' Ihey
have been assisted iby coed and competens teacn-
ers. male and female. Hundreds Of scholars nave
wholly or IN part, received their education IN Us
halls. Young men and young women have gone
out from its instruction, and are fulfilling ths du-
ties Of citizens and subjects, Of husbands and OF
wives. Of fathers, and Of mothers
Thew are found IN Asia. IN Europe, in America,
and in the Island of the sen: filing honorably
nearly ala the rocasons Of civil life. At the heads
Of halls of instruction, in1partIlg 70 others the
knovledre the< have gained IN the pulpit, on the
bench, at the bar, IN tie medical profession II
walks Of Eterature and sciences IN commerce anc