Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-07-16
Examinations at Punahou.

EDrron SATURDAY Press Having been present
at part of the examinations, I feel prompted
in the interests of education in general to
offer few remarks on the subject-be-
ing satisfied that the enlightened Engsh-speak-
ing population of these islands, will feel anxious
that the very best possible method should he
adopted for the education of their children who
will probably become students of Punahou. I
trust that the few remarks | am about to make
will not be taken amiss, as nothing more to
olucdate any question system much free
discussion.
The first point remarked on entering was. that
the examination Of the classes conducted by
the teachers, the examiners not being
furnished with textbooks; at least such the
case in the classes at which was present. Now.
it is az every one knows. the interest of the
teacher to make their pupils appear as well in
struced "a possibe-therefore they choose their
questions 50 as not only to avoid any exposure,
but to make the examinations pass off with eclat.
This, almost consequence, ensures theii
ployment for the next term. / noticed that ques-
tons of the examiners very often blufed by
saying that they had been already answered, when
it was far from apparent that such was the case
in fact there seemed to be desire on the part of
the teachers to fence the questions of the examiii
and turn off If possible any such tiresonie in
! torrogations with joke this may be the interest
of the educator. The interest of the parents is not
only that their children should appear to advant-
! age at an examination, not only that they should
| receive diploma, not only that they should read
essays and be garlanded with flowers, and be ad-
mred by all, but that they have n solid ground
work of education wherewth to work ON in future
| If this be wanting, then the diploma serves only
| to initiate the vanity of the recipient. ffis well
| that merit should be rewarded. In this way an
impetus is given to self-improvement and landable
ambition, but If you are not certain (and you can
not be unless the examinations are conducted
with the utmost fairnessl that the pupils are
worthy of the diplomas they receive, you not
| only damage the reputation of your college, but
| send your children to fight the worl g battles,
thinking they have the foundation of good edu-
cation, but finding out to their cost when foo late,
that they have only been crammed TO pass off at
an examination which has long since been forgot
ten, and that through this practice. they are
obliged to work at a discount when left to their
own unaided resources.
repeat that the dearest object of the parent
ought to- be to find out in what their children are
ignorant so that remedy may be applied. havo
been present at examinations both in the old
world and in the new; and have never seen
teachers examine their own pupils before; it was
the custom for the examiners to have books and
ask the scholars any questions they chose on
those particular topics that had been studied, and
even visitors permitted 10 ask questions
within limited time and upon the same topics.
In this way the children had fairer chances but u
still better way is to have competent examiners to
come and examine at all times and seasons, to
drop i'll when they are least expected, and not to
suffer special preparations for rehearsals to make
the pupils write letters, essays, verses when
competent on the spur of the moment, before
their eyes; then all would be satisfied Of the capa-
city of the pupils, and no such rumors could get
atioat that their essays, etc, were written by
one and the same person, because there could not
be that uniformity of style which we noticed upon
the occasion of the graduating ceremony at Fort
street church the 10th ult. In the selection of
teachers for foreign language, the first and most
important of their qualities as teachers Is that
they should be able to pronounce correctly the Ian
guages they employed to teach, which, (if they
themselves have been properly taught) they can
tl., mi. fLa iSita 10 "a
short and easy method and that they be thor
oughly conversant with the language. Spend
ing say half hour daily, will, if the
time be well applied make the learner
master of the language in a reasonably short
space of time what do see instead of this pro
ficiency? Persons around us who have STUDIED
these languages, one, two, even three more
years. and cannot hold an ordinary conversation
in them. This shows the present system to be
radically wrong; if language is porM learning
it is worth learning we'll If not worth the trouble,
do not waste any more valuable time in obtaining
an imperfect smatterng which you hasten to for
get as soon as you conveniently can. ~