The Hawaiian gazette., 1882-11-15
The Punahou Primary sohool.

On Friday of last week at a meeting of the
Trustees OF Oahu College, it was resolved TO pur-
chase the Armstrong premises at the head of
Richards street. The purchase was completed
the next day; $4,000 being the purchase price.
It has long been the intention of the Trustees of
this school to transfer the entire Primary Depart-
ment to town for the double purpose of relieving
the pressure upon the corps of teachers at Puma
hou that their attention may be more completely
devoted to the academic and classical branches.
and that special course of training in primary
branches for the subsequent higher studies at
Punahou, be placed more easily within the reach
OF the large and increasing population Of Homo
lulu. The Armstrong premises will be taken
possession OF sometime during the coming month
and within a reasonable time thereafter, will be
opened The PmGhOH PriRdrg School" The
capacity of this school will be limited to one
hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and
fifty pupils. Efficient teachers will be provided
and the lowest rate of tuition possible will be
charged. Ii must appear evident to every one that
finer location for such q school could not be had
1t is central and healthy in position. The grounds
contain over acre of land; the stone building
furnishes a school house Of commodious dimeu-
sions and the surroundings are very pleasant The
establishment of this Primary School is but part
of a comprehensive plan for the perfection of the
main school at PunahOu. The course of study
will be specially directed towards preparation for
admission to the higher school, bu. SO far as the
studies are concerned, they will all which can
be desired in Primary School. Parents and
guardians may rest assured that the best obtain
able in study in surroundings and in moral in
hnences will be found in this school
At the same meeting the building Committee was
instructed to complete contract with responsible
parties for the erection of the new building pro-
posed at Punaho1. The public knows that at pres
ent the buildings consist of stone school house,
two stone dOrmitories one hundred feet apart con-
nected by low adobe building with three adobe
wings. making the two courts, and various other
smaller wood buildings for out-house and domestic
purposes The adobe buildings are ruinous in
the extreme SO much 50 that it has been consid-
cred doubtful whether they could outlive the pres
ent rainy season. The building now proposed and
which will be erected as soon as possible is a large
brick structure TO fill the entire space between the
two stone dormitories. 1t will be about forty-two
feet wide and one hundred feet long, of stories
in height. The lower story will be 1876 feet high
between joints, will contain large dining hall q
40 feet, three music parors connected By sliding
doors, room for music instructor, large recita-
ton, or lecture room fine hall twelve feet wide
and ample pantry, store rooms and dish closets.
The second floor will be 11.6 between Joints will
contain besides the two halls, eight large, well
aired bed rooms for girls, all are connected with
very large well lighted closets in front veranda
ten feet wide will run the whole length of the bull
ding, above and below. 4 neat tower will sur
mount the whole. The plans and specifications
cover also, large cook house and water closet and
bath rooms in the rear, removed thirty feet from
the main buildings but connected Herewith by
covered passage way. The connection with the
bath rooms &c. is direct from the upper floor As
a whole the new buildings will be as complete and
commodious as the most approved theories can
suggest. These buildings have long been needed
and only the lack of funds has prevented their
erection heretofore.
The financial position is this. The lower pasture
lots have Melted as sold about 81 400. The very
liberal responses made by the public to the appeal
sent out after the alumni dinner Of June, 1881,
nets about Sl4, 2.33 for building fund and 81
131.52 for endowment. The purchase of the Arm
strong premises is made from the lower pasture
proceeds; the Trustees feeling that it was the
proper fund from which 10 draw, being change
of form Of investment II is also probable that
some of those who contributed for the endowment
fund may be willing to authorize transfer of
their subscriptions TO the building fund. There is
now available for this purpose the sum Of about
$1,000 The lowest bid for the buildings now
proposed Is $3.50. OF course there will be yari-
Gus other expenses before the buildings can be
occupied say Of $500 or $500. II will therefore
be necessary to raise the additional sum of about
$1,000 and for this the Trustees confidently APP
peal to the public
The general plan which is now being pursued is
to diyest PunabOu school from all influences which
tend 10 trammel its highest usefulness for this
the Primary School is removed TO town, to secure
the services Of the best instructors and raise tie
standard Of scholarship. II is hoped that there
can be no conflict IL any respect in the educational
interests of the country; there can be none if
properly viewed. Punahou ought to be the high
est educational institution in the country and it
is proposed to make il such, or have It a school
where the best scientific and classical education
possible for the country shall be obtainable It is
to this end that the Trustees are laboring and for
which they ask aid from community which has
already shown itself so friendly. The endowment
fund has grown and to it must the institution look
IN the future for large share Of its support, con-
sequently this fund can not be drawn upon for
building purposes,