The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1883-11-14
FORT STREET SCHOOL.

MIS-. IlCuuly, WIN hih'tiN piONptSo
us with seats and inquired our
wishes. Her pupils, twenty-five in
number, are in the sixth grade and
in their sixth year at the school.
The room was better lighted than
that of the principal. The class
was receiving instruction in language
from Swinton's grammar. The les
son, which was on the subject of
adverbs, was partially read from the
books, the examples, given therein,
being explained by the pupils, or by
the teacher in case of their failure of
comprehension. The meaning of the
word conjunctive was known by
the class, yet they did not know the
meaning of the word adverb,'
which was asked them at our request,
as the lesson was on the subject of
adverbs. The teacher stated that
she had "a system of reviews" by
which she sc mingled one lesson with
another" and, if her class had s'for-
gotten any particular work." she
made them ego back" Questions
were asked concerning the pronouns,
the class showing by their answers a
knowledge of their different uses,
with the exception of the pronoun
thou" which is not referred to in
the text book, and which the class
said was used in quotations.
Swinton's Fourth Reader and the
Golden Book of Choice Reading"
were in use, the latter in selecting
sentences for dictation. There is
but little geography taught to the
sixth grade, as they are supposed to
finish it the previous year. No in
struction is given in music and
singing, the teacher saying that she
6 knew nothing of them" herself,
and that people who devote them
selves entirely to the study of these
branches "can't study common
school education," they "can't do
both together" She did not be-
lieve in children 6 learning languages
till they understood their own"
Some questions in arithmetic were
worked correctly, and the bell an
nounced the joyful news that it was
twelve O'Clock. The class marched
out in an orderly manner. This is
the only room in the school which
contains but one grade.
Every care appears to be taken
that the children shall understand
what they are learning; everything
was carefully explained to them, and
they were repeatedly cross-questioned
on the explanations given.
During another visit to this school
we found the classes in the princi-
pals room receiving instruction in
grammar and arithmetic, the lessons
given being "beyond the require
ments of the grade In arithmetic,
examples in percentages were worked
on the blackboards and mentally,
they were generally done correctly.
One pupil, though occasionally en-
gagged in mercantile pursuits, was
somewhat diffident of his CONNER
cial knowledge of profit and loss,
and expressed his inability to ex-
plain the why and wherefore of the
various steps taken in working out
one sum.
We were then introduced td the
Primary Department, under Miss
Kinney. This constituted grades
four and five, though, according to
the ssCourse of Study" laid down
by the Board of Education, grade
five is in the grammar school course.
There were twenty-six pupils in the
room. Specimens of their rough
work in arithmetic were shown to us,
and also their subsequent analysis
of this work, which displayed a
thorough knowledge of each step
taken in working out the sums. The
meaning of the word analysis was
asked them, and few failed to give
satisfactory reply. but that of s..
Beckley was very clear. Thomp-
sons practical arithmetic was in use |;