The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-02-06

Mn. KAULUKoU, one of the leading candi-
dates on the Government ticket, at the
meeting which was called to nominate a
peoples ticket, IN answer to a rather per-
sonal question, retorted in substance that
he might have been Attorney General of
the Kingdom now if it had not been for
the with holding of education in the Eng
lish language by the American mission
aries in former years, which he put for
ward as though it were a personal griev-
ance. The idea is not new. The same
cry has been heard frequently before.
But it is surprising to hear a man of his
intelligence. who might be expected to
know something of the history Of his own
people during the past half century, tax
ing up this second hand assertion as
though he really believed it. Possibly he
was actually persuaded of its truth, as
many another has been But whatever
may have been the cause in this instance,
it is perhaps as well that the facts in the
case should be stated as matter of historic
truth.
We have lying before us at this moment
a number of works published by the
American missionaries for the express
purpose of teaching the English language
to Hawaiians, and used in the advanced
schools as long ago as 1887. The first is
spelling and reading book in English for
the instruction of Hawaiians 1t is called
the "Ft3au KdIili' was prepared by the
Rev. j. S. Emerson, and published at La
hainaluna in 1887 1t consists of sixty
one lessons and occupies thirty-six pages.
Next is a grammar of the English Ian
guage for Hawaiians, prepared by the
same person, and published at Lahaina-
luna about the same time. Then comes
an English phrase book for the use of
Hawaiian learners, prepared also by Mr.
Emerson, and published at Lahainaluna
in 1S41, second edition of which was
published in 1874. This consists of TWEEN
ty-eight pages of English phrases divided
into fourteen lessons, with a glossary of
twelve pages at the end.
Then comes a speller and reader of six
ty pages in English published by the Mis-
sion Press at Honolulu in 1916, and an
English Hawaiian Dictionary of one hun
dred and eighty four pages, prepared
mainly by Rev j. S. Emerson. with the
assistance of Rev. A. Bishop and Rev. W.
p. Alexander and published at Lahaina-
luna in 1915
At the request of the King and chiefs,
the Royal School" was established in
1889, and was taught by Mr.. and Mrs.
Cooke of the A. NJ Mission, aided by 9th
er competent teachers, as long as its dis
tlnctiye character was kept up. 1t was
finally merged in what is now known as
the Royal School" its present name be-
ing derived from its past history In that
school our present King, Kalakaua, and
his sister, the Princess Royal, received
thorough grounding in the knowledge of
the English language. The general ad-
vance of the mass of the people in educa-
ton had not, previous to 1S4S, reached
the point where the English language
could be taught to advantage in the com
mon district schools. Nor previous to
that time, could the teachers or the means
be had for such a purpose. even if it had
seemed desirable to substitute the English
for the yeTnacular in those schools.
In 1913 the care and management of the
public schools passed out of the hands of
the mission and was assumed by the gov
eminent; as was eminently proper. Eng
lish schools have since then multiplied as
rapidly as circumstances have seemed to
warrant, and Hawaiians have had the same
access to their privileges as others. If
therefore Mr.. Kaulukou or any other Ha
wailan has failed to use those advantages,
let him put the blame where it belongs.
and not falsify history by repeating at
second hand an old and stale cry which
has been put in his mouth by those who
to serve purpose, either deliberately mis-
represent the facts, or else arrogantly ven
| tilate their own ignorance.