Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-03-29
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That something othci than an annual
visit OF the Inspector general is needed
10 render our country schools more
ciii0 no one conversant with the
a,ts will deny But what shall this
u.v pro, IN be' It has been sug
led lhat nasmuch rs frequen, visits
It. L the s, houls throughout the group
|r7unu. be made by the Inspector gen
craL inspectors should he appointed for
each OF the -four islands Hawaii Maui.
Oahu and Kauai But there are very
decided advantages in having a single
Inspector general as IS now the case
/ TO be sure his visits of inspection will
. not be frequent in any school district
. Bot what is thus lost in the frequency
| OF inspections, is more than gained by
| having the whole system in the con
/ trolling hands OF one who at least once
a year has visited every school in the
kingdom and knows the relative con
dltion OF each school, its grade, the
Icapabilit, Of the teacher, and the com
munity feeling toward the teacher and
his work And after all, with some
provision to make each school more
efficient. this annual visit is quite
enough in the circumstances to meet
the demand for this class Of inspection
1t is not inspection alone, or chiefly
that is needed. The country schools
need the stimulus and enthusiasm that
come rom gatherings OF teachers for
fellowship and normal instruction. The
kind of inspection that the Inspector
general cannot accomplish by his one
annual visit, ought to be exacted of
the school agent in each district
There are some radical reforms that
ought to be made, not in the direction
OF remodeling our present system.
which is quite good enough in the
main. but in the direction of a better
administration of present school regl
lations. There are some school-agents
IN the kingdom that are working
grandly, and in their projects for the
wise improvement of the schools in
their respective districts they are far in
advance of the halting policy OF the
board of education But there are
Others, and some in the large ccnters,
wh@ consider their duties met in the
monthly payment of salaries to such
teachers as care enough for the money
to call at the agents office for it. School
buildings With broken windows cape at
the tourist as he wanders about to see
the sights and general dilapidation adds
shame to our national honor There
has been a retrogade movement IN the
conduct of our country schools. Form
.erIy, at convenient points, the teachers
were called together to teachers
meetings conducted by some compe-
tent or professional man, and there while
receiving normal instruction were like
wise subjected to test examinations
which awakened spirit of emulation
and sent the teachers back To the
schools with fresh enthusiasm. Now,
all this is done away. Is not the time
.oppOrtune for a renewal OF this old
feature OF our present system? On each
OF the islands at convenient centers. as
LAC Honolulu. l.ahaina, Wailuku, IIilo
ard Aohala, are teachers of experience
who could be made normal class super
ndentS at nominal salary, whose
d4g should be to arrange for week
.Cf normal class work twice year, and
personally have charge OF the instruc-
don. Attendance on these classes
colid be made compulsory, teachers
certificate requiring the semi-annual
endorsement Of the superintendent that
lie had attended each session unless for
good reason excused by the superin-
tendent There is an emergency in
the history of our school system. The
emphasis to be laid on elementary En-
giish instruction is greater every month.