The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-08-06
VINO SHALL TEACH?

Mr.. Townsend's letter, in another
column, is suggestive of the advan-
tages, and possibly of the necessity
r for new departure in educational
methods, all along the line of public
education. That the Importance of
primary education has only begun
to dawn upon the promoters of
learning everywhere is sufficiently
attested by the great age and world
wide fame of such institutions as
the university of Paris, the colleges
of Oxford and Cambridge, and the
great universities of Germany, as
compared with the time when civili-
zation began to provide for the in
struction of the middle and lower
classes of society. The parish
schools in Scotland, centuries ago,
and the beginning of free schools in
New England, at later dates, may
be traced to q common origin.
While the systems referred to led
the way in this great movement,
they have been somewhat closely
initiated by this time, in many other
countries. But there still turks in all
Threat educational systems of the
world, sort of undercurrent of the
old prevailing idea that primary edu-
cation is of subordinate Importance,
and can be carried on by workers of
little or no experience in the teach
ing profession, while all the enthu-
sasm and ability that can be enlisted
in the service must be located in the
higher grades. To any person who
has devoted attention to the matter,
our correspondents remarks will at
once commend themselves as self
evident truths. In acquiring know
ledge. the mind, whether it be
encased in a Hawaiian or a Cauca.
sian skull, undergocs certain pro-
cesses and performs certain acts
What these processes and these acts
are can be understood and appre
ciated only by those who have
studied them with close attention
and from the premises OF well cstab
lished scientific facts. And who
ever processes to direct these phases
of the mind without knowing wha
they are, may safely be made stant
aside as an educational quack. IL
know the operations of the mind
and the processes by which it as
similates and develops thought i
the first qualification of the teachin!
practitioner, Just as in the training
of medical men, Anatomy am
Physiology, the sciences treating O
the structure of the body and it
functions in state of health, stan
at the head of their list of studies
And the second point of qualific;
ton is knowledge of the method
by which the powers of the learner
mind are brought into vigorous an
healthy action. This second quail
flcation is clearly of greater pract
cal value, but is far more diliicu
to acquire than the first. The OF
qualification, according to Stowe
training system, is embodied in
knowledge of the science, the 9TH
consists in proficiency in the art
education. That an able schol;
must, of necessity, be an alb
teacher, is theory long since e.
ploded, although, at the same tim
it is well recognized fact that
be an able teacher, one must be
thorough scholar in the branches
education he processes to teach. Nj
Townsend thinks, in connection wi
these facts, that the time has com
in this Kingdom, when trainiI
school should be established. Wi
repect to that question, the wond
is how the educational machine
has been able to run so long witho