Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1885-07-11
Iaba.oaf.as scmiasry.


tahaiualuna seminary has made the English
language The medium ~ Instruction English
schools Tot iIawaiians, giving instruction IN
the elementary branches, have been In opera
ton during the same limited period only
Whethe, lIswaiians cannot learn moic from
text books in their own language, Is no longer
dcbatablc question. Instruction, mus, be
given In English Successful teaching 10
iahsinaluna Seminary mist depend largely
upon the character " thu teaching IN the Gle
had been four years OF more At Lahainauns,
showed commcndablc degree Of proficiency
in speaking and whiting English but the
lower classes generally in tho fcecn, annual
examination spoke English quite indistlnetly
and even unin,clligiby 4 isr knowledge of
English cannot yet be required as 4 condition
Of admission to this highest Of out govern
mental educational institutions for IIawaiisn
hut tho Lahainaluna teachers ough, no, to be
compelled much longer 10 do tho dmdgefy oi
tanning Hawaiian boys to the utterance Of our
uneouth English tongue.
Bcgnnngun Tuesday Of last week. July ISt,
the anniversary exercises occupied. as usual,
three days. Tuesday and Wednesday being
given to oral examinations in the seminary
hail. and Friday to rhetorical exercises in the
I.ahaina church. There was not a large
attendance Of visitors, even the feast provided
by the students proving unavailiny TO attract
crowd the second day. The dining hall. and
stewards room adjoining, looked nea,ef and
more orderly than in former years The long
white aprons Of the stu,len;s who waited on
tables, eontraStcd prc,iily with the abundant
grecncry on the table and the pompcian red Of
the dado around the hall
History Peter Parley's Universal History
is the text book Physiology, the Hawaiian
Constitution, Elementary Political Economy,
Geometry and Trgonomc,ry, have been the
studies of the senior class. Moral Science and
Natural Theology disappearing this year from
the list Much Of the history studied was
written on the blackboard, showing very
plainly the advantages OF this method Of reel.
,aiion. The questions in Trigonome,ry.
answered upon the board, showed the elias, TO
better advantage than in their attempts to
communicate abstract principles in the un.
familiar medium Of the English language.
The lower classes did fairly well in their re.
citations in arithmetic, algebra and grammar,
but much more time spen, in school-room drill
is needed 10 make the students rs fluent and
prohcicn, as they should be. The papers read
from the two upper classes. "Stclla Aurea,
"L'Etoie," brough, out the usual amour, OF
moral advice, for which the Hawaiians seem
to have a special aptitude. There was con
spcuously wanting any particle Of humor, and
it is question whether wit is not entirely lack
ing in their mental furnishing. Usually the
students have given Tor the entertainment oil
their visitors only choruses, or part songs, to
which they have always given much attention
at l.ahainaluna bu, this year they sang also
several Hawaiian songs, in the present prevail.
inc fashion Of monotonous, unaccentcd, strains
Of two OF three chords, with the tumtum &C
compartment OF guitars, some OF which they
had made Themselves.
The rhetorical exercises in the village church
brought, out a large audience. There were de-
lclama,ions from members Of the middle and
junior classes, and original addresses from the
six graduates. Kanakanui Makekau, keliioka-
moku, Kapali, Mcheua and Mololani. Two
tnr.s intend to.,-si- ...,.--- III. others have
not yc; decided what to do. II is pity that
most young Hawaians should have SO little
comprehension of the truth, that hard work.
faithful pcrsistcncy in duty, hrmness al moral
principle, are the grand essentials Of success il
life Official position and government pay are
the grea, objects Of attraction, without much
: thought of the requisite qualifications for
official duties. Competitive examinations fol
civil service, and promotion on account o
proved ability, would be the best stimulus fol
the encouragement of true ambition in the
ase-ioving Hawaiian bu, then government
officers could no longer be awarded as matte,
OF favortism.
Lahainaluna Seminary stands deseIvedly
high in the affections OF the Hawaiian people
$ The students are warmly attached 10 theiI
"Alma Mater" and their "lovely teachers
as one Of the papers called them. The prin
cipal, Mr.. II. X. Hitchcock, and his assistant.
Rev. f. E. Beckwith and Mr.. Hardy, are both
5 capable men, highly educated, and engaged in
RI most important work. 1t is painful to see
little evidence of any special interest taken by
the present board Of education in this impor
tant institution. No expenditure for repairs OIL
, Improvements for the buildings appears in the
Biennial Report, as for the Reformator)
e School at Palama. Even the rental Of the
e lands belonging to the school is not set apar
for its special needs, but utterly disappears il
d the meaere and misleading financial statement,
which gives so little information as to the re
b sources and expenditures Of the government
. for educational purposes. A beginning ha
y been made in establishing carpenters ant
oiner's shop: but it owes what it has accom-
!, plished to Mr.. Hitchcock's ingenuity and dill
gence more than TO gay provision made for !
l. from the funds o, the board. The tableN
J, bureaus, black boards school.desks and Office
II desks, made by the students last year, wer,
e very cred;,ab!e exhibitions Of their skill ans
d taste. 1t is a pity such an institution shoul.
d not show buildings in better repair and gIound
IS in better order. Intended for Hawaiian
l. students, and occupied by Hawaiians only
:. Lahainaluna ough, to be in It's whole manage
n ment and surroundings high-water mark o
l. Hawaiian ability and progress, as well az
Z fountain Of good influences to the Hawaiian
81 people in every department, Of social life an,
N business occupation. c. NJ. II.
N Honolulu, July =, 1885.
l. "Oh, don't propose TO me now" shrieked