The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-08-03

though Il national education j. HLnlJeu
in it's extent, yet it must be made
broader than a merely industrial educa-
ton.
Practical education teaches both the
methods and results OF science and
knowledge, and in a general way ma
tional education should develop in the
youth Of a state those intellectual pow
ers which will enable them to grasp the
truths which are the common heritage
OF their age The modern idea is that !
without the application OF national edu-
cation 70 the development of the indus I
trial state, which is one Of the foremost |
aspects of national life, a people will (
soon fall behind in the march of civ liza /!
ton In illustration of this idea it is
held that agriculture, undirected by scien-
tifc knowledge, will waste itself and soon
fail to meet the demands of increasing
population that skilled labor through
education reduces the drudgery and in
creases the every day comforts OF man
kind that when the conditions OF life
and health are understood by the peo-
pie, sanitary and moral improvements
are the result. Public education costs
less than private luxuries and is so i'm
portant a part OF the national economy
of every country, that it is the true wisdom
of Government to foster and protect a
liberal system of public instruction.
The United States is to-day the mod
ern exponent of national education. 1t
is true that American education was
initiated by sectarianism; but as both
the interest and motive OF this method
are ecclesiastical, it was not long before
the people OF New England, under the
influence and example OF Franklin in
Pennsylvania, broke away from the ira
ditions of the Puritan and Presbyterian
elements, and originated the system OF
State education, which has rapidly
spread over the Northern States, and
has permeated the South since the close
OF the late Civil War This system of
/ education in America has been upheld
by liberal-minded citizens generally, and
has only been opposed by some OF the
religious bodies, whose members regard
! education as a spiritual function which
should be placed either partly or wholly
under ecclesiastical jurisdiction.
| So far in the development of a system
of national education it can be truthfully
said that the quantity has exceeded the
| quality; but this can hardly be called
serious objection when we consider
| that the system is as yet in an expert
mental stage. And it is sufficient an
swer to those who still advocate and
practice the old methods of sectional
education, that the new system of public
instruction has reached practical results
in few years which the old failed to
reach in centuries. In fact, those who
still retain the name of the old system
are remodeling their methods after the
new
What has thus far been said is in a
degree applicable to our system of pub
lie instruction in Hawaii, as ii
is virtually founded upon the
American system. There is, however,
one important point which lies
instruction here, upon which greater
stress should be laid That is, to over
come race disabilities, it is necessary tC
spend more time and patience in i'm.
parting to pupils a practical command
of the English language. We are glad
to be able to say this defect in our edu-
cational system has, within the last few
years, been radically cured in some d
our public schools, and that the pre-
cedent set is not only being followed by
the public schools throughout the King
dom, but has had the good effect of re-
modelling the courses of study and
the methods of teaching in some of the
private schools of the Kingdom.
While the Hawaiian Islands are not
large and the application OF our system
of national education must necessarily be
limited, yet it is pleasing to be able tC
say that we are upon the right track, anC
that the influence and practical results
of our system OF public instruction are
already felt throughout the Kingdom
But in carrying our public school system
to a wise contamination our Govern
ment should see to it that the system
not only develops intellectual power;
and capacities, but that it directs oul
youth to act with degree of intellectual
freedom which will insure protection tc
the social and industrial development OF
the future. Our system of public instruc-
ton should impress upon the boy OF to-
day those characteristics which viii
make him an upright man and a citizen
of public spirit. The citizen of the fu-
ture should be devoted patriot as well as
an intelligent man, able to exercise such
political powers as are placed in his
hands under the Constitution. Lastly
while our system of national education
gives general instruction, it should also
offer the opportunity of such special
training as will enable our youth to fol
low the aims OF private life in the most
successful and effectual manner.
The Friend"
The above religious monthly fol-