The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-08-17
THE LEGISLATURE.


itself almost exclusively to the consider
alton OF the estimates OF expenditures
yesterday, preliminary debate taking
place upon "a committee report on the
proposed appropriation for the Education
Board. This report, which is lengthy
document, appears in our summary oil
the Legislative proceedings. 1t lays
down general principles with which we
agree, and we hope that when the school
items come up for consideration in Com
mittee of the Whole, the House will be
very guarded in its grants to private and
denominational schools
A satisfactory explanation OF the aid to
UNCONVENTIONAL institutions under the
last Appropriation Act, was given by
His Excellency Mr.. Gibson, as President
OF the Board of Education. 1t removed
the. impression that favoritism had been
exercised in the distribution OF this pub
lie money, as Dir. Dole suggested In
deed, so complete was the explanation
that Mr.. Dole rose in his place and with
drew his remarks upon that point
Money had been paid out of the Treasury
by virtue OF the Appropriation Act OF
1884, to such educational institutions as
were making permanent improvements,
in the shape of buildings, to increase
their educational facilities. No money
was granted to defray current expenses.
Mr.. Gibson was precise upon this point,
and expressed the opinion that inasmuch
as the teaching power at the command of
the Board of Education was not sufficient
to meet the educational requirements of
the country, it was proper to aid in this
way those who were emulating the Gov
eminent in the good work OF public in
struction. AT the same time His Excel
lency approved generally of the princi-
pies embodied i'll the report.
Without touching upon the sectarian
side OF the question, which was pre-
scented by Messrs. Dole and Brown, it is
proper to say that in our Judgment a
very strong argument exists against the
policy of grants-in-aid to private or de-
nominational schools, SO long as there
is need for Government schools and
increased teaching power. 1t is open to
observation-disclosures SIC, 900 to $15 GOO should
be given out of the public revenue to
improve private or school trust property,
while there are districts in need OF
Government schools where native Ha-
waiian children may receive an English
education, which their parents are now
so anxious they should acquire We
recognize that the institutions likely to
benefit by any grant OF public money are
engaged in the same useful work as the
Board of Education. But the Govern
ment has no control over them, and
must accept their own statements as to
expenditure and educational results
without question. This is hardly a salts
factory state of things, and it is doubtless
open to grave abuse. The plan of regu-
lating the amount OF public aid to be
given to non-Government schools upon
the number Of pupils on the roll is pecu-
liarly so. This is the experience of all
countries where that rough-and-ready
method of determining the subsidy to be
paid to UNCONVENTIONAL and private
schools has been adopted. Payment for
educational results, upon the reports OF
Government inspectors, appears to us to
be the only proper way of aiding private
school effort. It has worked well wher-
ever tried, and is a direct incentive to
good and faithful teaching.
How far this can be done here it is not
for US to say. We recognize the diff
Guilty of dispensing with religious in
struction in the schools of this Kingdom,
owing to the fact that Christian mis-
sionaries were the original teachers, and
that their influence continues to shape
and guide, to great extent, the course
OF public education. We do not under
value that influence in the least degree,
nor do we diminish one particle from its
past achievement; but We think that
conditions have changed so materially
of late years that it is imperative upon
the Government to provide for every
child in the country facilities for acquir-
ing the rudimente of a sound English
education, and that every available dol
lar should be applied to that end. This
is a very difficult task, and must be a
costly one. If there we've plethora of
money in the Treasury it might be
proper to consider the ACCESSIBILITY OF di-
viding a considerable sum among the
various deserving private or denomina-
tional schools in the Kingdom. Mean
while the Treasury is not overloaded
with hard cash, and the Legislature
should 90 slow
In Committee of the Whole the
Board of Health expenditure was
considered One hundred thousand dol
lars was appropriated for the care OF
lepers, and vote of $4,000 was passed
TO secure the services of a resident
physician at the Molokai leper settle
ment. A similar sum had been voted in
a previous session, but the Government
had failed to secure the services OF a
physician who could comply with the
condition of permanent residence IN the
solitude of Kalawao, surrounded by these