The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1888-12-25

my friendS-ior we are al sriendS-try
10 tell the children \ story OF Joke in
I French or German, or any foreign Ian
/ guage; Try TO explain il and pote how
slowly or not az ali they see the fun OF il.
/ even Il they partly understand the Ian
! guage. Il takes 8 bright miSd 10 learn
any lesson in 3 foreign tongue, and here
( are these Hawaiian children 10 take in
( all their learning in foreign tongue. Ii
I thev all went 70 a boapiing school and
heard nothing but English spoken Tor
wears, that Of course would materially
change the thing for the better, but that
seems out Of the question,
A native Hawaiian child comes Tor the
frst time 70 school. Nature has already
gifted il with wonderful requirements.
1t has taught the child = language, by
which il can easily comprehend what il
Is told. How Is the child received ut
school kindly, yes, OF course, but rs !
stranger and accoSted III language il
hears, maybe. for the first time L is
confused and each new day adds to the
confusion, till after long while il begins
TO understand and partly misunderstood
its teacher, till the years in which 1t
should have obtained some general
knowledge have passed, and all that has
been gained Is 4 smattering in English.
The Hawaiian common school up 10
1880 or later sent out intelligent pupils.
Is Il so now Ii You speak the Hawaiian
tongue. ask the intelligent Hawaiian
parent, and YOUR answer Is, that the
have learned 10 speak in English; that
they cannot read in their mother tongue
that they cannot frequent the sunday
school. IS they cannot read, nor can
they sing he Hawaiian hymns in
the meeting We all know what i potent
educator 3 news paper *, and some
OF the Hawaiian papers are quite good.
The modern pupil OF the English school
cannot read Il, nor can he read an Eng
lish paper. Then 20 and speak with the
children in their native tongue, and Try
70 find out how far they have been
taught intelligently Foreigners who
understand fully the Hawaiian tongue
remark, that they OF late find the Ha-
waiian children not as bright as formerly.
Why A friend tells me that q lad in
his business knew neither English nor
Hawaiian, though ne had been for years
in the best English schools on Kauai
But YOU say the Hawaiian language viii I
die out anyhow. OF course It will. and
the sooner the better, but iet it die 2
natural death, and do not let Us strangle |
1t. Let Us not allow ourselves, in our ga
gerneSs TO introduce English, 10 endanger /
the education, the intelligence, and the I
friendly good feeling Of q generation.
The race that has brought intelligence,
knowledge and frmness Of will to this 4
kingdom must OF necessity lead, but It 4
should not Cypress the untaUght, half 4
native. Reverse the rules. and .
make II necessary for every teacher.
agent and inspector OF schools. who has
to do with Hawaiian children. To speak
and understand the Hawaiian tongue,
aud 70 teach and explain in English by
help Of the Hawaiian Such schools are
wanted as we had formerly, and rs we
have vet III Honolulu II MIR Nackin-
.osh's and maybe other schools.
The writer Is 50 convinced thar such
should be the way Of teaching Hawaiian
children ior their and our common in
-ereSt, and that the contrary must lead
10 mischief, that he may have expressed
himself too strongly, IN which case, Mr..
Editor, pray ask the public 70 forgive
sour servant.
NALDENAR NNUDSEN.