The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-07-10
THE EDUCATIONAL STANDARD.

The New Constitution, wisely or other
wise, conferred upon large number of
| illiterate men the right of suffrage. 1t
is not necessary now to discuss the pro-
| priety of such action. 1t is done, and it
cannot be undOne, whether we wish it
| or not.
/ History has taught that any large
class of illiterate citizens in a free coun-
| try is dangerous to popular institutions.
| 1t is, then, incumbent upon the present
Government to do all that they can to
promote the cause of popular education.
Uneducated voters will constantly be
passing off the stage, and their places
will be taken by the rising generation.
1t is a matter of self-defense to make all
proper efforts to see that this constant
increment to the voting population is
made up of properly educated young
| men. The Constitution sets an educa-
| tional limit, below which none can enter
upon the duties and privileges connected
with the right of suffrage; but it is in
! cumbent upon those who have charge of
public education to see that the mass of
those now growing up shall have some
further training and make some further
| attainments than those required by the
Constitution. The Constitution fixes
the minimum limit, it should be re-
membered.
1t is fortunate for the future of the
country that the Board of Education
seem to appreciate their responsibility.
A wide-awake man has been put into
the office of Inspector-General of Schools,
and be, ably and earnestly seconded by
the Board, has succeeded in instilling
great deal of new life into the various
schools. Not school in any district,
however remote from a center of popula-
ton and civilization, but has felt the in
fuence of the initiation of the new order
of things. Teachers who were content
to plod along in the old-fashioned way,
are no longer content to plod along so.
The examination of teachers, necessarily
accompanied with normal classes and
Normal Institutes, has contributed
largely to these good results. The in
huence of this innovation (for it was
more than mere revival of the old sys-
tenn of examinations and teachers
classes) is felt in all public and many
private schools throughout the Islands
Nothing was SO much needed in our
whole educational system as the training
of teachers. The need forspecial prepare
ton, beyond mere scholarly attainments,
has come to be recognized by all educa-
tional thinkers. All countries with adj |
vanced educational systems have come |
to require of their teachers special !
technical training. With the require. |
ment of such training comes the neces-
sity OF an opportunity to receive such |
training.
But pedagogy is too great a science
and too great an art to be learned in a
week or to be picked up at odd times.
The Institutes, lasting a week, and the
classes, meeting once a week, are alto
gether good, but they are not enough.
Either teachers must be introduced
from abroad, or they must be trained up
here. Those brought here from America
are expensive and not so permanent as
desirable. Would it not be well for the
Board of Education to make some
further efforts to produce home supply
Of teachers on which to depend? OF
course it is not practicable to establish
equipped normal school. That
would cost too much. But it is entirely
to add a normal department
to Fort-street School. That school is
now full; but another building of one or
,wo rooms could be erected on the same
grounds; another teacher could be en-
1lOyed to take the classes now taught by
he Principal, leaving the Principal to {
axe the new class to be trained in the :
cience and art of teaching. The normal ]
School at all. It would +
imply be an additional course open to t
hose having completed the present :
curse. Candidates from other schools t
ould be admitted upon an examination I
imilar to that required at the close of a
ne present course at Fort-street School, 5
his scheme does not involve the ex- a
enditure of any great sum of money. r
seems practicable and natural Sc /
uence of the work recently done by the o
General of Schools in the way y
elevating the standard of requirements a
r teachers in the public schools. 4
xx* :