The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1889-02-25
SCHOOL MATTERS.


been much said upon educational
matters in these islands; and now,
with your permission, wish to lay
before the public q view from my
own standpoint.
Having been laboring as public
servant in its cause for more than
five years; and carefully and indus
triously trying various methods and
means to instil and draw out the
natives knowledge of English, l
feel more confidence in my own
ability than l did when l first took
hold of the work. l have learned
and am perfectly convinced that the
best means of dealing with any
child's mind, be it either Hawaiian
or foreign, is to explain an unknown
term by one that is known.
This method the InspectorGen-
eral of to-day seems to entirely
ignore, as he cares for not a word
of the Hawaiian language to be
used in the English schools.
In all of our American colleges
where Latin and Greek is taught,
it is taught with the aid Of a leXi-
con. l hold that 4 word is of no use
unless its meaning is known. A
teacher cannot always have the OBJ
iect present in the schoolroom.
A little child enters into the
fathers studio and says, Papa,
let's take walk down town" The
father, who has been accustomed to
take walk with the child, and
often purchased sweetmeats or
candy, Immediately catches the idea
that it means candy, although the
child does not use the word.
l agree with Mr.. Knudsen that
the more thoroughly a teacher
is acquainted with both the English
and Hawaiian, he becomes a better
instructor in our schools here, and
in this think the public mind would
generally concur.
An inspector is II public servant
and the more carefully he serves the
public so much the more will the
cause of education be promoted.
Mere political prcferment does
not make a good Inspector, mol
should it at all enter into the minds
of those by whom he is selected.
The Board of Education empha-
sizes kindness. gentleness, regard fol
the feelings of others to be taught
"Example is. better than precept.'
When an Inspector enters into q
schoolroom in a rude,ungentlemanly,
boisterous manner and addresses
little children in voice better
adapted for driving oxen or mule:
in the back woods, and with a pur
pose of intimidating both children
and teacher, he is not the right mar
in the right place, nor is he carry
ing out the idea of kindness lait
down by the Board.
When a school is making all the
progress it is capable of, and thu
parents and scholars well pleased
as | have every reason to believe il
many cases, is an Inspector serving
the public faithfully when he kick
a teacher out simply because he per
sonally may have been littl
slighted?
Teachers have as much right t.
their homes in this country as tn
Inspector, and are little sensitive
about being kicked from pillar Il
post, to suit his own august ma
jesty.
Then, too, is 1t wise policy tn
present Board of Education ar
pursuing in letting their old tru
and tried servants out who hav
rights and homes here, and inter
ests identified, for the sake of i'm
porting teachers from a foreig
country by the boat load? Wha
can they hope to gain for the caus
of education?
1t may be they design populatin
the country in that way, for usu
ally teachers are so poor they can
get away. Truly, this is not tn
longed-for reform. No man ca
jump into the educational work her
more than he can into any other.
) XERXEs.