The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-02-18

school. These primitive schools at the
time of their highest prosperity reached
the number of 900, attended by o., 600
pupils, mostly adults.
The time Of school in these print
tive educational institutions was
from one to two hours in the latter
part Of the day The pupils were
summoned by the blowing of a conch
she'll, a method still obtaining in
one out of the way school in the
Kingdom. The head man Of each
village had to provide the teacher
with house, food and clothing. In
1882 the members had already begun
to dwindIe At the examinations Of
that year-these examinations were
regular gala gatherings - 23,127
scholars presented themselves; all of
these could read, and most Of them
were able TO write
The first school laws were enacted
in 1871 by the King and chiefs in
council. School agents were APP
pointed on the different Islands,
teachers were required to have GER
tifcates from the school agent and
attendance was made compulsory
between the ages Of four and four
teen-since changed to six and if
teen. a curious law OF that period
prohibited any person, born since
1920, who could not read or write,
from holding any Office or even from
getting married! The latter was one
way Of whipping education into the
people, but what about the liberty of
the subject?
In 1913 a department Of public
instruction was organized and the
head Of the Office was a cabinet
minister. The position was first
held by Mr.. w. Richards, and on his
death, in 1917, was filed by Mr.. r.
Armstrong. Both of these gentle
men were missionaries. The portrait
of the former gentleman now hangs
in the Office Of the Board of Educa
ton. 1t was rescued from a heap of
rubbish . few years since.
In 1855 the department was re-
modelled and placed under Board
of Education, She President having
the same powers as the Minister of
Public Instruction but no longer
being a cabinet minister This
position was held by Mr.. r. Arm
strong from 1866 to 1860. His
administration was marked by vigor
and breadth OF view. Thus we see
in this geutleman's report to the
Legislature OF 1854, page 7, that he
states: Another matter affecting the
public schools, and : allude to it
with reluctance, is their secta"iar
character. = Serious disad-
vantage has arisen Of late to the
schools from this state OF things
i i In my opinion it will
be advisable to carry out the theory
Of our laws and abolish entirely this
sectarian feature Of our schools"
Accepting this position Mr.. Arm
strong goes on to say: 1T will be
necessary, in this case, to exclude
from the government schools all re-
igious exercises that may offend the
consciences of parents interested"-
which Of course was merely saying
that all religious exercises would
have to be dropped. It is interest
ing to see that question much dis
cussed in 1889 was fully appreoi-
ated in 1854, and it speaks volumes
that a man educated and trained as
Mr.. Armstrong had been should
have spoken so clearly and unhinch-
ingly. Some Of our present debaters
had better look up the old records
before they rush into print again.
The pamphlet touches slightly
upon the schools established by pri-
vate OF religious effort. From this
we gather that Lahainaluna Semi
nary was established in 1881 and
that at the printing press there the
first newspaper ever printed in the |
Pacific Ocean was issued. This was
the Lama Hawaii (the light of
HawaiD, and was published in 1884.
The Royal School was established in
1850 and was at first designed as a
school for the children of the chiefs,
and it was here that Kamehameha
", Kamehameha V, LunalilO, the !
high chiefess Bernice Pauahi Bishop |
and the present King received their
We also learn that the
Fort Street School is direct des-
cendant of the Oahu Charity School
founded in 1888.
There are many historical details
which we might add, and the pam
phlet might have been much swelled,
but we perceive that the authors,
Hon. W. ID. Alexander aud Mr.. A. 7.
Atkinson, have aimed at condensa-
ton.
W.. eIan ~ sDy,o F,,+,7ro 4;,,,o |