The Hawaiian gazette., 1889-01-01

The English Language In Hawaiian
schools.
Mr.. EDITOR: In the great and rapid
improvement which has been made in
the educational department OF the Gov
eminent under the present Board OF Edu-
cation, there would seem yet to be some
points of administration about which
more knowledge would be desirable.
The great number of new and commodi-
GUS school houses, the increasing number
of able and faithful and acceptable teach
ers, are evident facts that rebound greatly
to the credit of the present Board. But
some, who are interested especially in
the welfare of the Hawaiians, have been
led to query whether the present policy
is as advantageous in some respects, as
it certainly is intended to be, to the best
interests of Hawaiian children. Unfor-
tunately, this is not country in which
accurate statistical Information is easily
attainable.
Mr.. Knudsen has had most favorable
opportunities for personal knowledge in
regard to the Hawaiians on Kauai. His
friendly interest in the people, rs well
as his official relations to the schools,
give to his expressed opinion value be-
yond that OF anyone less familiar than
he with the social conditions of our is
land community formerly and ut present.
L..
in your paper, he deprecates the exclu-
sion of the Hawaiian language from the
schools for Hawaiians. In this particu-
lar, wish to express my concurrence
with his opinion and view of the situa-
ton. rather than with the stand taken
by Principal Scott in his reply. Yet in
this expression of opinion, ! wish to treat
fairly and Justly those who in advocating
different sentiments, have adopted pol
icy which in their judgment is the best
adarted to the condition and needs of
the Hawaiian people. In advocating a
different policy, would yet not be be-
hind anyone in acknowledging the debt
of gratitude this community owes to the
philanthropic zeal and interchangeable
labors of the President OF the present
Board OF Education. 1t is not so much
the study Of English exclusively, which
marks the divergence of views in regard
to the policy of the Board, as the exclu-
sion of the Hawaiian language from the
schools, in which according to the lasy
census Hawaiians and half-castes consti-
tute 81 per cent. OF the school population.
The question is not merely in regard to
the superiority of one language over an
other as a medium OF instruction nor to
the superior economical value OF the
English in business point of view. No
one can deny the unreasonable adyan-
tage of the English language. Nor is the
point OF difference the propriety OF teach
ing English, as showing an unjust par
TALLY in view OF the mixture OF foreign
nationalities in every school district,
Chinese, Portuguese, japanese, Ger
man, Norwegian, as we'll as English.
The Japanese Government has acted
wisely in choosing English as the foreign
language to be taught Japanese children,
rather than French or German. The
medical department of the University at
Toxic, under German teachers. is the
only one in which any other language
than English is used in the classroom.
1t is expected that in few years every
| SlduudlC VI LILO llOL L1dA CNAAOOao WIZ 0C
able to teach English; and so in the
public schools of Japan it is the English
language which is to be taught, in pre-
ference TO any other foreign language.
But it will be noticed that English is
to be taught, not to the exclusion of the
native tongue, but co-ordinately and
subsidiarily. So too, in these islands,
no sane person would think OF insisting
on making Hawaiian the language of the
schoolroom, and require the teachers
that come from the States to acquire the
Hawaiian language. The point, which
Mr.. Knudsen brings forward, is the
pressing difficulty in the present policy
OF the Board, the exclusion Of Hawai-
ian from the Government Schools for
Hawaiians.- This is not like making
English the language OF the schools to
the exclusion of German in such Ger
incorporating communities as Cincin-
natl or Chicago, or New York owhere
English is yet the national language.
But the fact is as stated by Mr.. Knud-
sen, a condition OF things to be deplored
and remedied that the present genera
ton of Hawaiian youth is growing up in
ignorance of their own language, unable
to read or write it properly. And they
are also growing up without that knowl-
edge of the rudiments, the fundamental
principles and facts in mathematics, geo.
graphy, grammar, history, and physical
science, such as would better fit them
to be intelligent and capable members
of civilized society. No benevolent
organization can furnish education for
people, as was formerly attempted here.
1t must be done at public expense; but
in doing it. the policy of the Govern
ment should be to encourage and streng
then, not to throttle, the Hawaiian ele-
ment in our heterogeneous population.
The charge has often been made, I'M
Justly, so any well informed observer
would say, that those who came from
the States to Christianize the Hawaiians.
tried to make them over in cast iron
mould of New England pietism. 1t
seems to me that our modern scientific
humanitarians in the policy they are
adopting, are trying to make over the
Hawaiians after the prevailing standards
of nineteenth century mercantilsm.
The cry is, Away with this people, not
fit to be capitalists and managers OF
trusts; nor trades-union leaders, seeking
for the horny band OF toll the scepter Of
rank and power" If it be true that
Hawaiians cannot be boss mechanics, or