The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1889-02-19
TUESDAY,
EDUCATIONAL BEGINNINGS IN HAWAII.

DeSn printed Dy the DOdIQ Ol Luu
cation for distribution at the Paris
Exhibition. 1t is entitled an His
torical sketch of Education in the
Hawaiian Islands," and in dozen
pages condenses a large quantity Of
information much of which will be
new even to the residents of this
country.
Thus it is interesting to note that
education on these Islands com,
menced with adults rather than
children" The first move in any
systematic effort at education dates
back to the period between 1927
when a peculiar system of schools
sprang up and fourished for some
ten years. The pamphlet before us
says:
The high chiefs with their immediate
attendants were the first pupils. Each
chief sent the most proficient scholars in
his retinue to his different lands as
teachers, with a notice to his tenants to
attend school. The eagerness OF the
people to acquire the novel and wonder
full arts of reading and writing was in
tense, and almost the whole population,
of both sexes and of all ages, went to
school. These primitive schools at the
time of their highest prosperity reached
the number of 900, attended by 81 900
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 conch
shell, 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
1892 the members had already begun
to dwindle. 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 1S41 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 ff-
teen. A curious law of that period
prohibited any person, born since
1920, who could not read OF 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 1843 a department of public
instruction was organized and the
head of the Office was cabinet
minister. The position was first
held by Mr.. W. Richards, and on his
death. in lS47. was filled 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
a few years since.
In 1856 the department was re-
and placed under a Board
of Education, the 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 1856 to 1860. His
administration was marked by vigor
and breadth of view Thus we see
in this gentleman's report to the
of 1854, page Z, that he
states: Another matter affecting the
public schools, and 1 allude to it
with reluctance, is their sectaHian
character. Serious disad-
vantage has arisen of late to the
from this state Of things.
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-
ligious exercises that may offend the
consciences of parents Interested
which OF course was merely saying
that all religious exercises would
have to be dropped. 1t is interest
ing to see that question much dis
cussed in 1889 was fully appreci-
ated in 1854, and it speaks volumes
that a man educated and trained as
Mr.. Armstrong had been should