The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-07-15
TEACHERS CONVENTION.

The First Session in the Fort Street
school-A Large Attendance.
The general convention of the
Hawaiian Government Teachers as
sembled at the Fort street school
building yesterday morning. 1t is
without doubt the largest body OF
teachers that ever met on the Ha-
waiian Islands, there being upwards
of two hundred present.
The convention was called to order
by Inspector General A. L. Atkinson,
who outlined the advancement made
in the schools the past year or two,
the course Of instruction during the
week and some of the views enter
tanned by the Board of Education.
He expressed great pleasure at see
ing so large and SO representative
gathering; teachers from every isl
and in the group, from the most dis
tant and widest parts of Hawaii to
the nearer Kauai. ''This is the first
time the convention is other than of
a local character, and the instructors
will be found to be of more varied
character than on previous occasions,
and we shall have the views of teach
ers from various parts Of the group.
At the first conventions the attention
of the teachers was especially direct
ed to primary instruction in Eng
lish. The battle in this direction
though not over may be considered
as on the high road to victory.
Throughout the Kingdom the teach
ing of English has been systematic
ally carried on and has been in the
main successful. 1t is no uncommon
thing now to hear entire converse
tons on the playground carried on
in English. In this work of instruc-
ton in colloquial English the teach
ers of this Kingdom have united
most heartily, and with few excep-
tons have adopted the methods pro-
posed and explained at local conven-
tons. Examples Of written English
would do credit to country schools
both in the United States and Great
Britain, and we must recollect that
these specimens have been written
by pupils to whom English is not the
mother tongue. The work of teach
ing English has been performed SO
successfully that it requires only a
few more years hard work to SO sol
idify it that people when they see
the results, without knowing how
strenuous the effort has been to OBJ
tain them, will wonder at the stress
that has been laid upon that partic-
ular branch ON these Islands" The
speaker then dwelt upon the pupils
early leaving the schools. SIN spite
of the laws, the judges and the truant
officers, they get off before they are
Is years old. We can assure you that
the Board of Education is giving
earnest attention to this matter, but
it can never be thoroughly satisfac-
tory until we have the school law
with distinct penalties enforced"
In accordance to the school period
he said, cit is the foremost object to
give a thorough command of Ian
guage written and oral" The three
RS properly taught are the found
alton of all education, but they must
be begun at the earliest age and
must advance simultaneously and
not be treated at separate periods OF
the scholastic career" Briefly des-
criblng the course of instruction to
be given during the week, he went
on to say that, 1--WE should not con.
fine ourselves to the instruction OF
the mental qualities; we have to cul'
tivate the moral qualities as we'll
taking advantage of incidents in
school life. The Board of Educa
ton, feeling the Importance of this
especially request it being laid be-
fore you. At the same time this
teaching must not be religious; nc
faiths to be taught, only moral prin
ciples that belong to all faiths
One of the most important features
of the Inspectors address was that
relating to industrial education. As
he aptly stated, ''the problem before
the world at the present time is how
to join industrial education with
mental education. As far as ,
boarding school is concerned il
has been solved by the establishment
of the Kamehameha schools, but We
want it solved for the day schools o.
the Kingdom. In thinking over the
matter, it seems to me that teachers
will have to train themselves to in
struct in certain industrial branche!
and opportunity will have to bs
given and inducements held out fol
them to apply themselves in this di
rection. We must put our shoulder!
to the wheel if we are to keep VI
with the times and to have oul
schools rank high in the estimation
of educators. This is a subject which
| will require considerable care il
planning out and [ would recon
mend that a committee of teacher
be appointed to draw up cours
which will be suitable for on
schools, which course would be sub
mitted to the Board of Education.
Stress was laid upon the tonic SO
ia system. Attention was also call
ed to the teaching of phonics.
Mr.. NJ. NJ. Scott then spoke fey
words of welcome, expressing re
greet at the smallness Of the room
He stated that one of the most III
gent needs is a large hall, conclud
ing his remarks with an entreat
that teachers should not be dis
eouraged.