The Hawaiian gazette., 1890-08-05

1871, at the Oahu CoI1ege Oloslhs
Exercises.
In 1905 when Prussia was PROSTATE al
the feet of Bonaparte, William Won
Humbolt was made the first Minister Of
Public instruction for the Kingdom. Oi
him, Talleyrand the great French diplo-
matist said: Europe does not possess
three statesmen OF such power"
wish to quote one single sentence
from Won Humboldt, which will, think,
serve to emphasize Talleyrand's estimate
of him. and it will, at the same time in
troduce my thought this evening. 1t is,
whatever we wish to see incorporated
into the life OF a nation must be first in
troduced into its schools"
The high craftsmanship of this propo-
sition is demonstrated in the exalted
position of Prussia as the head of the
German empire of to-day. What spec
tacle in the history Of this century is
more kindling in Its influence than that
OF defeated and Inundated Prussia bend
ing herself to the reconstruction and re-
Matchmaking of her life along these lines !:
and at the end TO see her triumphant
and exchanging places with her tradi-
tional enemy? And il is. think, gen.
orally accepted that this remarkable
development of national life and power
has been more actively promoted by
adopting and adhering to this principle
of Won Humboldt than by any other one
thing. l am not alone i'll the anxiety l
feel for the future no less than for the
present of this Hawaiian nation. There
is no question in my mind but that the
sorest need of Hawaii to-day is intelli-
gent. patriotic citizenship. Pause mo-
ment and note the real character of the
problem that is being worked out here.
In the first place it is new and almost
unheard of experiment to take nation
in a savage state, its common people
essentially serfs, in a condition of utter
and absolute ignorance, without writ
ten language, having no knowledge of
liberty or representative self-government
with the self-restraint and self.control
implied in it and essential to its success,
and to give to that nation in the short
space of twenty-five years all the power
and responsibility of enfranchised free
men. Anglican liberty and representa-
tive self-government come as the fruit
age of centuries of struggle and disci-
pline, untold suffering and uncounted
treasure.
century if a similar or approximately
similar condition of things can be
achieved in the life time of one genera
ton, and self-government improved sue
cessfully upon people so slightly pre-
pared But that is not all. As if the
difficulties were not great enough with
single race and comparatively simple
conditions, other races as ignorant and
mil
eating and involving the problem beyond
all precedent. And now the question is
can representative self-government be
carried forward and made a success
under the complex conditions that hold,
viz, a nation made up of five races hay-
ing widely divergent traits and charac-
teristics, while in the midst of these
there is springing up or has sprung up a
mixed race, or properly spea ling mixed
races, for even this is not homogeneous.
So far as my knowledge goes there is
no land or country upon the face OF the |
globe of equal area and population where |
similar conditions of life are found. This, |
then, is the problem that confronts the |
thinking men and women of Hawaii nei |
to-day; our only hope lies in the use we
make of the instrumentalities at hand. |
-
is the one indicated by Won Humboldt, |
viz, whatever you wish TO see introduced |
into the life of this Hawaiian nation, |
make haste and introduce just that into |
YOUR public and private schools. And |
the demand must be made here as it is |
being made in the United States, that |
an important if not chief place in our |
courses of study be given to that which |
will directly fit the children to become |
not merely intelligent men, but founded |
as well in the principles OF good morals, /
and with a knowledge of the duties re-
ouired of good citizens.
a great deal is said, and rightly said,
about the methods of introduction in our
schools. but alter all cit is the substance |
of what is taught rather than the method
of teaching which molds the minds OF
children" and fits or units them for
citizenship. Methods are important, but
the matter taught is essential and abso-
lutte. That this is so requires no argu-
ment. Method is simply the manner,
the way OF presenting truth, and may,
nay does, change, while the truth is
abiding. "Let me write all the ballads
OF a people, and l care not who makes
their laws" says wise man; Give me
the nrSt ten years Ol Cilllu llle, says
another, "and Will determine the char
acter of the man or the woman"
These and kindred savings have come
TO have the force of maxims, because
they have foundation in fact, viz, the
made upon the mind during
the receptive years of childhood are en-
during; the mind OF the little child is wax
to receive, but marble to retain. For
these reasons L would urge that instruc-
ton pertaining to the principles and
duties of citizenship be given place in
the primary and grammar grades of our
schools.
Says recent writer of note prof. H.
H Boyesen): 1.-The bias given to the
mind OF the child in early childhood by
teaching and environment largely deter
mines the political sentiments of youth
and manhood" He uses political in
good sense-not Of party politics. And
this remark comes as the result of pro-
longed and careful study of the schools
Of Germany, France, and the United I
1a