The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-06-27
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
Delivered BY Prof. W. D. Alexander
at Oahu College, June
26, 1891.
Mr.. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

NIX. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEME
1t seems almost but yesterday when
we celebrated the Quarter Century ami
versary OF the founding of the school at
funahou. 1t is hard to realize that half
a century has passed away since some
VINO are present here to day entered this
school as pupils. Yet, as | look around,
am reminded of the fact that the crown
Oh gray hair is no longer AS rare as il
once was among it graduates, and that a
number OF our best and noblest comrades
nave dropped out of our ranks in the
battle of life.
IL ID true that our Alma Mater is still
small and unpretending institution,
put II Is also true that the Universiti. "a
OF Harvard, Yale and Princeton sprang
from equally humble beginnings, and
tnat they too had to pass through long
period OF poverty, and to encounter pre-
Judlce, misrepresentation and oblouuy.
Our feeling to-day is not one of com
plant, but rather OF gratitude to the
KIND providence which has favored the
college thus far, and to the noble bene.
factors who have placed it on an inde-
pendent basis.
The site which was chosen for il is
not without historical associations. 1t
has been observed that springs-the
eyes of the land, as the Hebrews
called them--have often been the haunts
OF the Muses., and centres of rising
civilization. And we may venture
to hope that not even the spring of Cas-
ITALIA or that OF Vaucluse will, in future
ages, be more illustrious than that of
Punabou; and that this last may prove
TO De what its name signifies, new
spring" CT knowledge and pure religion.
The ancient legend concerning it was
thus told to tine writer by the venerable
Kauhi and his wife Martha Pohopu, some
thirty years ago. Long ago an aged couple
were living near the present spring. 1t
was time of drought and famine. when
the people were obliged to search the
mountains for ti-root and wild vans for
1ood, and to trudge to Kamoiliili to fill
their calabashes with drinking water.
The outer spring seems to have dried up.
One night the old lady dreamed that a
man appeared TO her, to whom she COM
planned bitterly about her having to 90
SO lar for water, upon which he said.
lie wal nol"-(there is water)-and
told her that beneath the stump of
an old PandaBus tree near by there
was water. She awoke her husband
and told him the dream, but he made
light OF 1t. The next night he had
q similar dream. The apparition directed
him to go to the sea and catch some red
hsh, to roast them in IL leaves, reseryiny
part AS an offering to the family DEF
Ties, and then to pull up the old tree by
the roots. he awoke, and loi it was
dream. But the impression it made on
MIN was so strong that, in the morning.
ne hastened TO carry out the directions
that he bad received, and when at last
Ne pnlled up the tree, water ouzpd ont
from beneath its roots. He dug out the
place, and thus Was formed the inner
spring. A fsh-pond was formed be,nw
tie spring, aud a dozen o. more taro-
patches irrigated from it.
Alter the conquest OF Oahu by Kameha-
meha /. in 1895, he gave Moanalna.
kapunahou and other lands to Kameei
atnoku, one OF the TOUR great chiefs who
had raised him TO the throne, AID who
had aided him in all his wars. This
chief was notorious for having captured
the little schooner Fair American. and
having massacred the crew with The ex.
ceptlon OF Isaac Davis In revenge for an |
outrage committed by Capt. MetcaIf. of |
the Eleanor, some months before. Ka. |
meelamoku died at Lataina in 1902, and |
hislands descended 10 his son Hoapili, the
most intimate friend OF kamehameha
who afterwards became Governor Of
Maui. HoaPili resided several years at
Punahou, near the spring, and daring
the Conqueror's second residence on
Oahu, from 1904 to 1911, he also and his
wives frequently visited this charming
retreat. Hoapili gave Punahou to his
daughter Liiiha, who married Governor
boki, and on their return from England
in the Blonde in 1925, they FREQUENTLY
resided here.
In December, 1929, just before starting
On his fatal sandal wood expedition Roki
gave Punahou to Rev. FL. Bingham.
In 1881 Kaahumanu caused STONE
wall to DE built, extending from Punch.
po"i HILL, across Punahou, nearly to