The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-03-12

can and should improve. How can |
this be done? 4 normal school we |
need, badly. But a normal school |
worthy of the name is a large under |
taking and will fit new teachers |
rather than the present force. Four |
other means have been suggested that
can and should be used. Teachers
Institute, a Teachers Association, a
teachers's paper, reading circles.
i. Institutes A teachers institute,
as you may know is in reality short
term of normal school. The inspec-
tor-general knowing best what the
teachers need would be the best per-
son to hold them, assisted by the best
teachers in the locality. We think
there should be one held for each ISL
and, each year, and two for Hawaii.
1t should be held the first two weeks
or the last two weeks of the term, all
teachers in the island-(or district if in
Hawaii) should be excused from work
to attend-and compelled to attend.
9. Teachers Association. / pre-
sumo you are aware that an assOcia-
ton of the teachers of Maui has been
formed to keep the teachers alive on
educational subjects, raise the stan
dard Of education and of teaching and
so promote education. These teach
ers associations are one great means of
lifting teachers throughout the civiliz-
ed world today. Scarcelya well-settled
county in the United States but has
its teachers circle composed of wide
awake, energetic teachers who believe
that teaching is az great an art and
requires as great study as any other
and who meet to assist each other. If
States like New York with half
score of the best normal schools in
the world need a teachers associa-
ton, how much more do we, far from
normal schools, many of our teachers
knowing but imperfectly the Ian
guage they have to teach, few with
any conception of the principles of
teaching and some, alas not only
utterly incompetent but immoral,
how much more do we need to use
every means of uplifting, educating
and inspiring our teachers. Feeling
this deeply,a few far-sighted teachers,
under the leadership of Mr.. Town
send of Lahainaluna, and Mr..
Dumas, of Waihee, met last summer,
formed an organization, with Mr..
Townsend as president, laid out a
simple reading course Zone book for
the year,, and appointed n committee
10 arrange for the publication of a
.eacher's paper, if possible. Meetings |
have been held at Wailuku once a |
month, and at Lahaina once in three |
put more ought to be done. The very |
eachers who most need the help given |
)y the association cannot be per-
uaded to attend. The teachers OF /
,ther islands must need this as well |
- the teachers of Maui. The paper is
g vet entirely in the future, and yet
t is greatly needed to excite interest |
n the meetings and the course of
eading, furnish topics for study, and
generally enliven and enthuse the
8. The teachers paper, as L have
aid, is a necessary adjunct of the
Mr.. Townsend, whose
experience as an editor gives his
'pinion great weight, has made esti-
mates on the paper, and believes that
he paper can be supported by SUBJ
,criptions and advertisements If the
sditor serves without salary. This
would depend, of course, upon the
hearty cooperation of the Board and
the Inspector who should be ,
a regular correspondent and an agent !
for the paper, and who should also in |
terest the teachers in the association.
4. A Reading Circle. We project, in |
addition to the professional reading in |
direct connection with the association, |
a general reading course modelled upon !
the Chatauqua course, but more SIM /
pie anu OcLCeT HILtu I'D tile ISldQuS, III |
which we hope TO interest not the |
teachers only, but all intelligent |
people, and more especially the gra-
duates of our high schools and second
airy schools, such as Oahu College, |
and Iahainaiuna. !
These graduates, in many cases, lose
their desire for and appreciation of |
higher things when the direct infiu-
ence of the teacher is withdrawn, and
we hope to prevent this
These projects are vast and far
If successful, they will have
an immense influence upon education
in the islands. And we believe we
can make them successful if we have
the hearty cooperation of 'the powers
that be-"
/ thank you for your kindness in
reading this, and pray that God may
direct you in your choice of board,
and then in the fulfillment of their
Dnerous duties.
Yours sincerely,
OSCAR ARBOTT.