The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-03-07
A Few Facts Concerning Its
Methods.
INDEPENDENT
BODY.
Something About Appropriations.
Evidence of Past Favoritism.
Average salary of Employees.-In-
come Goes Into the Treasury.

Senate upon appropriations for the
Board of Education, noticing the re
marks made upon the matter by some
members, and hearing good deal of
comment in town today, / beg that
you will allow me space for some re-
marks on educational matters.
The position of the Board of Educ A.
ton is somewhat peculiar. Instead Of
being bureau under any one of the
departments of Government, it is an
independent body, answerable directly
TO the Legislature. The whole courso
of legislation has, for many years,
recognized this position, and there is
nothing in it incompatible with cor
rect system of government, or the
theories under which We live. By
the law, the Board of Education makes
report to the Legislature direct. 1t
has the sole and absolute control of
all school lands and property. 1t has
the authority to prescribe the rates of
tuition in the schools, which power
carries with it the right to abrOgate
school fees whenever it SEES fit. 1t
has the right by law to the control OF
all funds of the Education department.,
and to make such disposition of it's
funds as in its Judgment seems best.
None of the laws have been anne nd
ed by specific acts.
But at present its position is some
what anomalous. And this has been
everywhere been recognized as Wis
cious. That is, by attaching a rider
TO an appropriation bill. This is ac-
complished in this way An item, for
instance, reads "SuppOrt of schools,
$25O,OOO." To this is attached a few
very simple words, provided all re-
ceipts of the Board are paid into the
treasury" thus multiplying the whole
intent Of the laws for the support of
schools.
II it is the intention of the Govern
ment to change this system it should
introduce an Act to carry it out
It is complained that there is no one
in the Legislature to represent the
Board. This is very great mistake.
The Committee on Edu alton should
representate the Board. These com
mittees ought to confer with the
Board officers, and they will then be
able to state correctly what is re
quired. But, so far as the action of
the Senate of yesterday is concerned,
the Education Committee does moi
seem TO have been present. And,
am informed, that there has been not
more than half an hours conference
any way.
Minister Damon says: "Tbe great
fault with the school was the absence
of proper system of grading salaries
of school teachers. That there was
more or less favOritism in fixing the
salaries" He must have been think
ing of the time when he was a mem
Der of the Board of Education.
Mr.. Cecil Brown seems to have
backed up this statement. But here
are the facts: During the days of
the Provisional Government, when
Messrs. Damon and Brown were>mem
bers of the Councils, certain resolu-
tiOns were passed to reform aud re-
organize the Board of Education. One
of the resolutions required that a |
graded system of salaries should be |
adopted. In February, 1894, the Board
was recognized. One of its first duties |
was to carry out the resolutions
adopted by Messrs. Damon aad Brown |
and others of the Councils. And in |
doing this, evidence of favoritism GER
tainly did appear as belonging to Mr.. |
Damon's Board, and it became the |
unpleasant duty of the reorganized |
Board to scale down salaries of |
''Hattie this and Mary that" while |
at the same time the salaries of many |
of the very hard-worked teachers were |
increased. The Board spent more |
time over the system of grading sal
aries which now exists than upon any |
other matter. This is not hard aud |
fast rule, but is adhered to as fai as
possible, as the circumstances of the |
case will permit. / think that / may |
challenge Mr.. Damon or Mr.. Bro Yn !
or any one else to show that the pres
ent system is not giving more general |
satisfaction than any which ever be-
fore existed.
1t should be remembered that at |
present, under appropriation bill |
riders, but not the law, the entire in
come of the Board, including the |
school tax, goes directly into the
Treasury, rendering it necessary to
approximate directly every cent re
quired for Rhe support of the educa-
tional system. These appropriations
mPst necessarily increase with the
growth of population, and this growth
in the past few years has been most |
gratifying.
In 1888 there were $40 pupils in ali |
schools. AT the present time there
are 1855, an increase of very nearly |
1000. And it is we'll known by the
Board that there are many children
not in school because there are no
school facilities These must be pro-
vided for. Mr.. Damon speaks of the
enormous pay roll for 466 employees
of the Board, but this means, with the
$780, 600 passed, the average princely
sum of $50 per month.
The Board has estimated that for
the year 1896 it Gun get along with
$500 month that for the year 1897
$4,000 q month will be required, and
vet the additional amount is lot voted
and placed directly under the control
of the Board. This amount even is
not sufficient, and the country could