The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-02-04

turn back for IA moment to see what
results have come from that in the
kindergarten. We do not imagine
that children in Hawaii differ so
much after all from children in other
lands. Hawaiian nature is human
nature. The different phases that we
see and are apt To criticise with too
little discri mination are traceable to
natural causes. Different stages OF
race development will account for
many of the things that confuse us.
What the kindergarten has done,
and Is doing for the children of
America it is doing for the children
OF all nations i'm Hawaii nei. For
most forcible and striking illustrations
of the results of kindergarten work
we would refer those interested to
Mrs. Corpus annual report of the
Golden Gate Free Kindergarten Asso.
citation of San Francisco where it has
been in most successful operation for
over sixteen years.
We feel that the limited work here
has already much to show for itself.
Not little testimony has come to
us from teachers of primary grades in
our public schools. More than one has
said, "We wish that all Of our child
rem could come from the kindergarten,
| w AAh - StC1b hihCIChCC OSOWOCh
them and the others who come To
school for the first time"
| This testimony Is very satisfactory,
very helpful, and it is what we have
right to expect. We sometimes
hear a word on the other side where
the results appear to have been harm
full to body or mind; bat these cases
are exceptional, and We have no right
to expect perfection in the beginnings
of any work. II we do, we are sure
to meet with disappointmentla and dis
some failures, glad to know what
they are, aud iudy for causes that we
may try new ways of applying the
method and climb by our mistakes
| onto higher planes. Thus only can
real progress be made in any work.
| Many Interesting incidents can be
told by our kinderg artens showing
evidence OF change aud growth in the
little ones under their charge, which
they will be glad to relate to those in-
| terested enough to ask. w will dis.
cern much for ourselves IL We will
visit the kindergartens iutelligently,
anu watch the children at their work
aud games.
1t is not hard to see how this work
may, ia time, open up new and inI-
| portant opportunities for our Hawai-
ian girls after they leave the semin-
| aries.
Then we are confronted with the
question, "Will there be positions in
the kindergartens for an Unlimited
number of girls?" We answer by
asking, "Will there be positions for
all of the graduates from the normal
classes at Kamehameha or else
where?"
Is that our one aim in giving them
such opportunity, or do We remember
that the great end and aim of educa-
tion is the development of character.
Twenty young women have gone
into the normal class at the Kameha-
meea Girls School with the undoubted
end in view of becoming teachers. We
know that many Of them will never be
teachers in any school. They will 90
into homes of their own and be the
mothers of the next generation ami so
after all much of our work rs to 40 in
to these homes with them. FIttiug
them for teachers ought to be fitting
them for life wherever it may take
them.
More AMI more a the i'm portance of
kindergarten training Is coming to be
recognized, those who have had 1t are
in demand as teachers for primary
grades.
This fact answers the questions suf-
ficiently, it would seem, as 10 whether
there will be positions for the un-
limited number of Hawaiian girls
whom we sincerely hope may yet
have the advantages of the kinder
garten tiaining school.
If in the normal classes we are fit
ting them for life wherever IL may
find them, how much more will they
be fitted for that phase of life TO which
as women they may be called, If they
have had the special preparation for
It that the training school should give.
We may say here however that it
cannot be very long before the state
will come to recognize that educa-
tional work to be most effective,
must begin in the kindergarten, these
kindergartens will be multiplied all
over the land and the demand for
assistants will be CORES pon dingly i'll
creased.
Some fear has been expressed that
we may not realize the impot tance of
high educat tional standard "a the
basis of our kindergarten traiuing
work.
We DO appreciate this most deeply,
but in the beginning of 1t. we have
been, TO a certain degree, the victims
or necessity. We have learned from
our experiment so far, that our main
effect must be directed TO the training
of Hawaiian girls. We can get the
directors, if any additional ones are
needed for our limited work, from San
Francisco, but our assistants must be
trained here.
HARRIET CASTLE COLEMAN.
(To be cOntinued)