The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-06-30

i'm the ra.ra-sn,-- of .u habyhood.
There is ID popular notion that rhc Chi
mes. lack affection. but Miss SNOW can
EH. complain n. amy such Lack fDr the
children who were SD shy af FIRST have
responded tn u.r kindness lu O. gr.ify-
ing manner. Thn-. who ar th. FIRST of
rr, year ar, au''.aud Iifnlp-. unfold i'm
Nh, genial atmosphere OF the kiudcrg8r-
ten. like blossoms tu the spring sun
shine I'm very many OF rho Chinese
homes aII expression of love i- doubt
.n~s crhed. and the children enjoy an
the more the demonstration of love i'm
. the kindergarten. Certainly it may be
said that training i'm infancy is develop
/ ing musical ability i'm the Chinese. AZ
! ter the music OF adults heard anywhere
! IN Chinatown-a meanderng uumelo-
! die minor. accompanied by scraping
! splinters OF bamboo-one is surprised
! to hear the children singing OF sunshine
! and flowers, as sweetly as natures own
! birds. Some one who has heard all the
children of the kindergartens sing
thinks the singing of the Chinese the
| sweetest Some might not judge theirs
| best.
| Adaptability is as sure a character
lstic of the Chinese in Honolulu as
| their oftquoted unprogressiveness. This
| Is shown in the dress OF the kindergar-
ten children. With few exceptions the
boys are minus queues, and the loose
garments of their forefathers are re-
| placed by the closer fitting European
| costumes. AS would be expected the
dress OF the girls is more conservative
Since January some one hundred per-
sons have visited the kindergarten.
Inose VINO have come repeatedly have
noticed many Observation-Disclosures or
oer' more prompt obedience and greater
intelligence in gift work. The effect of
visitors on the children is interesting
the presence of outsiders lending zeal
to the work done at the seats. drawing
weaving, etc, but dampening all ardor
for conversation. The reason is not far
10 seek. Language is the paramount
diff1culty as well as the basis of all pro
gress, and just as rapidly as language fs
grasped are interest and intelligence in
creased. This is proved in the second
and third years. Object lessons then
are necessity, and in them simple
talks are given. One of the best kinder
garten methods, story telling, is almost
useless for the children as vet.
The teacher never uses pigeon Eng
llsh, and the patience required to speak
dramatically to these children is worth
while when they correct me no cam
to Il cannot; / will try" If this last
note be the clarion call of the kinder
garten, continued progress will be in
evitable.
Under the excellent instruction of
Miss Ozawa, cultivated Japanese lady.
the Japanese Kindergarten has made
good progress during the year. The at
tendance for the first part of the year
was irregular because so many OF the
children's perents migrated to Japan
or the Other Islands. Twenty-nine. the
average total attendance for the first
term, has risen to 35 the last part Of the
year. There has been little sickness. a.
few light cases of measles and whoop-
Ing cough not being serious enough to
interrupt the routine Of work
The children were under a certain
disadvantage in not understanding En-
glish when they entered the kindergar-
ten. They are apt learners, however,
and quickly acquired enough English
to understand their teacher and to play
their games and sing their songs in
English. This Anglicising the language
Of polyglots that the Kindergarten AS
flying of the diverse race characteristics
our Government needs to consider. IL
is to be hoped that the Government will
regard the helpful influence of the kim
1ergarten and place it some time as the
frfist round in the ladder OF public ed
ucation.
Many Of the children were sadly lack
ing in ideas of cleanliness when they
first entered the kindergarten, but after
a few mpnths Of inevitable soap and
water THY enjoyed nothing so much
as exhibiting clean hands and faces
when they said their good morning.
After the Easter vacation Miss Ozawa
resigned her position, much to the re-
gret of the Association, by whom her
faithful service was most thoroughly
appreciated. Her place has been tenn
porar!ly filled by Miss Nellie KahuiIa
OF kawaiahao Seminary, who in her eff
forts has been ably seconded by Mrs.
So, young Japanese woman. Miss
Nellie has had a grave responsibility
thrust upon her, but in her teaching
she has shown good discipline, no less
than great kindness and sympathy
Mrs. So can speak enough English to
act as interpreter, and she does much
good In her visits to the parents.
ltspay be noted in passing that the
increased and orderly attendance at
Sunday school shows also the effect of
the kindergarten on the little Japanese.
The parents are influenced by their
and in one instance there is
a pathetic story of little child leading
them.
The japanese colony in Honolulu give
substantial proofs of their commend
able interest in the kindergarten. They
have largely provided for the supDort
Of the Japanese kindergarten, and thew
have established primary school. into
which the graduates from the kinder
garten may go. Six children go this
fall into this school
1t has been thought that the best
development of the Japanese kinder