Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1896-06-29

have been enrolled during the
year, 80 being quite regular at
tendants. 6 girls snd 8 boys
leave the school to go into the
next grade. While 40 is the
largest daily attendance, the
largest average daily attendance
for one month has been 35, the
smallest Is. This decrease is
due to the epidemic of measles
during May, and reduces the
average daily attendance for the
year to 90.
As rule the children are ODE
dient. Industry and plodding
work are a direct gift from
their fathers, but thsy share
in the restlessness of all
babyhood. There is a popular
notion that the Chinese lack
affection, but Miss Snow cannot
complain of any such lack, for the
children who were so shy at first
have responded to her kindness
in a gratifying manner. Those
who at the first of the year are
dull and lifeless unfold in the
genial atmosphere of the Kinder
garten like blossoms in the spring
sunshine. In many of the Chin
ese homes all expression of love
is doubtless curbed, and the
children enjoy all the more the
demonstration of love in the
kindergarten. Certainly it may
be said that training in infancy is
developing musical ability in the
Chinese. After the music of
adults heard anywhere in China
town,-a meandering, unmelodie
minor accompanied by scraping
splinters of bambGo-one is sur
prised to hear the children sing
ing of sunshine and flowers as
sweetly as natures own birds.
Someone 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 charac-
teristic of the Chinese in Honolu-
lu as their oft quoted unprogres-
siveness. This is shown in the
dress of the kindergarten
children. With few exceptions
the boys are minus queues, and
the loose garments of their fore.
fathers are replaced by the closer
fitting European costumes. As
would be expected, the dress Of
the girls is more conservative.
Since January some 100 persons
have visited the kindergarten.
Those who have come repeatedly
have noticed many improvements,
better order, 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 converse
ton. The reason is not far to
seek. Language is the rare para
mount difficulty as we'll as the
basis of all progress, and Just as
rapidly as language is grasped
are interest and intelligence in
creased. This is proved in the
second and third years. Object
lessons, then, are a necessity, and
in them simple talks are given.
One of the best of Kindergarten
methods, storytelling, is almost
useless for the children as yet.
The teacher never uses pigeon
English, and the patience re-
quired to speak dramatically to
these children is worth while
when they correct "me no. can" to
81 cannot: 1 will try" If this
last note be the clarion call of the
Kindergarten, continued progress
will be inevitable.
Under the excellent instruction
of Miss Ozawa, cultivated Jap
anese lady, the japanese Kinder
garten has made good progress
during the year. The attendance
for the first part of the year was
irregular because SO many Of the
children's parents migrated to
Japan or the other islands; 30, the
average attendance of the first
term, has risen to 80 the last part
of the year. There has been little
sickness, the few light cases OF
measles and whooping cough moi
being serious enough to interrupt
the routine of the work. The
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