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

upon u.s. We unconsciously multi
ply her a thousaud-f and see what
Froebel saw when he said, "The des
tiny of natious lies in the hands of
women" With keenly awakened
interest we watch and wonder. Does
she know? Does she discern her posi-
ton of mighty vantage upon the
battle field of humanitys s wants aud
woes? Does she realize that this is her
great opportunity?
Is she one of the few guided by a
deep insight into the possible future
OF her little ones, AS well as by the
material instinct which she shares
with all created mother life? Or, Is
she one of the many. who, guided by
this instinct only, or mainly, enfolds
them with her loving protecting care
during the period of helpless infancy
and until in the course of nature they
fly from the nest and venture out into
the world to repeat the process as the
generations before them have done.
If the latter case be hers, then can
we not enlighten her; can we not
help her to realize that she is an art
ist and these little ones out plastic
clay in her hands. Can we not bring
her to all understanding of her mis-
sion and inspire her to fulfill it.
Are we over estimating the respon-
sibility we are putting upon her
Let each one consider well before they
say "we are." IF, however, we are
thoroughly awakened as TO what her
work really is and how much il means,
then instinctively we perceive that
the earliest beginnings of effective
kindergarten work are in the training
room, and we are led to follow our
kindergarten that we may discover
what it has to offer in the way of pre-
paration for her work with her little
flock. We feel that her everyday con-
tact with the little ones arouses in her
the maternal instinct first. True
mother she must be to them in her
protecting love anu care; but III the
training class must be awakened and
developed that keener insight by
which she may discover aud iearn to
use in especial way for tue benefit of
humanity, those higher powers of
hers which raise her above the level of
the brute. She should not be long
here before she comes tD realize that
in order to be succe>s she must bring
10 her work whOle-SOuied cOnsecra-
ton such as led our veteran pioueers
into the missionary fields and made
the difficulties and obstacles that
attended their early work as chaff
before the wind, because of the inspir-
=
their lives. AS her Interest deepens,
this spirit will surely grow Within her
and her Influence will be greatly
strengthened and multiplied as she
gives out TO the children what has
come to her in her own earnest effort
of preparation for her work with
them.
The vital question for US today is:
Can we do all this for the Hawaiian
girls? Are they able to receive it in
any measure? Has our very. limited
experience in training work with
them given Us any encouragement 20
hope that we may, aud that they can?
We believe that it has.
The Training School for Kinder
gartners in Honolulu began in the
fall of 1894. The class was composed
of the young women who were al
ready in charge of the departments
previously started, and a nun Der who
acted as their assistants; also Two or
three others who were not connected
with our free kindergarten work. Of
the young women who were our as
sistants, seven were of foreign birth,
two were Hawaiians.
At the end of the course, sixteen
months later, our two Hawaiian girls
were still with US and in the class,
but only one of the foreigners, six
having dropped out during the year
for various reasons. In looking back
over the years work and its results
we have reached the conviction that
for assistants in our kindergartens
our main dependence must be Hawsi
ian girls. Also that its effect upon
the character of these girls has been
most encouraging and a new hope for
Hawaii has sprung up in our hearts,
as we consider the possibilities tbat
are q it for them.
|/They have proved faithful and un-
tiring assistants. They have showed
a capacity for development in their
changed attitude toward the little
Cnes. They have evinced an iUtelli-
gent and appreciative Interest in them
and have learned to love not only
those of their own nationality, Dut
whichever happened To be under
their charge, extending this inter
est also outside of school hours
to the little ones in their neigh
borhood whom they have voluntarily |
taken under their protecting care to !
and from The kindergartens each day. |
We have reason to believe from tue |
testimony OF those who have had |
opportunity to observ., that Lhe tam |
ing in this special line Of work has |
already produced saiutary results in |
the. characters of these girls aud that
with increased opportunity aud effor;
greater results still will inevitably
follow.
If we have found so much cause for
encouragementint in the work already ac
com plished in the training class, let us