The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-07-08

condition and needs of Hawaiian chill
dren, as found in my experience among
them as teacher.
There are many, more experienced
teachers, who could state the con-
ditions much better, and we hope 10
hear from some of them
1 fear we are trying to fill the chill
dren's heads, but sadly neglecting their
stomachs. l am a firm believer in the
old saying, THE way to reach mans
heart is through his stomach We all
know it is hard to reason with or in
struct hungry man. If this is the
case with men, it is certainly applicable
to children. Many of the children walk
a long distance to school, have no
breakfast, take no lunch, walk home
through great neat, and then eat
enough poi and fish to do them until the
next evening. 1t is surprising that they
live, and we should not be surprised to
find many poorly prepared lessons. Still
we are expected to bring them up to the
required notch in each branch; and it is
far from a feeling of pleasure when we
find we have failed to do So Some peo-
pie say: ''Oh, they are used to it, and
do not need more to eat" Perhaps they
can exist, but it is very unreasonable to
say that such children can do as much
work as children who have proper food.
do not believe there is a teacher on
the Islands who would not prefer well
fed pupils to those who have but one
meal day (be it ever SO good. Pupils
should not be taught to work problems
and build sentences only, but to work
with their hands and build up their
bodies properly also. Physical labor
and mental labor should go hand in
hand, but the physical should be little
ahead. For what mind can labor prop
erly unless assisted by healthy body?
Children should be taught that which
will be Of value to them after their
school days are over; but 1 fear many
Hawaiian children never find occasion
to use the knowledge they have gained
in the school room. The younger chill
hard to interest them in school work;
for even a child does not often care for
a thing unless he can see that it is of
some value. To be sure, they often es-
innate tie value by the amount of
pleasure to be obtained, and not by real
value; but there are few children who
consider it fun to sit in school room
all day. But if they can be taught
+ inc Of We fn fon
in a way that they can readily see the
value, their interest is awakened.
In many places the children could
earn their food, and be much benefited
in both body and mind There is con-
siderable of this done at present, but
there is room for much more such
work, Many people say that this would
be very hard undertaking, for the Ha-
waiians do not like to work. Perhaps
they do not, but Hawaiians are not the
only people in that condition, and it has
not been necessary for them to do a
great deal of work. Nature has supplied
them with food, and about all they have
had to do was to gather it. But this
can not last much longer. Much of the
land is being taken for plantations, and
the lantana is taking possession of a |
great deal; so if the Hawaiians get even
one good meal day they must soon
win it by either mental or manual
labor. This is not really a misfortune, /
but the children must be educated to
the new state of affairs. Such an edu |
cation can not be gained in the school |
room alone. If each school could have |
a small tract of land to cultivate, it is |
my opinion that more real benefit could !
be derived from one years work than !
from two years of school room work
alone. Perhaps the teachers would |
have a little more work to do, but some |
of us teachers would be benefited by |
more work in the open air, even if we
should soil our hands and lose the GU |
ticIe of our noses once in a while. After |
a while lunas could be appointed from |
the most competent pupils. There is no
teacher better than Nature, and in no
way could she be used to greater ad- |
vantage. Natures pupils are taught to |
be independent, not dependent. If /
children are once taught to make their
own living they are not liable to call /
upon other people for support. But if
they are not taught this, they do not |
have the proper pride and self-reliance.
All plants must have proper food or
they will be dwarfed. Will not the same
rule apply to children? II such Is the
case, ali children will be taught TO
know the proper food for both body
and mind. And not only what it is, but
how to obtain it, and how to use ii
In this way the children are
taught actual business, honesty, indie
pendence and the value of labor
Of course, all this can not be worked
put in a few days, but these are some of
our teachers ideas as to the present
conditions and needs.
IrNTNInN-