The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-04-27
KINDERGARTEN
Mrs. McCully-Higgins De.
Scribes Work Here.
Tells Eastern People of What is
Being Done for Our
Children.

Edition" published by the Bangor
Me) Commercial, on February %, 81,
will be read with interest by friends
OF the kindergarten in Hawaii:
\ five-pointed star is the symbol Of
the kindergartens of Honolulu, each
point representing school of diff
ferent nationality, tho all are taught
in the English language.
| have never seen kindergartens ex-
cept these in Honolulu and one attach
ed to the Peeresses' School in Japan.
The little bird songs, and motion songs
and other exercises were alike in these,
and / have supposed from this fact tnat
the kindergarten exercises were the
same as those in America, and prob
ably the world over, wherever there
are kindergartens.
/ shall therefore speak of what makes
from those of Bangor, and that is the
children
On one of the finest streets in the
town, in a grove of algeroba trees is
the building devoted to the foreign
white children of the place.
The building is of wood, low with
projecting caves, and of very pictur-
esque architecture. 1t is painted a dull
Indian red, with dark olive trimmings.
The end toward the street is cut by
one large window of a single pane of
plate glass, behind which are potted
30, Y,Ia rr1n Of Il
fish. The door is set in one corner of
the building, an angle of which has
been cut off to make room for it. The
large square veranda or lanai, at one
side of the building, is built round an
algerOba tree and has handsome arch
ed front of lattice work. Over the large
plate glass window is painted in suit
able honor TO our mother tongue,
Child Garden" Within this attractive
house are all the finest accessories of
the we'll fitted kindergarten. The deli
cately painted walls are bright with
pictures and otherwise prettily and
tastefully adorned. Here come the mt
tie aristocrats of the place the babies
in dainty white. the children brought
in carriages. the darlings of profess.
sional men and rich merchants. Here
careful mothers can safely leave the
little ones for happy morning under
the loving, sympathetic care of quail
fled teacher and her assistant. Except
for it's picturesque surroundings, this
school would not differ greatly from
the same kind of a school in America
The next school is in far less pre-
tentious building but the open doors
and windows frame natural pictures
finer than man ever bankruptcies
of the blue tropical sky, with the huge
white trade-wind clouds resting softly
against il. and the swaying branches
of light green algeroba trees in the gay
sunshine, and glimpses of the near sea
seen through vistas of cocoanut trees.
The building is quite implanted within,
but clean. and answers every purpose
for which a house is needed in that
friendly climate-a shade from the sun
and a protection from the rain. This
is the Portuguese kindergarten, and is
free. and here gather the little MarieS,
and Carolines. and JoseS. and Manuels.
bIack-haired. black-eyed and brown of
skin. but quick and bright. These lit
tie foreigners are fast becoming Am
ericaniZed in these schools, for here as
elsewhere the Anglo-SaXon dominates
and converts. The children are mostly
barefoot. both boys and girls, and
many of the girls have adopted the
holoku of the Hawaiians.
The marching and singing are done
with good intention so far as knOwl-
edge goes. but with the unconscious
grace or awkwardness of the natural
child The majority of these children
are from homes so poor that the hours
spent here are the happiest they know,
and we bless the kindergarten for the
brightness il brings into their lives. |
The school is under the care of a Pro- !
testant Portuguese young lady, born !
and educated in America, with an as |
German-American, born and !
trained in Honolulu.
The next school. by far the most pic !
turesque of them all. is the Chinese, !
under the care and instruction of two |
Young American women.
The Oriental child is a serious being. !
On this examination morning these !
sober faced babies are out in all the !
sUlendor at the command of their fond |
mothers. and the cOlOTs in the apparel |
Of each child are gay. if not always !
in chromatic harmony. Around the !
'oreheads of some of the little maid |
Ems better dressed than the others is a |
fIIet OF bead work or spangles, with |
'ringes over the temples. The glossy !
black hair. sometimes smoothly parted |
N the middle, hangs in one braid be-
hind. ending with a red silken string |
braided in with the hair and hanging
10 the knees On the slender wrist is
Jade bracelet. and on the bare ankle
silver anklet. The loose. large-sleeve
jackets are usually of silk of some odd
shade of green. or blue. or purple, or
Yellow. and the long. loose trousers
ire of the same material. but never OF
he same color. Some of the children
ire barefoot. some wear Chinese shoes
md some shoes of a foreign pattern.
70 a stranger who has seen little of
he Chinese the difference between the
,oys and girls is very slight. and they
distinguish them only by the shaver
reads of the boys and the long ear
ewels of the girls. The girls are quiet
md gentle: the boys aTe-bOys, and
hey wriggle and twist and turn with
II the reStIeSSneSS of healthy children. |