The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-02-10


to be no small significance in the i'm
mense increase of Chinese and Japan
csc pupils in our schools. Some may
deplore this part of the exhibit but
they who do must be of narrow mind
While il does not imply insensate race
prejudice 10 regard with serious appre-
hension the continued large influx OF
Asiatics. yet while we know that a
large proportion of those now here
will stay with US, it is against sound
policy to oppose anything that will
raise the grade of their intelligence
The more near an Asiatic is brought to
Western ways the less dangerous a
competitor will he be in labor or bust
ness Civilization breeds wants, and
wants make the cheap man dear. Any
way. the remarkably growing thirst of
Asiatics here for an English education
speaks volumes for the potency of Ha-
waiian civiliZing influences. The fact
that our educational system is broad
enough to accommodate all corners is
some glory in itself for this little coun-
try. 1t is doubtful if the public schools
Of the United States, even, though
their praise is in all ends of the earth,
are doing more effective work today
than the schools of Hawaii, private as
well as public, in refining out the pure
gold of humanity from the crudest of
raw materials.
The Hawaiian public school system
is essentially American. 1t employs
American text books almost exclusive
", which, OF course, include for the
higher grades the cream of English
classics, the only exceptions being
Hawaiian geography and history. More
than one-third of the teachers in all
schools, public and independent, are
American. 1t is no slight testimony
to the efficiency of the system that
Hawaiian and part Hawaiian teachers
come next in number to American.
They are but a little under One-third
of the total teaching staff. This is
happy result of the policy of training
teachers at home, as these are ac-
quainted from the first with the pc
culiar difficulties of conducting
school of mixed races. Within the
past few years there has been estab-
lished a normal school with prac-
tise school attached, from which
constant supply of scientifically trained
teachers is assured which, it is hoped,
will soon overtake the demand. An
admirable feature of the system is the
virtually permanent tenure of the
teachers office. Teachers are employ
ed during the year. Schools are In
session. even in the remote country
districts. for forty weeks of each year.
Teachers once employed remain in the
force till they resign or are removed
for cause. Removals are rare. With
in a few years past a splendid esprit
de corps has developed among the
teachers. They have formed assocla-
lions in the different islands for mutual
Improvement in the profession, and
hold a national summer school with
the same object each year in Homo
lulu.
By an Act of last Legislature the
school system has been raised in exc
cutive control from the rank of
bureau to that of a department OF the
Government. The Minister OF Foreign
Affairs is also Minister of Education
and the president ex officio of board
of six commissioners, Oh whom three
may be and at present are LADIES'.
Systematic inspection is maintained
through an Inspector General and one
Deputy; the present incumbents nav
ing had long experience in the teach
ing service of the Islands. me Con-
stitution of the Republic of Hawaii
prohibits any aid from the public treas
ury to sectarian schools-another point
of contact with the American school
system. Formerly it was regular
practise of succeeding Legislatures to
pass grants of money to schools under
the control of different religions demo-
limitations. There are several line IN
situations, under both Protestant and
Catholic direction, established IN the
group. Instead of becoming weaker
from the withdrawal of public aid, the
independent schools will be shown IN
the forthcoming report to have an IN
crease of attendance proportlonate to
that of the Government schools. An
other thing to be mentioned, before
closing this review of the educational
system. is that manual training has
been introduced wherever practicable.
On the whole, Hawaii may be proud
of her school system. 1t will be not
the least valuable part of the estate
that she brings into the coming union
with fair Columbia.