The Hawaiian gazette., 1897-12-21
FOR new METHOD
Inspector Townsend Pro.
poses Valuable Reform.
Defects in Local Systems of Lar
guage Teaching Correspond
ence With Famous Instructor.

@--ON All 6ASASu mas Deen one OF
the educational problems here from the
earliest days of the first schools. The
initial plans were almost entirely in
noeent of system, were slow and lab
orious. Marked advance has been
made. but with all that has been tried
and all that has been accomplished it
is admitted readily by those in the
work that no wholly satisfactory
scheme has yet been evolved. In the
first place those developing the science
of teaching have had their attention
fixed on matters other than the teach
ing of language in which the same
pupils are afterwards to be taught
The situation here presents an isolated
case. There are peculiar, unique con-
ditions, without exact parallel. There
has been no settled policy, no especial
approved procedure.
Inspector General Townsend, very
soon after his appointment TO office
set about searching for men and works
TO assist in carrying out long-cherished
ideas on the subject of system for the
transmission of English to the varied
nationalities in the Government schools
here. To an educator, or to one who
has given the matter any attention it
will be patent at once that the task
was one to almost appall an individual
of even medium determination. Mr..
Townsend has said that it would con-
tribute largely TO his measure of
satisfaction with his career in
his position if his administration
could be marked by an effective, work
ing innovation in this field. He has
been corresponding on the subject for
some time with Victor Belts, than
whom no man ranks higher today as
an instructor in languages.
Victor Belts is a French scholar who
in recent years has spent much time in
London and in the United States. He
is now al his home in the French capt.
tai His travels have all been special
missions for particular work in his
line. NJ. Belts first came into promi-
hence as a master of the art of Ian
guage instruction in the family of Mr.
Stead, editor of the Review of Reviews
This was a test and the affair was
most carefully prearanged. NJ. Belts
undertook by his system to graduate
three children into conversational
French in six months. The hours pei
day were limited to less than the or
binary school periods and the regular
vacations arriving during the trial
were taken. Mr.. Stead and several
other gentlemen, as well as a number
OF ladies were selected as judges. NJ
Metis did better than he had prom
ised. At the end of the six months
the children were submitted 10 a semi
public examination by an extensive
commission of experts including Eng,
fish. American and French represen
tatives. One other trial was made or
the ground that it was likely the child
rem of Mr.. Stead were brighter or more
clever than the ordinary run of young
sters. Several pupils were picked a
random from families that might nat
urally be supposed to eventually have
the junior members instituted in som,
language. Such was the confidence il
this second effort, which was fully al
successful as the first, that dur
ing its progress NJ. Belts wa
conducting a large class of teacher
who wished to use the new method
Such inducements were offered tn,
Frenchman that he travelled to New
York and Boston and taught his sys
TEN of teaching to teachers until hi
was forced by falling health to taxi
an extended vacation.
So enthusiastic is Mr.. Townsend owe
the Belts plan that every effort viii
be made to have it given trial fol
the schools of Hawaii Mr.. TOWNSEND
says he will be pleased if the method
viii accomplish here in two year:
what it has elsewhere done il
six months. The idea of local ap
plication is of course to equiv
the teachers who often from term tt
term and day to day face scholars tina
know not a single word or sentence o.
English. English is of course the Ian
guage of the schools. The teachers herr
do the best they can and the results
are often to be highly commended
The difficulties they wrest with arr
heavy and discouraging and as indi
Gated there has been no uniformity il
the tremendous task of imbedding the
English. Mr.. Townsend has one quite
encouraging letter from NJ. Belts il
regard to adaptation of the psycholo
gical method of language teaching fol
the Normal and Summer schools o.
this country and there will be further
negotiations. NJ. Belts expresses him
self as delighted with what seems tt
be an opportunity to extend his worl
to this distant field. If anything like
the success that seems to be promised
can be achieved the new step will b
almost a revolution in educationa
work in the Islands.
Tapanese Missions.