The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-09-25
THE SCHOOL AGE.

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that the schools are full and that
we need extra school houses for
the children. This is true, and the
State should make every effort to
supply the need of the growing
generation. and every one should
give the State what assistance it
needs, in order to carry out its
acknowledged obligations to the
young. So far the course is clear
and SO far all men are agreed.
But there are some other con-
siderations which will come up and
which merit examination before we
rush headlong into considerable
expense. That we should go to
expense there is no doubt, but is
there not some means of saving ex-
pense. 1t is we'll to be liberal, it is
not we'll to be lavish.
The law says that children shall
go to school between six and fifteen,
it does not contemplate schooling
either before or after that age, and
the Board Of Education acting under
that law has no authority to extend
the school time of any child in
either direction. That the teachers
under the Board do extend that
time, especially for children over
fifteen is we'll known. 1t is quite
safe to say that of the IA, 600
children going to school in these
Islands fully 1900 are over school
age. and if we deduct 500 attend
ing private institutions, with which
tax payers have nothing TO do, we
have fully I 900 pupils above school
age attending the public schools
and receiving attention which the
law never contemplated that they
should have, and who are occupy
ing the time of the school force.
The figures given are conservative,
one has a very clear notion that
there at least 1000 of these over
age pupils, but it is better to keep
within the mark.
Now if the Board of Education
were to get rid of the over, age pupils
it would make considerable saving
to the State. 1t would be practically
gaining the room of five large
schools, and would save just that
number of school houses, and as a
school house to contain 200 pupils
costs at least So, 900 it would be the
saving of $4,000, or would allow
$4,000 to be spent where, it is
more needed than on the present
locations.
The State is not bound to educate
indefinitely. 1t says between the
ages of six and fifteen / will force
you to go TO school, after that age,
if you want education you must
hustle for it yourself At all events
If l give you tree education after
that it cannot be in the common
schools"
To keep a lot of pupils over
school age in the common schools
IS an injustice to the younger
generation. The pupils who have
been in the school till they are ff-
teen are trained material and the
teacher is naturally anxious to make
a show. 1t is but human nature
that the teacher should devote extra
pains upon classes which he or she
enormously imagines will do credit
to the instructor, and thus the pupil
over fifteen absorbs time which
should be devoted to what is far
more important, the development
of the budding minds Of six.
Fifteen years of age is quite time
for most young men and young
women to turn to work. If they
have to work they had better begin
to hustle in the general skurry Of
life and learn what is practical and
not theoretical If they are going
to become professional people
they need further education, but
the common school is not the place
for them to obtain that The duty
of the common school is done whe n
the child reaches the limit of the
school age. and after that if the
pupil remains at school it has a
tendency to breed loafers. 1t Is over