The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-03-23
HAWAIIAN GIRLS
History Of Mission Schools in
Hawaiian Islands.
WORK OF FAITHFUL TEACHERS
Women Once Downtrod.
den and Oppressed.
Motive Should be to Teach Pupils
to Live Near God-Opportunity
Will Come.

The following paper on the subject
of Mission Schools for Girls in these
Islands were prepared by Mrs. S. E
Bishop for the Woman's Board of Mis-
sions. 1t proved so interesting and
contained so many valuable suggestions
that it was recently read by request al
a meeting of the Cousins Society
In taking up this subject, | propose
! to speak first of the earliest work for
| Hawaiian women. When the mission
aries arrived here, they found the
women a down-trodden and oppressed
class. They had just thrown off some
of the tabus of the women, such as
that women could not eat with men
and many articles of food were for
hidden them, as bananas and certain
kinds of fish," We find the ladies of
the mission early making efforts to
aid these women.
At an early day, general schools were
eSta bliShed where the ladies made
time to take an active part; here the
women were taught to read, use the
needle. etc. Special religious meetings
were held with them every week on
Frlday-known as Poaiima Mrs. II.
ahao on the roll call of which at one
time were fifteen hundred names. They
came to her for prayer. advice and ex-
hortation. Mother Rice often brings
us now a report of the JUNCTION found
at the Friday meeting still held by the
women at the Kawaiahao church.
Such meetings were established at all
the other mission stations. Here the
lady was as a mother, with the eager
daughters gathered around her Prayer
conference drew them into close con-
tact and the earnest words of loving
thoughts were carried to their homes,
some of them to bring forth fruit in
due season. These might be called
Normal Schools of the highest order.
Until 1882 schools had been confined
to adults and thousands were learning
to read and write. About this time
the lady missionaries made an effort
for the native children, but they were
about as hard to catch as wild goats,
but singing, pictures and stories at
tracted them. Native men and women
who had been taught, came in to
teach the little folks to read and a
little about geography. etc. Repeating
hymns and portions of scripture form
ed part of the lessons.
Boarding schools for boys were
opened in 1881 and 1886 at Lahainaluna |
and Hilo The first boarding school for
girls We're opened July 9Th, 1897, at
Wailuku by Rev. J. S. Green with six |
girls. Three months later Mrs. Maria |
Ogden went to assist in the school. |
The next year there was an average |
Of 80 pupils. In 1899 Mrs. DR.. Judd |
visited the school and says: ''This |
&c %ho Of &c
a pleasant sight TO watch the little |
girls spreading the table, eating with |
plates, knives and forks and spoons; |
all neatly dressed. learning to sew, |
Knit and do house work" This school |
was a great blessing to Hawaiian |
girls. It's influence is still felt. In 1860 |
when at Lahaina / had a small board |
ng school for girls under seven years |
Did, the children whose mothers had |
1een at WailYAu came with neater out
it. StockingNand clothing marked in
cross-stitch, etc. In 1841 Rev. Mr.. |
Green left, and the place WITS taken by |
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Bailey, who |
continued to carry on the work, as
sisted by Miss Ogden for eight years. |
For various reasons the school was |
iisbanded in 1S4S. Other small board |
ng schools had been in operation in |
)ther places, as that or Mrs. COan at /
Hilo in 1897. Mrs. Lyons at Waimea |
and others.
In 1859 Miss Ogden opened a family |
school at Makiki, Honolulu, which was |
we'll attended and continued until Miss |
)gden's failing health compelled her to |
give it up in 1868. During the cos |
much interest was awakened on the |
subject of girls boarding schools, and |
several private enterprises were start
I'd. In 1850 and 1861 I had a small |
amily school of thirteen girls all |
lnder seven years of age. l have felt |
great interest in following the after
ife of these girls. Some Of them made
,ur hearts ache because in older years
hey fell into ways of sin. One very
promising girl became victim to lep
'osy and died in Oregon where her
ather had moved with his family