The Hawaiian gazette., 1897-07-30
Last Day of Hawaiian
Summer School.
Closing Addresses by Professor
Brown and Inspector Gem
sral Townsend.

present. anu lAtN llSicucu WIN Close
attention 10 the closing addresses OF
Professor Brown and Inspector-Gen-
eral Townsend.
In his final remarks, DIR. Brown
spoke Of the Importance of school work
in Hawaii. There is no fear of the
teachers Oyerestimating this import
ance, but they might overestimate the
difficulties. Sometimes teachers stretch
up TO a sense of the real Importance OF
the work. and after a time fall back
into the old Carelessness. The teacher
who would be successful must not only
stretch up. but line up to the import
ance. The prophet Nehemiah, being
about to rebuild the walls OF Jerusa~
lem, was opposed by Sanballat. Being
invited TO attend a conference on the
matter. Nehemiah replied:
Il am doing great work, so that
cannot come down. Why should the
work cease whilst / leave it and come
down 10 your" The teacher who tries
10 live up TO the fine art of teaching
Will meet temptation TO desist. He
should send back the answer OF Nehe-
miah. Oliver Wendell Holmes says:
Hitch your wagon TO a star" This
should be the teachers motto. He
should not be satisfied with low aims.
DR. Brown regretted that he had not
been able 10 pay more attention to the
scientific side of teaching This is a
subject full of interest. The teacher
needs all that science can give. The
teachers in Hawaii have an opportun>
ity OF setting a high standard of teach
ing. They should insist upon a high
standard Of moral purpose, and high
standard OF skill in the schools. A de-
mand for the fine art of teaching
should be made. When a school
becomes accustomed to a high class
of teaching it viii not be satisfied with
a poor class. Let the Summer Scnool
emphasize this fact, and il will then
justify its existence. But what is fine
teaching We know many people
whom We like, but in whose presence
We can think our lower thoughts; these
are not our teachers in the best sense
of the word. We know others in whose
presence We cannot think our lower
thoughts: these should be our teachers
Every community should cherish the
persons in whose presence the people
think their nOblest thoughts. A teach
er in whose presence the pupils think
their noblest thoughts is the ideal
teacher If the Summer School has
been the means Of forming one such
teacher, its work has not been in vain.
The Inspector General followed
with remarks, summing up what he
regarded as some OF the most import
ant lessons Of the session. Thanks
were due" he said, Ito those who had
given their time and energy to the
work of teaching. The Summer School
must not be looked upon as an end,
but as a means This is a movement
in favor Of better teaching in the
school room. and its success can only
be judged by the work We do next
year We have all received instruction
which viii prove useful to US. We may
not realize this now and We may never
realize IL Thoughts will be coming to
US during the coming years, and we
may not be able to trace their origin,
but they may have had their origin in
this session, now at an end. We shall
go forth with enthusiasm, perhaps,
more valuable than any of these les
sons learned. Wherever earnest, en-
thusiastic teachers meet, their enthusi-
asm increases. This is not the least
gain from the Summer School. Let us
go forth with an increased apprecia-
ton OF the dignity of our work.
mo other class Of workers in this
land is doing more for the future of the
people. No other individual does more
TO elevate the grade of civilization and
make life really worth living in the
land than the conscientious, earnest
teacher. Let US go forth with the feel
ing Of fellowship. We are working to-
gether in a great cause. Let US stand
by our co-workers in neighboring
schools, and I would have the teach
ers in each school appreciate the unity
OF their work; assistants being loyal
TO their principal, whose is the respon-
sibility for the general plans of their
work; and principals being kindly dis
posed and considerate toward their as
sistants. PestaloZzi said: The first
principles of education are love and
faith and in the sense in which he
used the term, he was right Love and
truth have been the first principles Of
education since the world began, and
they will be so till it ends.
'Pestalozzi, at Stanz, met band Of
children, who were degraded, hard
ened, and made suspicious by the suf-
ferings they had endured. The saddest
sight on earth is that of a hardened,
suspicious child. PestaloZZi was conf
dent, as he has told US that his heart
would change all of this, and it did
change it. II was the love of the teach
er for the children which in time
caused the love of the children for the
teacher to spring forth. / would en-
phasiZe the Importance Of this love OF
the teacher for the child. If you do
not feel this in your hearts, stop and
consider the condition which you are
in For centuries past, it has been Gus
tOmary 10 say that the teacher stands
in the place Of the parent, but in this
country, above all others with which
am familiar, the teacher exerts a great
CT influence upon the future character
Of the child than even the parents.
Consider how much these children
must receive from you.
And the faith of which I speak IS
reciprocal. The only way in which a
teacher can command the faith of his
children is by deserving IL Prove
yourselves worthy Of their faith, and
you viii receive it. But what of your
faith IN the children? I believe that
there is far too little Of this. Seek to