The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-11

of convictions are for gambling aud opium
smoking among the Chinese, and the SEN
amusing story was told of a lady living in
Hilo, on the Island of Hawaii Her cook a
Chinaman, had been arrested and sentenced
TO serve out his fine in jail AS he was very
Industrious the jailer obIigingly let him
serve out his time at night, locking him up
in The evening and letting him out in the
surprisingly late and the head of the house
apologized, explaining that his Taller had
forgotten to release the prisoner until !! 5
the Hawaiian islands is far below that OF
any but the most enlightened and law-abid-
Ing localities in the United States.
THE LEPROSY BUGABOO.
AS to Ieprosy, it is now known that it is
not contagious. Some time ago a sensa-
tional article appeared In the Cosmopolitan
Magazine. entitled, 'Shall We Annex I.ep-
rosy?" 1t was not only a mass of false
hoods, but they were falsehoods written
probably with malicious intent. 1t was
stated that there was an unceasing dread
of the disease on the part Of the white in
habitants, and that the teachers in native
schools always took the precaution of wear
ing gloves to protect them from possible
contagion. The real truth is that no one
thinks of leproSy at all, and 1t is no more
feared than is scrofula in the United States,
and no one who has visited the native
schools has ever seen a teacher wearing
gloves in the schoolroom. The disease SO
rarely attacks the white inha btants. and
never those who lead temperate and decent
lives, that not more than half dozen
Americans and Europeans have contracted
It. There has never been a case among the
descendants of the old missionaries. nor any
other white residents of the better class
There is colony of Roman Catholic nuns
who live in Molokai and minister TO the
needs of the lepers, but they have no fear
whatever of contagion, and the same is true
of officials who come directly in contact
" disease
gregated for twenty years. The islands are
divided into sanitary districts and patrolled
by special police; when cases are appre-
hended they are taken into custody, sent to
the receiving hospital. and thence to Molo-
kai Then all is done that can be done FOR
their comfort and they are clothed. fed
and housed, and given the best medical at
tendance as long as they live, but they are
never allowed to return to their former
homes. The disease is not even known to
be hereditary, the children of lepers ire
quently escaping the disease altogether. In
stead of suppressing all. knowledge OF lep-
rosy the government has done all In us
power, not only to control and check it, and
with success. but to invite investigation,
with view TO eXterminaunS 1t entirely.
h EDUCATIONAL.
From very early date with the advent
of the congregated missionaries in 1920 more
than seventy-five years ago-there had been
good schools at first, the children of the
natives were kept separate. but finally both
whites ard Hawaiians were educated to-
gether The Kavaiahao school for girls, the
Kamehameha school for boys and the
Kamehameha school for girls are the chief
exception, the former having been founded
by Queen Emma for the training of native
girls, and the latter endowed by Mrs. Ber-
nice Panahi Bishop, chiefess of high rank,
who married an American, for the educa-
ti0n of both native boys and girls. The
boys school is a manual training school
with fine modern buildings of brick and
stone, in which the beautiful native woods
have been used. 1t has workshops connected
with 1t, which have been supplied with
lathes and FORCES and all the modern appli-
ances for work in wood and metal. There
is also farm upon wI.-ch practical instruc-
ton is given in agriculture. The girls de-
partment Is equally practical ard well
equipped. The teaching corps in both Is al
most wholly American. During the annexa-
tion controversy much was said by the unin-
formed of annexing an ignorant and alien
population. This was statement that was
always resented by the Hawaiians them
selves almost all of whom can read and
write. the islands having perfect system
of public schools. with an attendance OF
1900. modelled after one in which instruction
IS given in English and in which many of
the teachers have had their training in
American normal schools. 1t will be great
surprise to many, however, to learn that
the children of many of the early settlers
OF California were sent, not to the Eastern
states. but TO Honolulu to be educated at
Oahu College. 1t was founded May q. 1871,
hfty-seven years ago, by Rev. Daniel Dole,
father OF President Dole. 1t was, at first
Intended for children of white residents al
though natives are now admitted. 1t was CO.
educational from very early period if not
from the beginning of its history-ong be-
fore such an innovation had been undertake
en- extensively or populariZed in our own
country. Pupils were received both by the
day, and as residents. the latter being
charged fifty cents per week for their board
IT celebrated Its semi-centennial with inn
pressive ceremonies, In 1917 and. having
been enriched by numerous endowments il
Is now independent The buildings,are large
ana well furnished, Bishop Hall of Science
having been erected in 1854. and PauahisHani
In 1896. The grounds about the college are
very beautiful, set in tropical trees and with
lawns of velvety smoothness which are
perennally green. One of its interesting
features is hedge of night-blooming cereus
fifteen hundred feet in length, which. at the
time of blooming, is solid mass of flowers
Fifty feet of the hedge was PLANTED fftv
years ago and the remainder has been added
in recent years. The president of The college
ts Prof. f. "A. Hosmer, who graduated from
Amherst IN 1875; there are ten members of
the faculty, all of whom are alumni or
alumnae Of American universities.
In addition 10 all these educational fnsfi-
buttons there is normal school q night
sehooi In Honolulu with an attendance OF $50
boys and men over school age: kindergar-
tens that have an enrolment Of $50. ST
Louis college. Catholic school for boys
has an attendance of $50
Inefe IS also parochial school attached
% ne Ensllsh cathedral From all this 1t
VII DC seen that the Hawaiians, native born