The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-08-02
Col. and Mrs. Parker End Their
Work at Sumner School.
INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTE PLANS
Talk onsDress -Evening Lecture to
the People-Wsre Large
Audience.
(From Saturdays Daily.)

The close OF Col. Parker's lecture
yesterday was marked with consider
able feeling. For three weeks the
Summer School has been in session
and the attendance has been large and
constant. Col. Parker has been a
progressive educator for forty years.
He has devoted his life to this work.
He says that the sweetness OF his life
and the strength Of 1t Is to help the
children. Some of his spirit has emit
cred into the life of the teachers OF
the Summer School. During the three
weeks constant association with them
and exchange of ideas, he has helped
them to see beneath and beyond the
mere technicalities OF educational work
day, and to find there the life Of the
child. He has helped them to find the
soul OF the child. eager for knowledge,
responsive to influences and environ
ment. Yesterday morning a vote of
thanks was enthusiastically given Col.
Parker at the close of his last lecture.
He said that in all his experience he
had never spent more happy three
weeks. He had found the teachers re-
sponsive and sympathetic and their
work gave promise of great advance
ment OF education. He advised the
teachers to meet one another frankly
and discuss their differences. The
prospects are, he said, that the Island
teachers can work out the problem
for the whole United States.
The discussion was principally on
the work for the Industrial Institute.
Col. Parker said that his doctrine Is
that educators must get at the people
There has been long distance be-
tween home and school; education has
been left to the teachers and it has
been difficult to arouse the interest of
the parents. That interest is now
with the school and the parents are
ready to cooperate with the teachers
If they become convinced that the
teachers are in earnest and are ac-
tuated by desire to help the child.
A general discussion followed for
half an hour and some excellent ideas
were brought out. The subject of cor
poral punishment come up. Col.
Parker said that he did not dsapprove
OF corporal punishment in extreme
cases, yet he was frank to say that he
had never known an instance where
corporal punishment had been inflicted
that some other form OF treatment
would not have been better IL the
teacher had thoroughly studied the
child. his nature and characteristics,
and had treated him in accordance
with his nature.
The Islands, he said, are uniquely
situated. They are the netting place
of the Oriental and the Occidental for
a new step in civilization and Chris
tianity. The highest art OF the teach
er is to help the weakest. The school
is not for the acquiring of knowledge
only, nor for learning, but for helping
children to be strong.
Col. Parker advised the teachers in
the country districts to interest the
managers OF plantations in their work.
III the teachers can create in them u
belief that they are doing great
work, the people, the managers, will
be ready and willing to help to as
sist them and to provide means and
facilities for carrying on school work.
If they create this feeling, and do help
the children, and cooperate with one
another, they will have a more power
full influence than all the industries in
the Islands combined.
Mrs. Parker talked on Dress. She had
large audience OF interested women.
She was well applauded at the close.
She appealed to mothers for the sake
OF their children and for the genera
tons to come. She appealed to every
woman on the side OF health and
strength and comfort. OF grace of
movement and ease OF body. She said
that dress Is part OF religion.
The Creator gave every human being
vital organs and nerves and muscles,
every one OF which is intended for
some useful part. Yet, she said, to
conform to fashion women bind them
selves In with steel and stays, their
side and lung muscles grow weak and
useless, and disease and frailty are In
vited. She urged the abolition of
high heels on shoes. They throw the
body forward out OF balance, weaken
the chest and depress the lungs.
The civilized races, she said, races
which teach religion and obedience
of the laws OF the Creator, are the only
ones which defrom their vital organs.
The Chinese deform the feet of their
girls, the SAVAGE tribes OF the South
Pacific bore great holes in their ears
and hang from them heavy weights
of bone and wood, the Indians tattoo
their skin, some savages pierce their
noses for wearing rings, others pierce
their lips. but the women OF socalled
Christian nations wear high heeled
shoes and deform their bodies and
weaken their vital organs with corsets.
She spoke favorably of the bicycle
skirt The plea of immodesty, she
said, cannot be raised against the
short skirt for custom allows the low
dinner gown.
1t is custom, Mrs. Parker said, has
made MS what we are. and conform
ity TO custom has ruined many 4 wo-
mans health and laid the foundation
OF disease in her children.
Progress hall was jsmmed with peo-
pie last night to hear the farewell lee
ture OF Colonel Francis w. Parker