The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-07-20
Lectures and Lessons Before the
Teachers.
SPEAKERS AND THEIR SUBJECTS
Col. Parker on SOund-Many Oues-
tions-PrOnunCiatiOn and Gram
mar-EVening Talk.

The lectures Of Col. and Mrs. Parker
in Progress hall yesterday morning
were quite informal They had to deal
with articulation, particularly in
speaking. When the subject of the
| Hawaiian language sounds was reached
a large number of those present ent-
cred the discussion. Questions came
freely, and q number of experts in the
language were asked to explain the
| sounds. Professor NJ. NJ. Scott. c. H.
Dickey, J. F. Scott, Inspector General
Townsend and others took an active
interest in the discussion.
Beginning the discussion Col. Parker
said that every teacher should be skill
full in the mechanism of sound, both in
making them and in determining them.
Sounds should be made easily, without
tension. Taking the letters of the al
phabet, they were given as the row of
expression, sounded and explained.
The class was required to follow the
sounding.
During the lesson the subject of Ha-
waiian sounds and pronunciations
came up. Professor Scott was asked
for the correct pronunciation of the
word ''Hawaii"-the same old ques-
tion of whether it is a ''v'' or "w."
Following that Col. Parker remarked
that the Hawaiian child learned six
teen sounds at school. After that, in
studying English, it was Hgcessary to
learn thirty more.
To teach the sounds the speaker sug-
gested a chart representing them. To
teach or impart sounds correctly it was
necessary to know them. To know
them one must hear them. First, mas
ter the sounds; then become able to
use them easily. Have a little exercise
with the children daily.
The speaker could not sanction the
teaching of words arranged phOnet-
icaIIy as a means of imparting sounds.
Mrs. Parker's subject was Mature
Study in It's Relation to Oral Read
ing" Mechanical reading is one of the
worst of habits. The speaker referred
at some length to the study Of sub
ject by the use of relative subjects and
books of literature bearing thereon.
Speaking of teaching a Hawaiian child
Mrs. Parker said that she would not at
tempt to make one read until he under
stood English, understood the thought
She would wait even ten years first.
A good reader has the power Of con-
centration. The reason so many find
it difficult to study is that they have
disassociated the thought and word.
In expression the thought is intensified.
Every good teacher should be a good
reader.
The speaker had great faith in hu-
man nature. The general inclination
was toward God and good. Men went
to the saloons for the lack of better
places to go.
In answer to a question Mrs. Parker
said there was no comparison in cities
between children who come into the
schools from the kindergarten and
those who had not attended it. The
former were advanced, keen and ready
to go to work; the others were dull
and new.
Col. Parker resumed his talk. He
said English was a grammarless Ian
guage. 1t was a language that shaped
itself through usage and was still do
the usage OF all the messes in school
work the grammar is the worst. For
the first few years of the work leave
grammar alone. He said that when he
comes to Hawaii next October he hopes
to find no technical grammar in the
schools.
Mr. Townsend remarked that tech
nical grammar was not generally used
in the Islands, to which Col. Parker
added: The Lord be praised. We are
thankful for small blessings. That
beats Chicago" A child should not
write unless there is something to
write about, concluded the speaker.
At 1:30 in the afternoon COmmls-
sioner of Agriculture Byron o. Clark
continued the discussion in the High
school building on the subject Of the
propagation Of plants. He had num-
eTOus pots OF various sizes, containing
/ plants. with which he illustrated his
remarks. There was first a word about
the soil in the pots and then planting
! of the seeds. From that point the sub
! ject was followed to setting out ana
| cultivation of the tree.
| While Mr.. Clark dealt directly with