The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-03-15
SECTARIAN SCHOOLS.

No less than three amendments to
the Constitution have been brought
into the House of Representatives.
There has never been any chance that
they would pass, but they have serv-
ed as a peg to air certain opinions up
on, and in plain words to talk to the
gallery.
On broad lines it is never well to tin
ker with the fundamental law. Unless
there is very good cause, called forth
by strong protest from the people, the
fundamental law should be let alone.
In the position these Island now stand
it is sheer folly to attempt to change
the fundamental law. The majority
both of the Senate and of the House
are convinced of this, and yet men,
bers out of a mistaken courtesy lend
their signatures to the bringing in of
amendments which they will vote
against.
Of the three amendments which
have been before the House, two have
been disposed of alreadv, and the
third, having been partially debated
on Saturday, is set for final debate
next Thursday. The debates have
wasted lot of valuable time. which is
absolute loss, because there has never
been the slightest idea in the minds
of their introducers that they would
pass. and therefore nothing was to be
gained by debate.
Yesterday, Representative Achi's
amendment to do away with Article 81
was quietly laid to rest. The Article
reads as follows:
"ARTICLE 97.-NO PUBLIC AID TO
SECTARIAN OR PRIVATE
SCHOOLS.
From and after December thirty
first, 1895, no public money shall be
appropriated nor public land convey
ed to or for the support or benefit OF
any sectarian. denominational or pri-
vate school, or any school not under
the exclusive control of the Govern
ment."
This has been regarded by men of
thought and of experience as one of
the best in the Constitution. 1t pre-
vents any government from granting
assistance to any denominational
school and secularizes education. This
is the trend of all modern systems of
education. So thoroughly is it recog-
nized that it needs no argument to
prove its truth.
The private and sectarian schools
without Government aid have done
very well. There is no elimination in
the number attending them. Out of a
school population of 1882, as report
ed by the Minister of Education, 3,3ji
pupils are attending these schools.
Many of the schools are very large:
st. Louis College has $40 pupils, the
Sisters of the Sacred Heart 361, st,
Andrews Priory 149, German school
at Lihue 1903, st. Mary's Hilo, 40; st.
Anthony's, Wailulu, 295; Kawaiahao
Seminary "a, and so on.
Besides the broad principle tnat
State education should be strictly Sec
ular. the granting of aid to sectarian
schools leads to much favoiiteism. aud
can even be used to buy votes. That
such use has been made of it in The
past is well known to those familiar
with the politics of the last twenty
years, and the opportunity would oc-
cur again.
As a fact. when we look at the seq
tartan schools, we find them really in
a more fourishing condition now than
when they had State aid. They are as
well equipped, they employ far more
teachers than they did four years ago,
and there is not the pickering over
this school having had a larger grant
than that one. None get any grant, all
are satisfied, and there is not the
slightest chance of the misuse of the
public funds.