The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-12-05
HORNER'S VIEWS
n ON i Haw allan Schoclboy Proved
Too Much for an Offensive
White Sold err.

The Anglican Church Chronicle con-
tains the following anent the letters OF
John II. Horner touching the education
Of Hawaiian youth. which lately ap-
| peared in the Advertiser:
| The two letters Of Mr.. John NJ. Horn
er were perused carefully by the teach
er and pupils of a city school the pm
pills of which are chiefly Hawaiians,
and the conclusions arrived at, were
that the accusations did not apply as
rule to that school, either at the pres
ent day nor had they ever applied to
it, as the list Of past scholars now &C
lively employed in every possible way
in the Islands could testify
ViatOr. in our opinion, has fully an
swered Mr.. Horner, though we cannot
agree with him, when he says that, "at
present it is idle to say, that education
Of whatever kind can have the same
effect upon the Hawaiian, as upon the
Caucasian or the Monaghan" If that
effect is TO develop the faculties and to
make the man a good and estimable
citizen, then the effect is assuredly the
same. We could point out to the gen
tleman a fair number Of creditable
specimens Of Hawaiians, who have had
quite a quantity of "book-theory," and
who can show thatthey have put much
Of that theory into practice. They can
also prove that drawing and singing,
and even acting, has not hurt them in
any way, but the contrary. They are
earning excellent salaries, as laborers,
some of them more than their teachers
ever hope to earn.
We are afraid that Mr. Horner would
like to see the whole Hawaiian race in
the cane and coffee fields, and fully
satisfied with that labor without ambi-
ton to reach unto other walks in life.
We wish Mr.. Horner could have heard
a dialogue which took place the other
day in a class room between an Ameri-
can soldier and a pure Hawaiian boy.
The soldier with some companions
work and came to the door to look in.
Being invited to enter, they did 50
and sat down while the lesson proceed
ed. 1t was some bOok-theory which
was plainly Greek to the visitors. do
you teach these niggers them things?'
was asked. Before any reply could be
returned a young Hawaiian stood up
with his hand extended and asked the
teacher if he might speak to the gen
tleman. When permission was given
without any appearance Of forWardness
niggers? [ suppose you mean negroes.
We have not black skins, neither are
we the sons of Ham. We are the des
cendants of Shem, you are the des-
cendants of Japheth, and have just
cCme to live in our tents. Besides sir, |
we are taught to say these or those |
things, not them things" Does Mr.. |
Homer blame the teacher or scholar |
for the "book-theory' in this case?
The tendency of the Caucasian to |
look down upon the colored race leads |
some otherwise thoughtful and benev-
Olent persons to put wrong cOnstruc- |
tons on the methods Of education. If |
Mr.. Horner for instance were teach
ar, or if he would take the trouble to
spend an hour or two in a class room,
where the teacher is at work develop
ng the mind, and quickening the soul
If the young Hawaiian, he would find
little difference in the material worked
Up, from any he had seen or known Of
lis own race.