The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-03-31


nese, "the whole of the rising genera
ton of Hawaiians and Portuguese
speak, read and write English fluent
ly." 1t is this latter statement that
surprises Professor Bryce, and it is
not to be wondered at, but it is true
nevertheless, and it is proposed to show
why
English was taught to Hawaiians in
especial public schools in the early six
ties, but small fee of IS a year was
| charged, and those who could not af-
ford to pay this attended schools taught
in Hawaiian In 1883 English schools
were made free and have remained so
since. In 1870 there were 6,274 chill
dren being instructed i'm Hawaiian. In
1880 there were 4,O7S attending such
schools, and in 1890 there were only 76S
in such schools, and in the last report,
that of 1897, there were but 26. There
is no report issued for 1885, though
there ought to have been one ready on
the last Wednesday of February of this
year. The probability is that the sin
gle school has ceased to exist.
What does this show? 1t must be
! evident that for the last fifteen years
or so the Hawaiians have been taught
practically entirely in English. AS
children enter school at six years of
age, it is very plain that almost every
Hawaiian of twenty-one years and un-
der must be able to speak English.
Whatever instruction he may have had
has been given in that language.
The Portuguese came to the coun-
try in the late seventies. They first
appear in the school statistics in 1880.
They have always attended English
schools. In 1897 there were 3,S15 at
tending school and today the number
must be in excess of 1000. AS Portu-
guese children also commence school
at six, and they have been attending
school since 1880, it is evident that all
Portuguese under twenty-five years of
age have been instructed in English,
and as a fact use it as their parents
did their mother tongue. And it is
fact which any one can notice on the
streets or in the tramcars, that the
themselves in English and only use Por-
tuguese when talking to the older peo-
pie. AS for the children they play"
in English, and English is the CONF
mon ground upon which Hawaiian anu
Portuguese children meet in their
games. Moreover it is no pigeon Eng
fish that they speak, but the ordinary
vernacular.
According to the census of 1896, there
were 1871 Portuguese on the Islands
OF these S,232 were foreign born and
$3.50 were Hawaiian born, both pa
rents being Portuguese. The whole of
these latter are English speaking, and
large percentage of the S,232 are
English speaking. 1t may safely be
said that 25 per cent speak well, 25 per
cent only fairly well and so per cent
poorly or not at all. The Portuguese
in the latter category are ever decreas-
ing, while those in the former cate
| CORY are ever increasing.
1t is the power of the school that has
Anglicized the speech of the people,
For years that was the main effort of
the schools. Those who guided them
worked to that end, and they succeed
ed in their work. Many did not un-
derstand the object, and derided what
! was being done, but it was that work
| which made the education of today
| possible, and it is that work which
makes self government under Ameri-
can institutions possible. The work
amounted to a revolution. Owing to
the smallness of the numbers dealt
with the results have come more quick
! ly than anyone could hope. The com
pulsory school law was an important
! factor Like all things that succeed
| the means by which they succeed are
forgotten. But there they are, and a
study of the figures shows that they
must be there. The Hawaiian Islands
are ready to enter upon their politi-
cal heritage because they have been
properly prepared.
If Porto Rico and the Philippines are
! to be prepared for the same political
heritage, the same painstaking work
in the schools under a compulsory law
welded by firm hand must be adopt
! ed. What has been done in Hawaii,
/ can be done there. What surprises Pro-
| lessor Bryce is but the working of n
| system earnestly carried out It's eff
! fects are unerring.