The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-11-25
ON EDUCATION
A Reply to Mr.. John WI
Horner's Article.
Are Hawaiian Children Ovsr-Edu
Gated - Industrial school
Work Suggestions.


vertiser a few days ago, criticize
rather sharply the Hawaiian publ
school system. His structures divid
themselves into two chief heads. viz
That Hawaiians are given too mucl
book theory that may be
and that they are educated awa1
from labor"
No one, doubtless, would assert tina
proach either in matter or in method
That it is in all respects we'll adapted
to our needs may we'll be open to aues.
| ton. The entire subject OF education
is receiving the earnest attention OF
| thinking men the world over. The
press teens with utterances, wise and
otherwise, of men distinguished in va
| rious callings. | do not know, OF
course, the scope of Mr. Horner's read
| ing on this topic, but his article is a
pretty faithful reflection, with local
coloring, Of Mr.. c. P. Huntington's
San Francisco address. | hope I may
be permitted TO agree, in most practi-
cal points, with both these eminent
gentlemen. We cannot quarrel with
those who hold that Cssful education
must enable its possessor to 90 more.
Doth tor himself and Tor others, than
he could do without it. No one will
dissent from the proposition that true
education must impart moral force and
principle as we'll as social and intel
lectual stimulus.
Thus tar | may go, in all humility,
with Mr.. Huntington and Mr.. Homer.
But at this point our paths seem 20
diverge. Here, Mr.. Horner alleges, the
Hawaiian public school system quits
the straight and narrow road of prac-
teal education and pursues the devious
paths of 'DOOk-theory.
NOW, in my dense Ignorance-super-
induced, no doubt, by too much book
theory had supposed that reading,
writing and commercial arltnmetic
might constitute the basis Of any ra
tional system of education. Nay, /
had even dreamed that some definite
knowledge concerning the position,
people and products of the chief ma
lions of the earth would form neces-
Sd par VI 6ouCdJIOu. IL ildU utJ UC-
Cured to me that some systematic in
struction in singing and drawing
would educate young Hawaiians away
from labor"
This is substantially what is required
of the pupils in the public schools.
careful reading of the Course of
Study" issued by the Board of Educa
ton will reveal nothing further in the
Of .shnnly +hnnrxr - Mr. IJ0r-
ner advise that this meager amount of
instruction be reduced? Judging from
the tone of Mr.. Horner's criticism, he
must know of large numbers of Hawaii
an youth who are proficient in Greek;
whose ordinary conversation IS in
Latin. and whose discourse hinges
upon the calculus and the Lamarckian
theory. These and similar subjects
might fairly be alleged to constitute
something of book theory Will Mr.
Horner kindly mention how many Ha
Waiians of his acquaintance have ac-
CURED these branches at the public
schools? When we consider that the
public school curriculum embraces only
the elementary branches of reading,
writing, arithmetic and geography,
with a little history and music when
we remember that very few HaWa;ians
remain in school after Is or 16 years
of age, we can readily see how absurd
is the statement that the HaWaiianS
are over-educated.
Had Mr.. HOrner taken sufficient in
terest in the subject of industrial edu-
cation TO visit the exhibit of hand
work at the Summer School he "ould
hardly have said that the HaWaiians
are being educated away from labor
Exactly the reverse is the case; IN SO
far as the Board of Education can deal
with the question of industrial train
ing at present. Sewing and other
forms of household work for girls; gar
dening. carpentering, etc, for boys;
industry and order for all; these are
taught in the public schools concur
rently with the three Rs.
| shall not dispute the question Of
fact with Mr.. Horner when he says
that ''an educated Hawaiian abhors
physical labor. He want to be Judge,
a lawyer, a policeman. Some profess
sion that does not require physical Ia
Dor seems to be his ideal Quite SO.
As between a judge or lawyer and
day laborer even a haole might have
some choice And the Hawaiians are
not the only aspirants for a position
ION the force
Mr. Horners plaintive protest
against the schools is an at
tempt to ignore the past. Be
hind the Caucasian and the
Monaghan lie countless centuries of
fierce struggle with adversely; centur
les of triumph over difficulties; CEN
turtles of effort which have sharpened
the faculties, strengthened the ener-
gies. and hardened the will. Behind
the Hawaiian lie centuries of easy ex-
istence in a mild climate, with abund-
ant food for present needs; subject to
predatory chiefs, who allowed no in
centiye, and nature provided no neces-
sity. for continued eXertion. We cry
TO the Hawaiian. BE up and doing,"
but the still. small voice of heredity
whispers in his ear. Take thine ease;
eat, drink and be merry" As we may
not reasonably expect the leopard to
change his spots, so We must not i'm
patiently command the Hawaiian to