The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-10-31
AT a NIGHT SCHOOL

y
TIE night school In Honolulu can in no
serse be judged by the usual standard OF
pupils. For in the night school are to be
found all sorts, all conditions OF boys
Y. Jung men ard m.ddle-aged men--yes, and
in one school wot OF, is an old nan, too.
10 the credit Of the teacher, be it saic,
re was treated with great respect ana
was he not child OF
older GROWTH II might surprise the or
binary observer--the one VINO never trou-
bles to look below the surface nor nuiit
for stray morseis OF subtle thought-as
to why SO many human beings should be
willing to give up five nights weekly to
the three RS when the band. is play
ing, a drill is on at the shed, or the sal
walton Army has big street pageant.
But still they trudge in; these sons oil
toll" rain or shine, eacE with his book
or books, his notebook and his penclis'
each with his CHEEKY smile that does one S
heart good to see; each with his hearty
Good evening, teacher"
That's about the first sentence they
learn. The second is, Good night. teach
err can tell you that cry often goes
home with me- / have never been into
their homes; 1 know nothing Of their
say / am such a small unit in their lives
at never a passing thought is given to
teacher" when the lights are out and
the building looms gloomy and deserted
and tenantless in the semi-tone of a dis
tant electric light.
Many of this strange fiotsam and jet
sam of Honolulu have squalid homes;
many others. unhappy ones. 1t is indeli-
bly, stamped upon their faces as surely as
was the mark of Cain upon his brow.
And II is to escape just such conditions,
to Else above them, to have a chance to
remedy the defects of an early lack OF
education, that these lads tramp steadily
through the dust or through the mud OF
"a wet night, to get an education and rise
in the world, to perhaps affluence and
happiness. To begin with, all these
''boys'-speaking in general sense-work
during the day. The youngest enrolled
on the books are aged fourteen. although
constantly applicants come who state
that their age is thirteen and beg to be
admitted: or else boldly invent a story;
lare admitted and have to be turned away
when the truth comes out.
All nationalities seem to meet in the
school house on a common footing. Here
Greek meets Greek and the Russian and
the Chinese chum side by side, unmind-
full of the strained relations of their re-
spective nations in the Orient. The Ger
man and the English lad sit cheek by
jcwl and the HAWAIIAN and the japanese
sw ap books and show each other the les
son of the day.
One middle-aged man, care-worn, hag-
gard and tired from his days work, has
never missed night. He is always in his
lplace, always on time and his little sor
comes with him, stands by his fathers
side and works the same lesson at the
blackboard. The child has no mother
With his father he is safe; and he likes
the pleasant room and the little friendly
overtures. He likes the idea of sitting
lstill in his seat occasionally, with no re.
lproving voice to cry 'Don'tr' or angry
eye to chill his childish soul.
And then when school is dismissed h
and his father Iwho has learned to coun
aloud nicely in English) take to the roat
anc side by side, the tall bent figure ant
the tiny straight one, they march stead
lily home to a rythmical "One, two, three,
etc: sometimes the teacher lingering be
hind, hears an imitation of herself in thu
manner of correction, and laughs softly
One night a woman came to the door
she had a nice, bright-eyed boy by tn
hard. Are you the teacher" she inquir
ed. When answered in the affirmative
she said, please, ma'am, how long ha
my boy been coming to your SCHOOL,"
The teacher hesitated, seeming trouble
then she replied quietly. HE was onl
one night In my class"
mo, teacher" broke in the lad eagerly
81 was with you a week"
WAS he-sure-has he been lying
e?'-this from the mother.
why, you're one of my boys" said TIL
; other teacher. II did not turn him on
madam, for he was a bright boy; he lei
of his own accord. He is a very nois
boy and i was obliged to reprove him."
Needless perhaps to add, that boy wa
re-entered into his rightful ROOM and oil
what thrashing he got from his virtu
ously indignant mother, Hes got to ear
his living in the daytime she said en-
phatically, but I'll see that he gets a
e6ucation at night" And she has keI
iher words
A very superior Japanese lad was Offer
ed a lucra tive position. He failed in h
duties. owing to his poor knowledge {
English. He also is most regular in HI
attendance and his lessons and condut
are all that could be desired by an
teacher. 1t will not be long before h
will be able to re-apply for similar pc
sition.
A sweet-faced Hawaiian lad, hangin
? This head and looking silly, came up tn
aisle and asked for the principal. Bein
asked why he particularly wished ii
principal. he replied he wanted to ents
1.-THE class.
The teacher therefore enrolled him. e.
planned his work and told him to s
down. He shifted from foot to foot ar
IDiuSutu ike u CndTcOdl rose. Dut SIT dow
he wouldn't! Still he asked for the pril
lcipal. Then it came out. Politics,
icourse! His mind was filled with Repul
lioans and Democrats and Independent
and the Executive Administration ar
is to /. and he wanted to know who Brya
Twas and who was the Democratic Donkt
and what Mckinley was doing etc
suppose he would still be asking que
items of the petrified teacher If the be
hadn't rung and with it her release. A
together, there are many funny inciden
connected with the night schools Son
OF the boys are very smart and W
Z surely come to the front We reach
, Iclass that could never. under any circun
stances be otherwise reached They a
given a chance to be something high
than the man with hoe" and to b
come what is better-a man of purpo
and self-respecting, self-earning ma
Trey are docile, polite, kind pleasa
lads and the school restraint is so veil
that they actually do not know they q
\ controlled. Even in that there lies gre
= satisfaction.