The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-10-26
DECENCY MUST PREVAIL
NODE OF EXAMINING SCHOOL
CHILDREN.
Board of Education Apposes the Plan
of Requiring Pupils to Strip in Each
Others Presence.

The Board of Education held an i'm
portant meeting this morning.
Superintendent Atkinson stated that
he had noticed on steamer days that
many boys were absent from schools,
| selling papers on the streets On his
suggestion 1T was decided to grant per-
mission to needy children to be absent
from school on steamer days in order
10 sell eastern papers or extra editions
issued by the Honolulu papers.
A petition was received from Lihue
asking that cottage be erected on the
grounds as some of the teachers now
mad to md rooms outside. The board
decided that it did not have sufficient
funds to warrant the establishment of
happy homes but stated that If any
philanthropic capitalist wanted to in
vest his money the board would grant
permission for him to build the desired
cottage.
Mt. View, Olaa petitloned for a
school and Road Supervisor Campbell
notified the board that the school prop
erty on Beretania and Piikoi streets
had to be curbed. Lack of funds was
the reason for tabling both commune
cations.
The Following appointments by Sup
erintendent Atkinson were approved !:
Holualoa school, Mrs. Belle p. Mayd-
WELL salary $50 a month
Miss Lucie Born, $25 a month, Kona-
waena school; principal, H. T. Mills
| transferred from Napoopoo, in place of
Mrs. Sumter, resigned. Miss Florence
| Rathburn assistant, $50; Waialua,
Akuna Akau, in place of Miss Silva,
| transferred, salary $50 month
Honaunau, William Hu, salary $25 a
! month.
Kaupo, Andrew Hina, assistant tenn
porarily in place of Miss Desha resign
ed on account i'll health.
Kauaea, Miss Hattie Elderts in place
of Miss Rycroft resigned, salary $50.
The matter of j. Lightfoot the sup
erintendent of night schools was
brought up and it was decided to raise
his salary. Evidently the Board wept
with Mr.. Lightfoot in the loss of his
true but lockjswed Dobbin for his sal
airy was increased to SIS a month.
A communication from Principal
Townsend of the Kaahumanu school
was received, relating to a controversy
which he had had with DIR. Howard
over the vaccination of the children of
Mrs. John Markham. The latter had
expressed the desire not to have her
children vaccinated in the schools as
she wanted her family physician to
perform this operation. DIR. Howard
was so informed by Townsend, so the
latter states, but subsequently DR..
Howard vaccinated one of the boys.
When Townsend spoke of the matter
DR.. Howard treated it lightly. Subse-
quently Townsend protested against
DR.. Howard vaccinating the second
child but the matter was again treated
lightly according to the communica-
ton. Townsend stated that he then
told DR.. Howard that the latter was
laying himself liable to damages for
vaccinating children in the face of ex-
pressed opposition, and it would serve
him right if action for damages was
brought against him.
Mr.. Townsend disclaimed any inten-
ton of making charges against DR..
Howard but said that the principal
cause for disagreement between them
had been the requirement on the part
of DR.. Howard that the boys should
strip to the waist in a crowd, during
the examination.
The various letters which had passed
between the Board of Health and the
superintendent of instruction relative
to the disagreement in the Kaahumanu
school was read and the stand taken by
Mr.. Atkinson fully sustained. Owing
to recent illness, Mr.. Atkinson has been
unable to reply to the last communica-
tion from DR.. Wood but will do so with
in a few days The letters which were
read were as follows:
Kaahumanu School, Oct. 10, 1900.
Mr.. A. T. Atkinson,
Superintendent of Public instruction.
SIR DIR. Howard came this morning
to examine pupils of this school for the
required health certificates, and he and
1 developed some difference of opinion
as to what decency required in the pre-
misses. l held that pupils should be ex-
amined solus, and he wished a whole
class to strip to the waist and stand in
the room together while one by one
they were further stripped and exa-
mined. Although on his representa-
ton that that is the method employed
in the High School and all other schools
of the city 1 offered to yield under pro-
test Ind have the work go on, he pre-
ferred to wait that might get instruc-
tions on the matter l now await your
orders.
All that / asked of DIR. Howard in the
matter of the boys / asked of DR.. Cleve-
land for the girls and she informed me
that that was a matter of course, and
that the examination would have been
conducted as l wished Ii without my
mentioning the matter,-all of which /
fully believe.
Yours very TRULY,
(Signed) HENRY S. TOWNSEND,
Principal of Kaahumanu School
Territory of Hawaii, Department of
Public Instruction.
Honolulu. II. T., October II, 1900.
Dr. c. b. Wood, President of Board OF
Health.
SIR: Permit me to call your atten-
ton to the enclosed copy of a commune
cation received yesterday from Mr..
Townsend, principal of Kaahumanu
school relative to a difference of Opt
nion between DR.. Howard and himself
as to the proper method of conducting
the medical examination of pupils re-
quired by your Board.
Assuming the facts to be substantial
ly as stated 1t appears to me that the
position taken by Mr.. Townsend In the
premises IS reasonable and right.
Young people-children If you please
within the compulsory school age six
to fifteen years, have rights in a matter
of this kind that should be respected,
and which 1t is the duty of this Depart
ment to protect Such feeling of deli