The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-07

themes Of two papers read before the
Mothers and Teachers Club at the
regular monthly meeting held yesterday
afternoon at the Punahou Preparatory
School. The papers were well written
and ELECTED debate.
Preceding the reading a discussion
was had on the question Of public play
grounds in Honolulu for children which
project is being agitated by the Moth
ers' and Teachers club. \ committee
from the club at a meeting held re-
Gently adopted a resolution favoring the
establishment of a Mckinley Memorial
playground as a fit monument in Ho-
nolulu to the late President. The re-
port of the committee, the presentation
of the suggestion to the Mckinley Me
mortal Committee. and the reply of the
latter body. were read TO the club.
Miss Felker. of Kaahumanu School
for the special committee. stated that
the committee did not feel justified in
making suggestions as to where the
public Fairgrounds should be located,
as they were not yet apprised as to
the ownership of certain pieces of prop
erty which have been thought favorable
for the purpose. In general terms, how
ever the committee desire to see play
near Kaiulani school, Palama- The
playground at Makiki, now used as a
public recreation ground, was consid-
cred fine place. if an addition could
be made to its present size. Kapiolani
Park was deemed splendid place for
the establishment of a fine playground
for children. the only feature standing
in way of the enterprise being its great
distance away from the majority of
homes
Miss Felker suggested that if the es-
Establishment of Zoo could be agitated
that there could be no better attraction
offered to the little ones. 1t was sug-
gested after the meeting that with the
Zoo and the extension of the Rapid
Transit tracks to Kapiolani Park, the
attractions would be twofold. and going
to the Park would be a genuine pleas
ure instead of a hardship as at pres
ent.
The report Of the committee was ac-
cepted. the COMMITTEES thanked. and a
request was made that it continue on in
its present work which has already at
tracted considerable attention
Music was furnished by Mr.. Powers,
of Mr. Damon's school, who gave
piano solo which caused pleasurable
surprise by the melody he exacted from
the instrument. Miss Whitney sang
pretty lullaby for which she was warm
ly applauded.
d. l.. Van Dine, agricultural instruc-
tor al the Normal School, presented the
paper on gardening, which
was well received:
Chairman and Members of the Mothers
and Teachers Club of Honolulu:
The committee informed me that they
wished me to talk about child's gar
den the value of a garden to child,
in the training of that child to become
a man fitted to take his place in the
world among men.
Before considering this question allow
me 10 say something on that branch of
study under which this subject comes.
An apology seems almost necessary for
attempting to give explanations at this
late day, for, as one of the prominent
teachers of this city said in a letter to-
me: ''Nature-study is so well recognize
ed as n factor in general education that
expla nations and arguments seem out of
date But in order to give you my idea
of the object of a child's garden, or in
fact Of any garden, not considering that F.,
class devoted to the raising of vegetables
where the financial returns are alone
I feel Obliged TO dwell on
this question. The simple act of prepar
ng a small garden plot for a few plants
would require directions taking but
few moments OF time to tell. That is
important put it is only the beginning.
In order to reach the end we must have
L clear conception of the scope and OBJ
ects of nature-study work
What does a child want TO know about
agriculture? The word brings to your !
mind pictures of plows and har-ows,
With fields of grain and gardens of veg
tables. You can no more present the
tudy of scientific agriculture in the low
r schools than You can Introduce the
of law of medicine IF that
: So then what is this agriculture and
lature-study which We hear so much
bout as a line of work to be introduced
which has in fact been introduced in the
Common schools? Nature-study is a
tudy of the real. the living things about
Is study of those things which are
a part of our every day lfe-
lot removing them from their surround
nGs but considering them as we find
hem in their interrelations with the sur
ounding objects. This study involves
Iso those natural phenomena on which
he natural objects depend for existence.
DO the different branches of study in the
chools bring us in actual touch with the
hinGs about us and the phenomena that
them? Thos II. Huxley, IN
peaking of our educational systems
aid: Fashioned a. they were to meet
hy-Eone condition of society. our edu-
ational systems have had too much TO
% with books and too little TO do with
hingS" In this study We begin with
hiugs not with ideas; with the practical
lot with the theore tical-the theories
riil come later The Investigations are
prompted by curiosity. not by "A desire
or scientific knowledge. The science,
.Iso. like the theories, will find a place
n the higher schools. Therefore this IL
lot a scientific study. and decidedly no
.ttcrnpt Is made to train the pupils to
,erouuc farmers An attempt is made to