The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-06-22
SAVE THE ERRING.


girls has been set forth in these col
umns time and again. Indeed it may
have become almost a trite subject.
But a subject so important as this can
never become trite. What this com
munity needs is an industrial school
for boys and another for girls. 1t is
said that the country cannot afford it,
which amounts to a statement that it
can afford to let its hayward girls con-
tinue on the downward path, or to
state that it's Legislature does not care
whether they go or not.
1t is true that we have Reform
School for boys but the location is
unsuitable and there is no land for agri-
cultural purposes. A reform, or rather
an industrial school should, in a great
measure, be self supporting. The pres
ent school cannot be self supporting.
In former years it raised its own taro,
and the boys cooked the roots and then
prepared the poi. But with remark
able wisdom some fourteen or fifteen
years ago the taro land belonging to
the institution was sold, and the school
was thus terribly crippled.
What was proposed to the Legisla-
ture in the report of the Superinten-
dent of Public Instruction was to pri-
marily locate an Industrial School for
boys on the land of Waialee, Koolau
loa, Oahu, and, for the present, use
the old Reform School buildings for
an Industrial School for girls, with the
,V,Nn 8 f1a
girls also out to Waialee.
The Waialee tract is government land
and contains 1873 acres the lease of
which expires this year. 1t is about
three-quarters of a mile wide and ex-
tends from the sea beach to the top of
the hills. The oahu railroad passes
through the tract. With a little eX-
penditure plenty of water can be OBJ
tanned both for domestic use and for
cultivation. A small dairy farm could
be established. There are taro patches,
a large fish pond and the land al the
foothills can be cultivated in fruits and
vegetables. This is certainly worth
making an effort to put to the best use
it can be put to, but no one seems dis
posed to take up the Legislative battle
for reform in the lower House.
In speaking of the industrial schools,
the educational report, handed to the
Legislature at the commencement of
the session, says;
There is nothing more needed in the
community than a place to which un-
ruly or absolutely destitute girls can
be sent. TO call such a place a RefOr-
matory School for Girls would be TO
brand every inmate for her after life.
To call it an Industrial School is to
take off the brand, and to allow the
destitute to enter would be taking all
sting or stigma away. An Industrial
School for Girls will relieve our police
courts and our charitable institutions
of many unpleasant and practically in
soluble problems.
Upon a matter of this kind there is,
practically, no argument necessary
We have no efficient institutions of the
kind required. The Press, the Magis-
tracy, the heads of the police, the
Executive of the Territory and his Off
GERS, the general public, all loudly de-
mand it. 1t remains for the Legisla-
ture to supply the proper funds for
initiating these reforms. If the funds
are granted they will be well admin
istered. If the funds are not granted
the projects fall to the ground. The
whole matter is pivotal on the Commit
tee of Ways and Means primarily, and
on the whole Legislature in fine. If
no effort is to be made for saving the
waits and Strays, male and female, of
this community, everyone will know
where the blame lies. The present sys-
tenn has outgrown it's usefulness for
Jears. Now, under the Territory, under
the new flag. departure should be
anhn N2rhf fh do To n1Ir
selves as a people, and honor to our
Legislative Representatives as being
enlightened and progressive men,"
The cost of initiating these plans
would not have exceeded $4,000 for the
ensuing two years. The new buildings,
fencing and Quitting of the establish
ment at Waialee could have been set
going for $4,000, because the boys
would have done much of the labor
outside of the actual building Of the
houses Another $4,000 would have
paid for the support of the schools, the
purchase of farming implements, of
few cattle and domestic animals as
they We're required, and the salaries
of superintendent, teachers and
guards.
1t was a modest request when one
comes to consider it,, and it was a re-
quest for an institution which is of
vital necessity. In the past year or so
there have been constant complaints
of the inefTiciency of the Territory in
just such institutions, and as soon as
the Legislature closes, there will again
be similar complaints. But no one can
make bricks without straw, though the
Egyptians thought they had solved that
impossibility. You cannot have an in
dustrial institution without having
funds to run it.
An effort is now being made to meet
the situation by private benevOlence.
This is most worthy, but it does not
speak well for the Legislative body,
which is only too happy to hear of