The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-02-26
THE NORMAL SCHOOL.

JlOn DeIOfe the Legislature Illtiu Nle
Normal School. 1t is from this insi-
tuition that the young Hawaiian can
go forth and do good to his own race.
The Normal School is in a very large
measure the cradle of the future Civ
en- success with the Normal School
graduates and the future success of a
large portion of our schools is assur-
ed.
OF course it is well understood that
you may have the best of University !
the best Of Normal Schools, the best !
of private institutions, and your re-
suits may not be satisfactory. There is |
constant complaint that University |
teaching is unsatisfactory But this /
complaint comes from the unsuccess- |
full or the disappointed. Any institu- |
ton of learning says here is what l |
have to give you. Take what you can
get. If you want to loaf you can do |
so, if you want to work you can do
so, and we will give you every assist |
ance in our power" Men or women
who have passed the stage of boy
hood or girlhood must decide for them
selves. If they want to study and i'm
prove, the state is authorized to help
them, if they do not care to improve
the authorities, that the state puts in
charge are legally justified in saving
the state unnecessary expense and put
ting an end to what is of no use.
AS things stand now, however, the
Normal School we have in the Terri
tory has a class of pupils which are
earnest in their desire to improve and
who hope to do work which will be felt
for many generations to come If any
one will give a moments thought to
the subject, the effect of a Normal
School does not mean the present gen
GRAFTON by any means, it's influence is
going to affect many further genera
tons.
If any place is to be self recupera-
tive, it must get it's teachers from it's
own people. 1t may and is necessary
at the outset to have teachers from the
center whence the light" came. This
is the story of all improvement. First
there are those who bring the light"
whether it be scientific religious or ar
tistic, and then, if there is anything
in the message, there are plenty who
will listen to it, and plenty who will
scott at it. The message has then to
stand on it's own basis. Sometimes it
fails, sometimes it succeeds.
But upon the Normal School of these
Islands there can be no discussion 1t
is a necessity, it is one of the most
vital points in our educational sys-
TEN. And it always must be kept in
mind that the educational system of
the Territory is it's sheet anchor. To
constantly depend upon recruiting from
abroad in our educational system, is
fatal to our own advancement. Each
state and territory should produce it's
own teachers. 1t may be necessary to
get teachers from abroad but the nee
essity should be minimized until it be-
comes only a desire to win some world
renowned teacher, or lecturer to shed
a ray of brilliant light upon our edu-
catiOnal system.
1t is perfectly true that we may be-
come too insular. 1t is one of the dis
advantages which territory situated
in the position we are is prone to.
We are apt to think that we are the
whole thing and we do not have the
population of three or four neighbor-
ing states to show us that we are not.
Insularity is very apt to breed bump
shiousness, but at the same time in
sularity gives the opportunity for con-
sideration, and for the valuing of af-
fairs. Snap judgments are not the at
tribute Of "Insular" thinkers.
RatnpDiDps t1 ba ,I
School any one who will think over it
will acknowledge that it is a most
necessary institution. Since the last
rains it has been almost drowned out
of it's premises, and it is to be hoped
that the Legislature, now in session,
will appropriate funds to put the Ha-
waiian Normal School on a proper
basis. From small beginnings the
school has reached what it has, and it
has done much valuable and perma-
nent work, but however great the en-
thusiasm Of the teachers and the pu-
pills it must be damped by the condi-
tions now facing them. In spite of the
difficulties the institution has been car
ried on. 1t now rests with the Legis-
lature to give that relief to a most
necessary adjunct Of our school sys-
tenn which it should have. There are
many progressive men in the House
and in the Senate and among those
in the House there is none more pro-
gressive than Hon. Fred. Beckley, who
thoroughly understand these needs,
and will use his influence for the good
of the Territory.
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