The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-02-20
THE WILCOX
SCHOOL BILL
Strongly Opposed
BY the Board OF
Education.

| The Board of Education has taken
the initiative in the agitation against
the several ridiculous bills introduced
in Congress recently by Delegate VIII
cox. At meeting yesterday morning
the Board of Education decided to en-
ter an emphatic protest against the
adoption of the school measure recently
introduced, and adopted the form OF
memorial, of which 1000 copies Will
be printed to be forwarded to members
of the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives.
The protest, in opening, says;
The Department of Public Instruc-
ton, having the management and con-
troll of all public schools in the Terri
| tory of Hawaii, feel bound to enter
respectful but most earnest protest
against the passage OF this Dill OF any
bill of a similar character. The obJec-
lions to the proposed legislation are
of two kinds: % No such legislation
! is needed, nor in fact any Legislation
concerning school matters on the part
of Congress- 90 If any legislation were
needed the bill introduced by Delegate
Wilcox would accomplish no good re-
| suit"
The protest then goes on to state in
detail the sufficiency of the present
school system in the Territory, saying:
This system was originally the Work
| of some of the ablest of the men VINO
made their homes here during the hrst
| half of the nineteenth century, ana
| has been carefully developed and built
up to fit peculiar local conditions. Like
all systems of human devising, the Ha-
waiian school system is capable or 1ur-
Their advance and improvement as ex-
perience may show the same 10 De
desirable and profitable. But such ad-
vance should be made on the lines al
ready wisely laid down by those who
were and are thoroughly familiar with
existing conditions. Any radical reor-
ganization OF our school system, how
ever well meant, could only result In
grave disaster to the educational IN
terests of the Territory
a lengthy historical sketch or the
Hawaiian school system, dealing with
all phases of the local education IS
here given. Then follows statistics
showing the nationality of the students,
enrolment, cost, buildings. etc
Further facts are given showing tut
ton at present to be absolutely free,
English being the only language
taught: compulsory educational fea-
lures, regulation of teachers salaries,
absence of color prejudice, party poll
tics, etc.
In conclusion, the defects of the pro-
posed law are pointed out, as follows:
ITO criticise in detail the provisions
| of the measure under consideration
would be an almost endless task, and
is believed to be unnecessary. The Dill
| is OF great length, consisting OF over
| $50 pages and almost every page fairly
bristles with provisions uncalled for,
and in most instances, wholly impracti-
cable: provisions that, even if enacted
into law, could not be put into opera
ton. To a few, only, of these matters
will attention now be called.
| l. II may be stated in a general way
that the bill is drawn in absolute ig-
norance, or of utter indifference to ex-
listing conditions-moral, social, htstor-
| icaI, educational, political and statu-
tory.
! g 1t is in many points directly in
Iconfiict, not only with existing Hawaii
an statutes, but with the organic act
as well. To make its provisions at all
workable would require a radical re-
vision of the whole body of our statute
| law.
| 8. 1t assumes the existence OF coun-
| ties. townships, municipalities, ana
other political and administrative units
that do not now, and never did form
| any part of our governmental system.
| a. 1t provides for a large number OF
additional officials, most of whom
would have to be paid, thus dividing
responsibility, weakening efficiency. ana
| aQdiI28 largely W lile tOSl VI
| ing the schools.
| ;. 1t would break up entirely the
present uniformity in the examinations
| and the grade of scholarship required.
| 6. 1t would do away entirely with the
present salary schedule, and with any
schedule under which teachers Woulu
! be paid on q consistent and uniform
system, based on qualifications and ser
vice. making neighborhood prejudice
land personal pull the sole standard
| I. 1t appears to contemplate, and GER
lta:niy authorizes, a great reduction IN
the amount of schooling to be PROVIDED
in the course of n year; reduction
Amounting in some cases to nearly one
half
s. Il would work greatly to the dis
| advantage of the smaller and poorer
districts. not only diminishing the
Quantity. but still more impairing the
EQUALITY of the teaching required.
9. 1t provides a way of receiving
handling and disbursing school funds
that is not only contrary to all SOUND
business principles, but is in direct
conflict with the elaborate and care
fully prepared provisions or the auoi'
!act. which act controls all matters per
tanning to the handling of Territorial
funds.
Further facts and arguments in sup
port of the position taken in this mat
ter by the department could be pre-
scented almost Indefinitely, but 1t Is
hoped that the foregoing are sufficient
to show two things:
"First-That there is no emergency
whatever calling for Congressional &C
ton. and
"Se6ond-That the passage of the
bill now pending would create an
emergency of the gravest character;
would throw our entire school system
into disorder. and deal to the cause
of education in these Islands the sever
Lost hInnr haS ever receiNed.' ~