The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-10-21
MYTHOLOGY
IN SCHOOLS
TeachersAdvocate
T. Its General
Use.
PROF. GRlFFITHs
GIVES HIS VIEWS
Mrs. Marshall Presents illustrated
Story OF fiiawatha at Asso-
citation Meeting.

has yet attended the sessions of the
Territorial Teachers Association was
present last evening at the regular
monthly meeting held in the High
School. when the subject of Myths in
History and Literature" and methods of
imparting the subject in the schools
was interestingly presented by Prof A.
H. Griffiths. president of Oahu College,
Prof. M. NJ. Scott of the High School, |
Mrs. Fraser, Miss Whine. Mrs Heapy
and Miss Felker. Mrs. Lila Marshall |
Of the Normal School gave a blackboard |!
illustration of how myths can be i'm
parted to students. which was a revela- |
ton of the pains which many teach |
ers take that their scholars may be en-
lghtened. The program of literary ex-
ercises was interspersed with musical
selections, to which Mrs. Lull, Prof,
Ballaseyus, Mrs Miller and Miss Flor
ence Hill contributed.
The meeting was held in the large as
I.sembly room and every seat was oceu-
pied. The program was opened by a
piano solo by Prof. Ballaseyus, who was
followed by Prof. Griffiths, who spoke
on Myths in History and Literature"
Prof. Griffiths said that all from child
| hood had been more or less familiar
with the myths. legends and fables of
the ancients, but without understand
ing their theory or intent, or even the
beauty of the stories and their relation
to man. The origin of myths, relations
of one with another. and their use, are
| little understood. Fables, he said, were
not to- be Included with myths, fables
generally serving to give a lesson in
morals Myths are the primitive ex-
pressions of mankind and of people
whose 'doings are practically unknown.
If they did not spring from the begin
ming of a nation they grew impercepti-
bly, Wonderful events to the ancients
were not manifestations of natural
law, but the doings of titans and super
| natural beings. The vivacity of imag-
nation among the ancients was the
cause of myths. The point of view of
the ancients must be taken into con-
sideration as cause for the belief in
| myths The powerful imaginations
| which are now giving us engines, X
rays, electricity and other types of mod
ern scientific expression, had no knowl-
edge of these things in the old days
| Their closest approach to science was
| the law of analogy, that the same forces
controlled nature as human beings. The
myth is the explanation of some natural
phenomenon expressed by primitive
| man. All that was needed to cause these
myths to grow was an imaginative man
on the one hand and receptive one on
| the other, and exuberant fancies also
played an important part in their de-
velopment. There was a survival OF
| the fittest of the myths, and these have
4
AS to the teaching of mythology in
schools, Prof Griffiths said that q
knowledge of it was important, as it led
to good reading and developed the po-
| etical sense To him, mythology was
the mirror in which We see the people of
the earliest days. Mythology was their
history in embryo, serving as a com
pIete introduction.
Prof. Scott agreed that the Study of
myths in schools was important, but
he found the greatest difficulty in that
scholars. reach the High School grades
poorly equipped for study of the clas
sizes. Mrs Nina D. Fraser, principal of
Kafulani School, was in favor of the
teaching of fables to young children as
their minds were receptive for such in
struction. Myths that had some edu-
cational value were helpful in school
work. Miss Winnie. of the Punahou
Preparatory, thought the benefit of
myths being taught in school came
from reproducing the stories and giving
the pupils an opportunity to develop
their dramatic instinct. Mrs. Heapy,
principal of Pohukaina school, said that
dramatic expression, as a means OF
making the children remember myths,
was an excellent way. It was difficult
to get the children to reproduce their
ideas on paper. Their conception Of the
stories by words was far different from
that of the Instructor that it was better
to act them out. Miss FeIker believed
in sandwiching in fables in the regular
courses. Prof. Dyke of Kamehameha
School favored Illustrating such myths