The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-02-14
PANESE
CHILDREN
How They Are
Cared For in
School.

In publishing this semi-annual report OF
| the Japanese Boarding School, 1 must
| thank all the friends who have assisted
the school with money and in other
ways. L thank DR.. S. Kobayashi and
DR.. Iga Mort who have attended many
of our sick children and gave them med
| icine free of charge. / wish to take this
means of making a short history of the
| school and how ii happened to be organ
lied.
| 1t was in the month of August of 1896
that at the request of friend, L took
| a boy to my house and began to take
| care of him.
| Shortly afterwards, two or three boys
were sent to me. At that time L had no
| idea of starting a boarding school. Not
wishing to refuse my friends requests,
l took charge of many children as
! was able to do. In a short while I had
| four or five children. One of them was
| a child of seven years, who was very
| bad and disobedient boy. After having
been with me for several months, he
became quite changed for the better to
| the surprise of his parents and neigh
| bors. There was also a boy of nine
years who was very disobedient. When
| L reprimanded him for his naughty ac
| lions he would become angry and would
throw stones at me- After having been
with me for long while he gradually
became better. He is now very obedient
and faithful. He is always the first one
to volunteer to go to the postoffice on
steamer days, and seems to feel very
happy to hear me express the words
Thank YOU" after he handed me the
mail. The improved conduct of these
children have impressed upon the
minds of the Japanese parents that they
began 20 bring their children to me for
care. This is thus the beginning of the
| formation Of the BOARDING
School. Accordingly, / rented a house on
Kukui street for the boarders. The school
was recognized by the Hawaiian Board
as mission work at the end of 1898 AS
time passed by, the number of children
began to increase. In the month of Dc
tober, 1899, the school was removed to
its present premises across the street
In the month of October, 1901, a
two-storied dormitory 20x40 feet was
erected, and beds for 30 children were
occupied. | wish to mention briefly, how
the children pass their time. Every
morning at 7:30 all the children gather
at the assembly hall. Some offer prayer
while others read verse from the Bible.
l speak to them as to how they should
conduct themselves during the day. They
are then sent to the English school du-
ring the forenoon, while in afternoon
they attend the Japanese school on Nuu-
anu street. In the afternoon after school
IHeN SptHu lIltlT Time IN DllNSlcdl
exercise, such military drill sword
fencing, baseball, football and tennis. In
the evening, meetings are held, which
are presided over by the elder children.
Songs are sung, prayers offered, and
short remarks are made by the children.
They then go to their study room to re-
view their lessons before retiring for the
night.
All of the children are in direct charge |
of Mrs. Okumura- Mrs Okumura and
myself are not trained teachers and do
not know the method of education. We
are doing our best to bring the children ,
up and educate them and teach them
Love and Truth. In performing our !
work we pray to God and ask for His !
guidance and help that the many !,
children entrusted in our care may be !
brought up according to His wishes
l am glad to state that we are being
greatly assisted by the older children, |
who by their good conduct and behavior /
help US great deal to control the new |
ones.
The boarding school is conducted with
out any funds whatever, merely relying !
upon the money paid by the boarders
which amounts to s. per month for each |
child and to the generosity of the friends
of the school. l am glad to state that we
are able to carry on the work through
the valuable assistance of our friends.
] hope that our kind hearted friends will
still continue to assist us in the future
as they have done in the past. We have
at present in care so children out of
which number seven are supported free
Of charge, while five are paying half !
rates on account of the poverty of their
parents.
The financial report of the past six
months is hereby submitted
T. OKUMURA
Principal Japanese Boarding School
Honolulu, Feb. TO- 1902
SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT.