The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1904-06-17


school The common schools as we'll
as higher grades, and even the colleges
reflected the popular views of educa-
ton. All were satisfied with low at
talnments.
This was before the Civil War i'm the
United States. Most of the States had
laws on education which were thought
to be sufficient to prevent general
Ignorance. But in practice, the MAORI
~ of the population was content with
the merest rudiments. 1t was all part
of the youth of the nation; with age
and democratic institutions a change
was sure to come.
1t came with startling abruptness.
At the close of the war, the nation
was confronted with the problem of
what to do with five millions of freed
negroes-all densely ignorant. At the
same time there was an immense in
crease in immigration from Europe.
on democratic theories all of these
people had right to voice in govern
ment; yet nothing was more patent
than the fact, that almost to a man,
they were not fit to be trusted with
the ballot. This necessarily gave a
tremendous impetus to popular inter-
est in education. Something had to be
done to teach these people what it
meant to vote, or ruin threatened our
institutions. BY the laws the stranger
could obtain naturalization in a very
short time and then, ignorant as he
still remained, the ballot was placed
in his hands and he was told to go
and vote! The same was true of the
negro: as soon as the war was over he
was enfranchised. The fitness of either
voter is illustrated by the story of the
Irishman who, walking out of court
with his naturalization papers in his
hands, was asked how he intended to
vote. After a moments hesitation he
asked: Have you got my government
in this counthry?" On being assured
that there was one, he replied: Thin
Dim goin to vote agin the govern
ment!"
Still another cause of the awaken
ed interest was the demand of
women for education and recog-
milton as the equal of men in all
things. They wanted to vote and
recognized. perhaps more wisely than
the men. that an intelligent democracy
must have education. They also de-
manded co-education, and the sharp
ness of that controversy has not yet
wholly abated. What has however been
accomplished is shown by the results.
In nearly all of the higher schools west
of the Atlantic tier of states it is now
permitted, and the young women do
not have to apologize for their presence
either. Instead of that the young men
are COmnallad o,1
work to hold their own and they do not
always do that, if the school statistics
of the United States are to be trusted.
The echoes Of this controversy have
not yet died away. The advocates of
co-education have not gained all they
wanted, but it all has quickened inter-
est in the subject.
The great strides which have been
made on the lines of industrial educa-
ton, have had large share in forcing
attention to this vital topic. When the
schools taught languages, ancient his
tory and similar branches only, the
laboring man gave little heed to them.
as not being in his line. But when
his son could be taught to build a
house. weld iron, shoe a horse, handle
the pillow, the school suddenly assumed
a personal interest and entered at once
into his life. 1t became a force which
was useful to him. He could realize
and appreciate its possibilities. 1t gave
him a new standing ground vastly
widened the scope of his earning pow
err enabled his children to rank with
the children of those in more favored
positions.
With attention directed to all that
education might do, working men add
ed an immense number to the ranks of
those to whom education presented new
attractions. The demand for Industrial
and technical schools has increased so
that it nearly exceeds the supply. The
variety in training has grown so that
today the student can somewhere get
instruction in nearly every walk OF
life. In 1900 I witnessed the comforting
of degrees on graduation at Harvard
University. There were several grades
or kinds of classical degrees. lawyers,
doctors, dentists, veterinaries. forest
ers engineers of mining, machinery,
civil engineers and others in science
and art
The increase in the lines OF COM
merce of the world has also vastly
added to interest in education. Com
petition has compelled better work.
Better work has made it necessary
that the workman should not only
know his tools but the tools of the
man who is trying to undersell him.
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