The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-01-15
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THE SCHOOL QUESTION


| Editor Advertiser: The Advertiser
has appealed to the parents of children
attending school in Honolulu as Il
whether too much school work has tc
be done at home. The following ar5
| the results of vote sent in by the
parents of the pupils in the High and
Grammar schools: Ballots were sent
out through the children to their par
ents bearing the following words:
DO your children have too much
school work 20 do at home?'. with the
request of yes or mo" and the par
ents' name signed. no comment being
made to the children by the teachers.
and they We're requested to make no
comment before their parents.
Two hundred and sixty-one parents
having children in the grammar school,
representing about three hundred pu-
pills, voted On scanvassing the ballots
it was found that out of a total OF
two hundred and sixty-one votes cast.
two hundred and forty-seven pare.lts
voted no." and only, fourteen voted
yes" In other words s5 per cent of
the parents are of the opinion that
their children do not have too much
work to do at home. at least in the
grammar school.
Ninety-two parents voted, who have
children in the high school. eighty vot-
ing mo" and twelve voting Eyes, or
to be exact about 81 per cent of the
parents are of the opinion that their
sons and daughters. even in the high
school, do not have too much home
work to do. Adding the results togeth-
er. three hundred and f1fty-three par
ents voted, representing four hundred
young people all together, 81 per cent
voting mo- and per cent only voting
yes
It would naturally be supposed if too
much home work were given it would
be found in the high school. yet only
IS per cent of the parents were inclined
TO the belief that their children had too
much work to do in the High school.
An analysis OF The twelve parents
voting yes in the High school may
be interesting. Upon consultation n-itA
the teachers and the pupils themselves
on the result 1 find that in four cases
only of those voting yes the point
is we'll taken. The other eight cases
have no foundation in fact. OF the
four cases having some grounds for
voting yes it is found that the over
work is voluntary. In one case it is
of a young lady, VINO, in the second
year of a high school course was not
well, and had to remain out of school
at irregular times. She naturally got
behind her class, is ambitious, an ex-
celIent student with a bright and acute
mind, and wished to catch up with her
class. This was entirely voluntary up
on her part. and against the sound |
advice of her teachers.
Another case is of a girl who lives at |
Eva and has to go and return every /
lay. She wished to take French in adj |
iition to her English and Latin, there |
fore having five major branches in
stead of four as usual. This was volun- |
.ary upon her part. She is a capital /
student, standing A in all branches
She is healthy and extremely robust. /
She AYERS that she has not too much /
work. but her mother thinks she has. /
The two other cases are pupils that got
behind their class either on account OF
Illness or on account of having TO stay /
IT home.
The other eight cases have no foun-
lation in fact They are pupils who
study very little either in school or
It home.
These results, Mr.. Editor, may be OF
interest in the question under discus
ion. at least in the high and grammar
representing over four hundred
,upils. so per cent of whom have Eng
ISL as their yernacular tongue. at
would be OF interest 10 hear from other
chools. So large as the majority is in
avor Of no even if there be one
Who has a Just complaint that one IS
Untitled to all consideration 1t seems
TRANCE, however. that the majority OF
-otes in the yes column should be
,arents whose boys and girls study lit
lie or next to none. This is a result,
IcWeyer, that all experienced teachers
would anticipate.
I hope, Mr. Editor. that you viii give
hese results a conspicuous place in
our paper. so that all may see the
pinions Of these parents. And. more
yer, IL is TO be hoped that the editor
vin stick to his text, fight il out on
hat line. and not change the subject.
nd requisition others TO write much
bout the short hours and laziness OF
eachers. The only excuse I have Mr.
,ditor, to appear in your paper at