The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-03-21

Just before the joint senate and
House investigating committee on the
Department of Education convened yes
terday morning In the Bungalow, there
was heated discussion among the
members as to how the inquisition
should be conducted.
I'VE don't want that fellow (attorney
Dunne) to be butting in on our ques-
tons" said Senator Hewitt.
Another member of the committee
did not want any newspaper men pres
ent. although Superintendent Atkinson
has repeatedly asked for a public ex-
animation.
1--WE don't want the members of the
Board of Education to be present,
either" said another. IT'S none of
their business what we say to the
Superintendent"
That settled it, with Lilikalani and
Nakuina opposing. The newspaper
men were fired from the sacred pre-
cincts of the inquisitorial chamber.
Prof. Alexander, Mrs. Jordan and Mrs.
w. Hall, members of the Board of
Education, were summarily fred, and
only after some delay did the members
think it wise not to interfere with at
torney Dunno and the stenographer,
Col. ]. w. Jones.
]. ]. Egan and Mr.. Coffee, members
of the Grand Jury, which rendered the
famous report on the Department of
Education, and which filed charges
against the Superintendent, were per-
mlted to remain inside the room. Moth
ing was gained from Mr.. Egan, as he
went behind his privilege as grand
Juror and failed to divulge anything.
The same was true with Coffee, who
1t is said, penned the report, which
was afterwards revised in the Attor-
ney Generals department.
Mrs. Jordan and Mrs. Hall were
afterwards subjected to a rigid examin-
alton.
Both ladies were asked whether they
ever visited the schools, the Grand
Jury's report stating they never did.
Both ladies replied they visited the
schools, took an interest in them, and
said they particularly visited the In
dustrial School. One lady stated that
of course people on the other islands
may have been bit jealous because
they did not visit schools there, but
they were not given to junketing trips,
as they did not feel inclined to involve
the department or the territory in ex-
penses of that nature.
cts an outrage" said Prof. Alexan-
der while the session was in progress,
ito keep friends of the schools away
from the meeting. It's a star-chamber
proceeding
Prof. Alexander has been a member
of the Board for many years and is
also the head of the Survey Depart
ment.
THE CHARGES.
The charges preferred against the
department from the Grand Jury's re-
port, were presented at the meeting
yesterday morning as follows:
Your Special Committee to which
was referred the matter of classifying
and segregating the different matters
contained in the report of the Grand
Jury, concerning the Department of
Education, and to extract therefrom the
specific charges made, or as nearly con-
forming thereto as possible, beg leave
to report that we have carefully digest
ed the several matters therein contain
ed and touched upon, and we find that
the Grand Jury has made certain direct
charges in some instances and in others
have implied charges by making rec
concentrations to remedy the alleged
improper condition of affairs. We there
fore classify them under two heads
charges and recommendations:
Charges. 1. The Superintendent of
Public instruction has long maintained
personal indifference as to the proper
or improper performance, by teachers,
of their duties, and takes little. if any
of their personal interest in their re-
sponsibilities and advancement. His
personal presence is an unknown fac
tor in the schools.
20. The course of study has not been
properly provided for the schools. The
one now in vogue has not been revised
for many years past. There are no
printed rules or regulations to control
the 400 teachers under the department
20. Teachers have been discharged
from the Department without cause.
q. The Agricultural department in
the school is useless.
"5. Commissioners of Education have
rarely. IL ever, for many years visited
any of the schools or made any per-
sonal inquiries as to the conditions pre-
vailing in the schools or among the
teachers. The public schools being al
most entirely under the control of
school agents.