The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-03-18

was heated discussion among the
members as to how the inquisition
should be conducted.
I'VE don't want that fellow (attorn@y
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 pre- -ent.
either" said another. It's none of
| their business what we say to the
! superintendent"
That settled it, with Lilikaiani and
Nakuina opposing. The newspaper
men were fired from the sacred pre-
| cincts of the inquisitorial chamber.
Prof. Alexander Mrs. Jordan and Mrs.
W. Hail. members of the Board of
| Education, were summarily fired, and
only after some delay did the members
torney Dunno and the stenographer
Col J. w. Jones.
J. j. 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-
mfted to remain inside the room. Moth
ing was gained from Mr.. Egan, as he
went behind his privilege as a grand
juror and failed to divulge anything.
The same was true with Coffee, who
it 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 a 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.
Its an outrage, said Prof. Alexan- |
der while the session was in progress, |
ito keep friends of the schools away
from the meeting. It's 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 ella styling
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 ne IrIy 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 L. 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
y. 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 |
from the Department without cause.
a. The Agricultural department in !
the school is useless.
IS. Commissioners of Education have |
rarely if ever, for many years visited |
any of the schools. or made any per-
sonal inquiries as to the conditions pre- |
vailfng in the schools or among the |
teachers. The public schools being al /
most entirely under the control of |
school agents.
"6. No provision has been made for |
lavatories and facilities for the pro-
curement of drinking water in the
schools. No care exercised in this re-
gard even in new buildings. The new
Royal School has water facilities for
neither drinking nor fire purposes.
~. Architectural extravaganza has