The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-12-15
To TEACH
MAINLAND
Ths Local Schools Nav
Prepare Picture
Lecture.

secretary Wood and A. Gartley OF
the Hawaii Promotion Committee talk
| ed last evening at the meeting of the
Territorial Teachers Association held
| at the High School. Mr.. Woods prin-
cipal plan was to have stereopticon
| slides prepared of scenes about the is
lands. together with descriptive lee
J schools TO some state. as Nebraska, for
instance. The slides and lecture to be
| started in the High School in Lincoln,
| then passed along to various other
all cities and towns for use in each
| school.
Mr. Gartley spoke generally about
the help that schools might give and
dwelt somewhat on the SchOOl-ietter
plan. That is Tor pupils to write let
,ers to pupils in schools on the main
land in exchange for others from there.
This would not only help Hawaii and
the pupils on the mainland receiving
the letters, but would give the local
school children an opportunity to learn
the art of descriptive letter-writing at
first hand.
Mr.. Wood thought that Superintend-
ent Babbitt of the Department of Pub
lie Instruction could readily prepare
the lecture to accompany the slides.
He went on further to say that a
list of all school teachers, in whatever
state is selected. could be obtained
from the state superintendent To
them the Promotion Committee could
send folder concerning the plans of
the local schools for such an illus,
trated lecture and follow it up with
folders concerning the islands. In this
way information about Hawaii could
be impaired to thousands of teachers
and scores of thousands of pupils. He
believed that such a plan would meet
with the hearty approval of teachers
in mainland states. The State Super.
intendent could readily give the press
statements concerning the lecture and
the local school system would be given
credit for what he considered splen-
did educational plan.
Mr.. Wood thought that if the teach-
ers fell in with this plan they might
devise ways and means to defray some
of the expense attached in a way
which would not be much to any of
them. say ten cents month from
teachers and five to ten cents year
from pupils. He believed that this
would appeal to the patriotism of
heads of families.
AS to letter-writing. Mr.. Wood said
that there was abundance of subjects
that could be utilized and would be OF
the grea test interest to pupils else |
where. There were topics such as su- |
gar cane. rice, towering shrubs. his
torical events. legends, island history, |
early engineering works of the Hawai- |
ians. ETC. These would be of the |
greatest interest to people on the main !
land.
Mr. Wood personally offered prize J
of $5 to be made on his behalf by |
Principal NJ. NJ. Scott to the pupils of
the High School for the best descrip-
ton of the flowers and shrubs sur
rounding the islands, to be passed up
on by a committee.
He also stated that he would be
pleased to offer the use of the promo
tion rooms to the Department of Pub
lie Instruction for an exhibit of school
work The fixtures used for the pho
tographic exhibit would shortly be
available. He suggested that COM
iIltItc VI IedCIlSIS tStn0 Inc mace - |
hand.
Superintendent Babbitt said he fav-
ored the idea, although he would not
ask schools to make a special effort
in future but to take the work al
ready in hand There was fine col
lection of past work and right up to
the present to make a creditable dis
play.
Our schools are almost as little
known right here in Honolulu as they
are away said Mr.. Babbitt. All
sorts of criticism is offered about the
schools and almost all of it is ignorant
criticism. Those who visit the schools
find little to criticize; those who don't
visit them, criticize"
Prof. Scott spoke of a custom prevail
ing among some principals years ago
IF having their pupils write descr1p-
i've articles concerning things OF ev-
eryday life. such as the water bu1alo
and what the animal was used for IN
he islands, the description accompa-
lied by a drawing of the animal. Then 5
he taro was likewise treated, sugar | ,
,ane. rice. 1t was very interesting tx
libits of branches Of grade work, such
Is examples of writing. class work IN
history. mathematics. etc, did not ap-
'teti ~ t4S dHeIe'S PSiN'O
.xhibit. but descriptions of that sort
eferred TO. did. He said that the eX-
'ihit sent on to Buffalo. St. Louis and I
attracted much attention
,ut. according to Miss Dawson. VINO
lad charge of the exhibit al Buffalo'
:. Y, the portion most interesting TO
-isitors were those little illustrated
of water buffalo, and other
hings ne had mentioned.
Continued on Page TwelVe.)