The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-05-28
AGR|CUL TURE
IN SCHOOLS
Former Principal Coke
Discusses The
Subject.

| t2uSA NJ. 1OhS, eOitOF OF the Maui
/ News. was not long ago principal of
| the Waihee school Therefore the fol-
| lowing editorial in his paper ought To
be worthy of consideration as a con-
| tribution to the discussion of an i'm
portant educational question. Under
| the heading, Agriculture in Schools, -
| the News says:
The teachers of Hilo have petitioned
the Department of Education to fur
| nish them an expert instructor in agri-
| culture. and tools and implements that
| they may be enabled to make agricul-
| ture a more prominent branch of
study.
With all due respect to the teach
ers of the rainy city, we submit that
it is not the sphere of the public schools
to undertake a complete course in this
branch of study, nor do we believe it a
sound business policy for the depart
ment to undertake the scheme on the
extensive scale asked for by the teach
ers there
AS result of the policy adopted by
the Governor, which was made neces-
sary by the extravaganza of the past
Legislatures and other officials the pay
of the teachers now on the force was
cut down to sucn a low eDb that many
of the best teachers have resigned and
either have left the Territory or have
gone into some other field of labor. or
are preparing to leave as soon as there
is a better opening for them elsewhere;
and for the department to undertake
the further reduction of pay by the
employment of teachers to do work
that is not now being done would
hasten the exodus of more of our best
instructors. and tend to still further
lower the standard of the system that
is about at it's lowest ebb at the present
time.
THE attitude of the various plan
tation managers throughout the group
has at all times been the most friendly
toward the schools and such tools as
are necessary for the cultivation of all
that the schools can grow has a all
times been given to such teachers as
would make use of them for the mere
asking.
I'VE believe the teaching of such ma
ture studies us are commonly taught in
the schools and the practical applica-
ton of the studies by the growing of
such plants as can be grown with the
tools and implements al hand is as far
as the public school should attempt to
go in this direction, and that they
should leave to the agricultural college
such instruction as they desire to in
o,1
While it should be the policy of the |
State to give its children a course in !
the rudiments of education. it is not /
for the best interests of the state nor !,
the children themselves to attempt to )
do for them what they should do
themselves. Tt has been said that the
most serious charge that can be laid
10 the doors of the missionaries is that
IN their zeal to help the children they
carried them through all difficulties and
left them as helpless as
hey We're at first. without practical
that comes from self-effort
md untitled to meet conditions that
necessarily must be met by all who
would make a mark in the world
The great trouble with our schools
oday is that they attempt so much
hat is useless, that nearly all our chill
ren leave school without sufficient |
essential to one who wishes
o transact any business or put to
PRACTICAL use that which they have
cen given a smattering of in school,
nd in consequence feeling themselves
bove work and fitted for anything else
hey are failures through their entire
YES.
Let all fads be cut out of the course !,
f study and encourage the young peo- h
lie to seek higher instruction in such =
our schools as the Territory is now u
ell provided with but above all things
each them self-reliance. There is no ;,
- on W natever why any young man :
the Territory should go without the
dvantage of a course of study in
igher branches than are taught in the =
schools of the Territory, but =
nancial assistance is too often fatal
the object sought and leaves the re-
pient without proper appreciation
the same.
Pupils who are afraid to soil their
lnds and must have the rough work
1ne for them will never be worth the
me and money spent on them"
A-S.-