The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-05-29
AGRICULTURE
IN SCHOOLS

Hugh NJ. Coke, editor of the Maui
News, was not long ago principal of
the Waihee school. Therefore tine fol-
lowing editorial in his paper ought to
be worthy of consideration as d 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 1t a
sound business policy for the depart
ment to undertake the scheme on the
extensive scale asked for by the teach
ers there.
LAS 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 d low epb 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;
ard 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
| IL about at its 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 at all
| tires 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 as 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 at 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
corporate into the common school.
While it should be the policy of the
State to give its children a course in
the rudments 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. 1t has been said that the
most serious charge that can be laid
: to the doors of the missionaries Is that
in their zeal to help the children they
!, carried them through all difficulties and
consequently left them as helpless as
they We're at first, without practical
} knowledge that comes from self-effort
: and untitled to meet conditions that
necessarily must be met by all who
would make a mark in the world.
, 1.-The great trouble with our schools
today is that they attempt so much
that is useless, that nearly all our chill
dren leave school without sufficient
knowledge essential to one who wishes
to transact any business or put to
, practical use that which they have
been given a smattering of in school,
2 and in consequence feeling themselves
above work and fitted for anything else
! they are failures through their entire
l lives.
Let all fads be cut out of the course
5 of study and encourage the young peo-
pie to seek higher instruction in such
of our schools as the Territory is now
2 well provided with, but above all things
' teach them self-reliance. There Is no
5 reason whatever why any young man
. in the Territory should go without the
advantage of course of study In
1 higher branches than are taught In the
common schools of the Territory, but
e financial assistance is too often fatal
/ to the object sought and leaves the re-
cipient without a proper appreciation
of the same.
pupils who are afraid to soil their
hands and must have the rough work
e done for them will never be worth the
a time and money spent on them"