The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-12-31
OLD AND NEW COMPARED
IN SCHOOL CURRICULUM

I
archy and later as Superintendent O.
Atkinson. In the year 1892 Mr.. Atkin.
son formulated q course of study II
which the formal studies prevailed, and
prevailed to such an extent that only
one International study was permit
ted. In 1899 this course was elah-
GRATED, but this latter course pfacti-
caliy remained a dead letter. for the
earlier course prevailed. In 1905, Mr.
Niator but two years ago, this same
man, Alatau T. Atkinson. after much
experience. authorized the publication
of that course of study, which, with
but a few notifications, is the course
incorporated in the, superintendent S
report for the biennial period ending
December, 1906. This is the same cur
riculum which is very far from sat-
isfactory," but remember it has only
come into use in the last six months.
That is to say, Mr.. yiator, that until
the last six months we have had a
curriculum in which the formal stud
les prevailed. 1t may surprise you to
learn that the new course of study
was never fully carried out until the
took in hand the carrying out of the
curriculum by means of term outlines
and daily plans of work.
The course of study now in use
stands. then. as written evidence from
Alatau T. Atkinson, q man of long
experience, that the formal course did
not meet the requirements.
The results of the formal course.
then, Mr. yiator, are clearly stated by
yourself when you say. THE last re-
port of the superintendent of Public
Instruction shows that 50 per cent. Of
our total school population ranks be-
low the second grade. and that only
per cent. are engaged in high school
work"
YolS quote the Grant in Aid Schools
of British India to support your con
tention that our schools have nor
reached the standard that they
should You say, LET us see. The
Grant in Aid Schools of British India.
under similar difficulties.
pass 80 per cent. of their pupils
through all grades up to and includ-
ing the SIXTH You should have add
ed that many of the Grant in Aid
the Educational Commission, under
Lord Curzon, censured the results sys-.
tenn, as it encouraged the schools in
abstract teaching and memorizing,
and abolished it along with the So
called blanket code that made it
possible,
Today British India has, after
long struggle, adopted a code which
permits choice between a course of
drill in formal studies in the primary
grades, and a course which offers
a primary curriculum
enriched by international studies, and
a grammar and high school course
similar to the best schools of America
Further than that, the idea express
ed by the educators of British India
is that pupils of the lower classes
taught the elaborated curriculum are
able to compete mentally with classes
of pupils inheriting greater natural
But, Mr.. Viator, between the schools
Of Hawaii and British India no COM
parison is possible; the people of Brit
ish India are homogeneous and have
a civilization and an educational sys-
tenn much older than that of Amer
lea. Their primary schools are to a
very large extent taught in the YER
nacular and not in English. English
is taught in the schools, but not ex-
clusively as in Hawaii is it used as
q medium.
But now, Mr. Viator.. let us come to
your criticism as to the number of
studies in our present
I will quote from your
article: Three purely international
studies are prescribed in the first
grade, four in the second, seven in
the third. and nine in the fourth"
May I inquire, Mr.. Viator, whether
YOU read the Course of Study before |
Dr. after making this statement? BY |
careful study of the course / find in
each of the grades which you have
mentioned but four international
studies
Further. I should say, Mr.. Viator. |
hat. aside from a good deal of mis- |
apprehension, you entirely misunder- |
stand the Course of Study. You seem |
10 have the false idea that such a |
course is the arbitrary work of some |
,ne educator, or set of educators. |
This. however. is, I repeat, a false
dea. The Course of Study of today /
must of necessity be framed to meet |
he demands of a complex social fab
'ic and a rapidly advancing civf.iza- |
ion-the enriched course of study is /
result of the new order of things. /
md is inevitable. The teacher has |
played a certain part in this enrich |
nent, it is true, but his office has
,een that of the child's protector; he
las organized and simplified the
tudies. and eliminated the non-essen-
ials, thus avoiding such multi
,licity of subjects as would truly
hreaten TO swamp the pupil. Thus
ormal grammar has been pushed for
ward to the upper grades Of the gram
mar school. and may yet be ad-
'aneed to the high school Arith-
netic has been shorn of a great crop
f impediments. Story work and ma
ure study have been made a center
round which have been woven read
ng. spelling, composition, language
xercises, writing, and drawing. + This
as saved time. And why is not this
Method of teaching these formal sub
acts the right one2 The material for