The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-07-01

Below Will be found Judge H. E.
Cooper s address at Oahu College grad
uating exercises Saturday evening, to-
gether with the salutatory delivered by
a Chinese student, Kim Tong Ho, and
Miss Winter s essay on "The Amer
lean Girl":
JUDGE COOPER ADDRESS.
1t IS often dangerous to give advice.
still L am willing to give my views
ON q few simple subjects for L believe
that We are all entitled to know the
general result of the experiences of
others; this is how We gain our educa-
ton; our text books are but the APP
proved work of those who have be-
come specially qualified as our teachers
and these are being perfected as each
generation adds it's experience derived
from actual test of method and rule
1t is he who most readily perceives
and takes to himself the necessary and
valuable parts of the vast fund of in
formation placed at our disposal in the
school, college and every day life who
most quickly becomes a master and
leads his fellows. No one is able to
make use of all the available instruc-
tlon and here is where the difficulty
arises with most of us. If one has a
pronounced aptitude for some one sub
ject he asily diseards, even against the
protest OF others, all that does not di-
rectly assist him in perfecting his sole
line OF thought and action. He
progresses rapidly unencumbered by the
dreary task of attempting to acquire
much lat is meaningless to him and
withou relation to his single effort.
His echers, following an accepted
routine arbitrarily set before him the
same tasks that they require of others,
he does not succeed and more than like
ly fails so graduate but he leaves school
determined to lead in his chosen path
We later refer to him as a genius. He
IS IN special class, born richly en-
lowed with faculties that discern more
rapidly than they can be taught. He
finally reaches point so near perfec-
ton t.-.4t his works become school
to be followed by others. These in
stances are rare and we have little to
do with them
There is another class resembling the
other but not SO narrow in its llmita
tions of work or so concentrated in its
application to specific thought, yet still
having, perhaps undeveloped at first,
a special preference for some particu-
lar work. This talent should be early
recognized and assisted by vigorous
training in subjects akin to the prin-
cipal purpose. You will say that this
is encouraging speciality in work and
life. True, and why not? The require
ments of the age are becoming more
and more exacting and the time of
preparation is all too short. We must
climb and it must be admitted that the
natural character and disposition of
each individual have great bearing on
the ultimate result. Training along
lines of natural ability is not always
approved by those in authority; en-
vironment, duty companionship, also
have much to do with DETECTING one
from his natural tendencies. | do not
wish to be understood as discouraging
fundamental education. Certain lines
of instruction must be covered, whether
they are understood in their perfec-
tion by the student or not, but | be-
lieve that as early as possible he should
be relieved of exacting duties along
lines which have become evidently be-
yond him or aside from his best efforts,
If this is not the case and either by
reason or parental dictation or other
influence the life work is taken up IN
channels that are not conducive to con-
tented work the result will be a
hindrance to complete development for
the reason that the mind will be con
tinually diverted to circumstances and
instances along the more favored way
so that the best result will not be OBJ
tanned where there has been a mani
| fest preference for other specific en-
ployment.
1t is the policy of the best edu-
Gators to give our students practical
| instruction and to ut them for imme-
date service on the completion of the
prescribed course of study. 1t is for
| this reason that the college curriculum
| of today recognizes the necessity OF
permitting elective studies and provides
opportunities to specialize on subjects
| that will be of the greatest help in
preparing for the practice of the vari-
Gus professions.
My plea this evening is for timely
recognition of natural talents. If we
| set aside our inclinations and study our
aptitude we will undoubtedly discover
| that we have calling. We should
assist those under our charge at ar
irving at this most important stage in
their lives. The teacher should study
pupil with untiring zeal and analyse
his character, disposition and ability.
This is of equal Importance with teach
| ing the usual rouno of topics. A
teacher should be proud indeed who
first correctly ascertains the special
aptitude of a pupil. Parents should
not interfere in this matter by pre-
maturely deciding just what their chill
dren shall do for there can be no
| greater hardship to a child than to
compel him to adopt a life's work
| that is contrary to the natural taste
and faculties that the Creator has given
| him. 1t should be a matter of con-
| graduation when a child shows talents,
| which II properly fostered will eventu-
| ally lead to some honorable calling.
Ny remarks are directed more par
| ticuarly to those who are to be the
workers of the coming generation and
who are to Dear their share of the
burden and heat of the day OF our
advancing civilization. Those who do
not expect to climb but are to remain
content with so-ealled liberal edu
E q Chy ~