The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-12-31

paper few weeks ago after Mr.
Thwing's letter, which was much to
the point, and after your editorial, ii
seemed as if there was no more to say
for, in reality those who have found
fault have never gotten to the root of
the matter. But in your issue of the
10Th of Nov. there appears one who
calls himself ''Viator.' His attack
is somewhat different; he speaks with
authority. l recognize in him CO.
worker, pedagogue, who belongs to
the old school sather than the new.
l say, Mr.. Yiator, that you belong to
the old school Will you let me modify
that for reasons which viii appear later,
and say that you cling to the old school
as against the new, with certain hmi-
tations because of which l cannot see
your exact position; i. e., to quote from
your article: "To come back to the
original question, must we choose be-
tween quality and quantitya" Let me
also give your reply found in the last
part of the same paragraph: eff we
devote our primary grades to formal
work leaving international and cultural
subjects for the grammar and high
school grades, we shall presently attain
satisfactory results in both the quality
and the quantity of our public school
work. You also used these words
bearing on the same point: ITO devote
the first four or five years of school life
exclusively and energetieally to the
mastery of educational technique is to
make rapid and satisfactory progress
later on. -
Your proposition then is this-that
in the grammar school, i. e., above the
fourth grade, the "new" is right, but
in the primary school, i. e., below the
fourth grade, the "old" is what is
needed and the new is entirely out of
place. Let me express your PROPOSE
ton in other words: Our whole scheme
for educating the child should vary with
the grade. You have arbitrarily placed
the change to be made between the
fourth and fifth grades. Can it be
possible, Mr.. Viator, that you mean to
stand for statement like that, or have
l misunderstood your attitude?
Let us take the example of a car
penter learning his trade. He begins
by making things and he goes on by
making more complicated things until
he can build house. In doing this, i. e.,
in actually making things, he learns to
use his tools. This IS "basie. He
does not waste several years in saving
boards, boring holes and chiselling
spaces to no purpose. However, you
propose such a scheme for our schools.
To go step farther, your proposition
is this: In those years in which habits
are formed, in those years in which
character is moulded, in those years
which are the brightest and choicest of
a child's life, i. e., in the first four
or FIVE years of his school life, the
child is to be shut up within four walls.
We must close the doors and draw the
shutters lest perchanee there should
come in stray sunbeam, wandering
the song of bird or the
odor of a sweet scented flower. Re- |
member. we must be consistent, Mr..
Viator. we must have no pictures on
the walls, there must be no plants on
the window stills, and we must remove |
the aquarium which has been source
IF so much joy to the little ones with IT'S
water plants and goldfish. Yes, we
mist be consistent, for five or more |
hours each day at the most impress
,ionable age of childhood, we must
shut out Gods world from these chill
4ren. Yes. we must shut out Gods /
world as much as lies in our power
but do I need 10 remind you, Mr.
viator, that sheep will browse and
iucks seek water? 1
And, Mr.. Viator, what are you going /
% give these children for FIVE hours
zach day, 100 days each year for four
,ears? Remember, this means what
ire you going to give them at the pc
iod of their lives when impressions are
% easily made and so lasting, for 1.-THE
.arly impressions are the lasting ones
IRE you going to give them drill, drlll,
lrill: words, words, words; figures, fig
Tres, figures?
Words, words. words
Till the brain begins TO swim;
Words, words, words
Till eyes are heavy and dimi
Remember, l say, sheep will browse
nd ducks seek water. / can recall
nany boy who would not endure such
school; they were the ones who
PLAYED hockey And you must adj
ait. Mr.. yiator, that many of these
ovs who did not endure hold higher
ositions of trust today than you and
who did endure.
Have YOU. Mr.. yiator, like our friend