The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-12-30

Of MANY KINDS

EDITOR STAR: / should like to
speak a word of praise and to pay a
tribute to the lawmakers, to the gov
eminent officials, to the public spirited
citizens, and to the merchants, pant
ers. business men, editors etc, and TO
everyone that has contributed in any
way to the development Of this city
and to the wonderful improvement of
this country.
For instance, to speak Of the schools
it is a long way from a grass hut,
and a native teacher who knew but
very little more than the children and
who did not think it out of place to
go to sleep during school hours, or to
let the children do the same; to our
school houses that cannot be surpass-
ed and conducted by teachers that can
not be surpassed if equaled by those Of
any other country in the world, And
at the same time having a system and
method of teaching that is said to sur
pass the best methods they have in the
T. S. or the mainland
/ will say that at the time | first
arrived here there were no schools in
the country districts or none worthy
of the name, or only such as | have
mentioned above, and but very few in
this city or in the small towns of the
other islands. Even the college at
Punahou was but a poor loking affair
in those days and in no way resem-
bled the fine and beautiful structures
to be seen there today. And not only
are our public schools unsurpassed nut
our colleges are said to rank even
higher than such colleges that are
situated upon the mainland. At least
| know one young lady a student of
Punahou, who left Honolulu for a
visit to the east, and who took an exam
while attending school there, and was
put in a higher grade than she was
when attending this college.
Indeed, Honolulu seems to me to be
a city of beautiful schools, and yet
they are talking of building more. And
this is also an ideal spot for educat-
ing chillren and is almost equal to
teaching them out in the open air, as
all the windows and doors of al the
schools are left open for the entire
year. And when it is said that the
children can play out of doors for the
entire year, with perhaps the eXcep-
! ton of a few rainy days, some idea
of the advantage to this city and coun>
ty for schooling may be learned.
And not only is it in Honolulu that
fine schools are found, for now they are
found in abundance in all the country
districts and there are no hamlets so
small that school is not to be found
there.
A like improvement is also seen in
our roads and bridges. For instance,
| can remember when Hotel street was
little better than mud-hole, and Fort
street in very rainy weather was more
like a river. Indeed there is but few
that can realize the wonderful improve
of this city, excepting those that saw
them in the old days. Very few too,
can realize the Improvement made in
the Pail road, which at that time was
that part of it on the other side and in
which place not few have lost their
lives. And not only are most of the
roads unsurpassed but the number OF
CT do
been laid out is something wonderful
In fact many of us can remember
when everything Waikiki of Richards
street was called the plains, with only
few residences. scattered about them.
A like improvement, too, is seen in
the private residences, some of the
best and most beautiful of which are
situated off the public tOads, and are
never seen by the average tourist, anC
by but few of the residents. 1t is {
long way, too, from a grass house to
palace for the residence of the king
and queens of Hawaii, and which
change many of the old residents have
seen take place during their residence
here; as well as many other changes
just as great These were no park
or squares with the exception of thu
Emma square in those days, that re-
member, nor were there the amount o
beautiful trees, flowers, or fruit that i
> now seen so abundantly almost every
where. And as for business block
there were none, or any that coul'
compare with those of today. Indee,
there were but very few stores wit
more than one story, and none Of then
with such fine plate glass windows, a
have so many of them today
GEO. OSBORNE.
Honolulu, Dec. 20, 1908.
81 Arthur Renton, a real estate dealer {
Oakland came up behind in an automC