The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-07-19
Honolulu, T. H., July II, 1868.

Honolulu. II. H., July IL ) 1SVS
Editor Adyertiser:-After reading
both articles in your paper from Kane
hameha students about the schools.
permit me space to write a few words
III this connection
The frs boy complained of not hav-
ing enough to eat and of the funny
kind of studies they are being taught
at the schools, and asked for the help
Of the public and the alumni. The see
ond boy, in an effort not to 9. degrade"
the schools, advised his sehoolmafe to
go somewhere else.
How much truth there is regarding
the food question remains for the boys
themselves to decide. What is enough.
for one class of boys may not be enough
for another, and vice versa. All de-
ponds upon the condition the boy sits
at table. whether his food storehouse
demands a large supply or not.
As a citizen who has the interest of
Kamehameha at heart, ] want to deal
more particularly with the funny.
kind of studies that are being taught
at Kamehameha. Altogether too much
criticism has been made of Kameha-
meha graduates on account of their poor
broken English, anu of their ineffi
e5ency in any particular line of work.
The school in an effort to turn out good
scholars as well as able mechanics IN
the limited time it has to accomplish
such an end. drags the boy through
school, and. like magnet, he absorbs
whatever sticks to hinrs and graduates
not knowing whether he should be
bookkeeper or a blacksmith Why. my
attention has been recently called TO
case where local groceryman want
ed an assistant bookkeeper, and some
of the best beokkeepers in school were
sent down to try for the place, but
none of them could fill the position.
What show will a Hawaiian boy
have to compete with the boys from
other schools If they are going to turn
out boys like this at Kamehameha,
where so many of them finish their edn-
ueations About 95 per cent. of the
boys who graduate from Kamehameha
have not the time nor the means to at
tend other schools, and it should be
the duty. of these schools to so arrange
their courses to suit the requirements
of these boys. In school like this.
that has lots Of available land, and
equipped with the best manual train
ing shop in the Islands, and also back
ed up with plenty OF money, it should
be able to turn out graduates that COM
pare well with those from the High
School and Oahu College. It could be
done, and the only hope of The Ha-
waiian people lies in the standard of
studies laced at Kamehameha. When
they graduate, they ought to be able
10. III. :
nographers, machinists. etc, and If they
desire to enter other schools they ought
to be able to enter the senior year at
Oahu College or the freshman at the
College of Hawaii.
This IS the problem that is facing
the trustees of the schools at the pres
ent time. Ten or fifteen years ago the
standard at Kamehameha was good
enough, hut today things have changed.
They need higher studies.
This brings up another question that
is of vital Importance to the interests
of the Hawaiians, and that is the
faculty at Kanlehameha. The idea of
bringing teachers 5000 thousand miles
across the ocean to be matron of the /
schools, or to keep the books, is absurd |
as well as lack of business Judgment. /
Why go away for teaehersa Here be-
fore your very eyes teachers can be OBJ
tanned that are qualified to fill the |
places. Some of the graduates of Oahu |
College can fill positions satisfactory ,
there, and even some of the former
graduates of Kamehameha who have |
practical experience can take charge of /
some of their shops.
It takes at least year or more for