The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-08-21
LOCAL SCHOOL
SYSTEM SHOWN
Superintendent Babbitt, Miss
Iaukea and Others Explain
to Fair Visitors.

CEAI1LE, aug. line Seh0ol exh1-
bit from Hawaii was inspected yester-
day by the members of the Exposition
Educational Association. It is the
plan of the educators to meet once a
week to discuss educational exhibits
and to exchange ideas.
The Hawaiian school display is in
charge of Miss Frances Lawrence, who
handles the kindergarten work in Ho-
nolulu; Miss Maude Woods, principal
of the Halawa school, on the island of
Hawaii, and Miss Lorna K Iaukea, of
the central primary school of Homo
lulu. Miss Lawrence has been in Seat
tie since the opening of the exposi
ton, but Miss Woods and Miss Iaukea
arrived only recently. They were I'M
able to come earlier owing to unfn-
ished school work.
Miss Lawrence addressed the educa-
tional association on the subject of
Hawaiian music. The Hawaiian chorus
gave examples of the songs that had
been written in the Hawaiian Ian
guage, Miss Lawrence explained that
there were comparatively few songs in
the Hawaiian tongue, but that during
later years music was developing rap
idly. The "hula'' music had been de-
veloped, and words had been set to the
catchy melodies of the islanders. AL
though the Hawaiians are musical,
none of their melodies has been ex-
panded into an opera.
Teaching Citizenship.
Miss Lorna K. Iaukea explained the
city school plan of Honolulu. One OF
the features of the government of the
schools is the organization of the pu-
pills into governing bodies. They elect
their own officers and enforce their
rules and maintain discipline. The
plan, under the supervision of princi-
pals, has produced good results, ac-
cording to Miss Iaukea. The pupils
are taught how to govern themselves,
and school department has reached a
high standard.
According to statistics given to the
| members Of the association by w. H.
Rabbit, Superintendent Of Public In
| struction for Hawaii, there were 3D.
$50 pupils attending the schools of the
Territory in 1908. The classifcations
bv nationality are as follows: Hawai-
| ian, 4767; part Hawaiian, 1901; Amer
lean, 90; British, 1S9; German, 265;
Portuguese, ATT; Scandinavian, 81;
Japanese, 6095; Chinese, 2797; Porto
Ricans, AT; Koreans, 16S; other for
eigners, 594.
Americans Predominant.
While the number of American pu-
| pills in the schools is comparatively
| small. there are more American teach
ers than of any other nationality. Out
| of a total of 4S9 teachers in the public
schools, there are $50 Americans and
| 142 part Hawaiians. In .the private
schools the proportion Of American
| teachers is greater. Out of total OF
| 269 teachers in private schools, there
| are 1853 Americans. There are IL Ha'
wa1lan teachers ana x part hD"all1'"
| in the private schools.
| Augustus F. Knudsen, chairman OF
the Hawaiian commission, addressed
| the association on the education of the
| old Hawaiians before they came into
contact with more cultured nations
His description of the clever workman
ship of the islanders impressed the edu'
| Gators with the idea that the Hawai-
| ians had progressed great deal in the
arts and Industries of civilization be
fore the islands became the crossroads
| of the Pacific ocean.