The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-06-14

~.
iaieff les ssmsea isaas iatas lnt6t
me toufar % study which ~ hRs -
lahouousls huill NJ on sach = pffean
Gus foundation.
N ~ well known thu, NJ. Woods
conduct Of tho Normal School is en-.
titeiy ~ variance with tho practise Of
normal schools elsewhere. Well quail.
hed normal school Instructors cmpioyed
here have NOS hesitatrd 10 say that W.
all might fall down and worship hts |
methods Of Instruction, without violat
Ing the Second Commandment, since /
they are not like unto anything In the |
heavens above, nor In the earth be-
meath, nor Ia the waters under the !
earth. That he Is out Of touch with |
modern educational thought is demon
strated by his attitude towards phonetic |
methods OF teaching reading, which
methods he has bitterly opposed for
years, even forbidding them TO be so
much as mentioned In the instruction
in the Normal School Yet, almost
every series of readers published in late
years is accompanied by teachers
manual based upon phonetics. In so
far as they teach reading, the Monies
sori methods, which have made such n
stir in the educational world lately,
are purely phonetic, letters and phono-
grams being among the first things
specifically taught. His opposition to
the use of textbooks in the hands of
the pupils clearly shows the academieal
and theoretical turn of his mind.
Everywhere else pupils are encouraged
to make the largest possible use of
books Some little time ago letter
signed "Normal School Teacher" was
published in The Advertiser, giving
pertinent facts regarding the teaching
in the Honolulu Normal School. Mr..
Wood mt once rushed into print with
general denial expressed in his sheer
ing, insulting way. / have not the
least notion rs to the identity of the
writer of that letter; but il it will be
any satisfaction to him--or her, as the
case may bel am glad to state here
that in my opinion and in the opinion
of every teacher with whom / discussed
that letter, il stated the case fairly
and truthfully. / am willing to en-
dorse every material statement made
in that letter as substantially correct.
: Few teachers have the temerity to dis
pute Mr.. Wood g dicta at present; but
! the day is coming when the honest,
earnest teacher will not be forbidden
the expression of opinion by the fear of
i. losing his means of livelihood.
r Enough has been said TO show why
. Mr.. Wells and ] were not permitted
h to present our course of study, and why
S ] have been so persistently and SC
n virulently attacked in the Bulletin
+ To introduce our work for consideration
t involved comparing it with Mr.. Wood't
+ course, and this comparison might
p possibly reveal defects in the latter
: The discovery of any weak points in
e the course of study might have led tC
s an examination of Mr.. Wood s whole
r system of instruction, in the course OF
r which examination points unfavorabl'
8 to his reputation as an educator might
o have been discovered. Naturally, moth
a ing of this sort could be permitted, anC
q so the cry of "Stop theft" was RAISED
/. to divert attention to me while Mr.
v Wood got away with his reputation al
Is an educational expert" intact. Their,
}. was nothing else to the whole rumpus
o With his customary mendacity Mr.
It Wood is now trying to make it appea
Il that he won out in the late contes
Is among the supervising principals. 4
y recent "editorial' in the Bulletin
d sueers at the "folly of the supervising
n principals" and seeks to convey tn
g impression that the "ifsurgents
/, totally failed to accomplish anythin
m of consequence. AS q matter of fact
Mr.. Wood was beaten Mt almost ever
s point. In spite Of his effective eontrc
" of publicity by means of inspire
N editorials and bogus news items; moi
m withstanding his intimidation Of men
,r bers of the meeting, and in spite of a
Is his skill as an educational expert
he was not able to prevent the indors'
ment of a number of common sens
;" ideas. The adoption of phonetics in til
~ teaching of reading; the adaptation Q
~ the course of study to the needs of til
- rural schools; the reestablishment {
is -, the receiving grade, and the larger us
~ of Textbooks in the hands of pupi
ny are all very important points, and a
hu are points which Mr.. Wood has siren
lss Ously resisted, though / shall not
gu surprised TO read in next weeks pape
40 that he has always advocated them.
90 addition to the above, his favorite fl
70 of nature study was so badly mutilat,
~ that he will be unable to recognize
an when the revised course of study
nc issued. He hooted at me for intima
Gu ing that week would probably
ee required for the consideration
"a. changes in the course of study; but
ny notice that the supervising principa
~ actually spent not one week but tl
lio in the revision. Taken all in all, N
"a Wood Is present attitude strongly ]
'n1 minds one of the doughty barnya
eu warrior who, after receiving SOU
drubbing, CALAMITY mounts his dun
NY hill and crows defiance to the depal
w ing victor in the fight.
ou c. Z. COPELAND.
30, Wailuku, June s, 1912.
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