Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-01-06
PROGRESSIVE SCHOOL POLICY

Editor Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
Sir was more than surprised at
the stand taken by the Hilo Tribune"
on the PROPOSED bcttermeutS OF the
public school system on the big ISL
and. and amazed that Mr.. Kinney. an
editor, who should know AMI apprc-
Clate TIC value of education. not only
10 his craft but to the community as 4
whole, which, as this same education
spreads, increases his line OF work ard
usefulness. should be the enc to place
a stumbling block in the path or at
I tempt to erect a barrier across tie
line of progression. Such opposition
to educational, advancement is to be
expected from those who cannot sec
where return is made for the money
| invested in SchOOlhOuSPS and in
structors. Opposition and Crnmbling
over expenditures of public money fol
school purposes may be looked for
from men of the stamp and calihcr uf
a supervisor Of an eastern city OF
about the sixth class, who objected to
the city spending money for number
OF gOndOlas for the lake in the public
park. but was in favor of purchasing
pair of them and let nature take its
course, and in time they would nave
all the gondolas they could take care
Of and feed. 1t is from men of that
condensed form of comprehension that
we expect a wet blanket thrown Oh
propositions of advancement along
educational channels. but not from the
Editor Kinney class.
TQoPhinO
an ideal occupation at any time, and
much less on the island of Hawaii
One of the outstanding and most giar-
ing defects of the American school
system is the inadequacy of salary
and accommodation for the rural
school teacher. And this condition
obtains on the mainland as we'll as in
Hawaii.
neighborhOod without a school is
lacking in very essential moral and
social influe nee for those who will
shortly take our places and keep this
old world on an even keel. The fact
that large educational institutions are
located in some other part Of the state
or territory to be taken advantage of
by the young should in no degree less
.
influence to the limit
For this reason it is easy to fall in
to sympathy with an idea advanced by
DR.. Philander P. Claxton, national
commissioner of education, before the
fortieth annual session of the Massa-
chusetts state grange of the Order of
Patrons of Husbandry, recently held
In Springfield, Mass. Dr. Claxton pro-
poses giving to every district school
teacher, for his use while acting in
that capacity, farm of several acres
and home, in addition to his salary.
This, as DR.. Claxton views it. would
not only be helpful to the teacher ma
terially, but it would encourage his
interest in agriculture and lead him,
naturally, to interest his pupils in the
subject of. farming. /
i am of the opinion that DR. Clax-
| tons idea would be most applicable to
Hawaii, as the soil of Hawaii is the
life of the territory:
If l had my way, ! would have a
schoolhouse on, every corner and one
in. between, and the teachers should
| have the best there was in the land to
make them comfortable.
The world has witnessed many
strikes of the different trades and pro-
fessions, and it can be truthfully said
| that, settled or not settled, strikes
have cut but little Importance in the
life of the world, but can Mr.. Kinney
conjure up mental blue print of the
result of strike of school-teachers?
SCHOOL ADVOCATE.