Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-04-06
APRIL &, 1914
PRACTICAL EDUCATION

Education has commanded special attention
of late in consequence of the publication Of the
letter to the Governor from the superintendent
designate of Public instruction. whose views
by the way, met with general concentration
Mr.. Kinney as candidate showed thai he had
a very good grasp of the general needs of tho
territory and his words of criticism fO" errors
or what he believes to be the errors of the past
are of character to Indicate that he is a build
er rather than a DESTROYER.
Every man finds handling task quite diff
ferent from discussing it at long range
Probably Mr. Kinney's opinions vocation
nj training were read with more searching and
general interest than any others. This is a topic
TO which all are deyoting much thought. Prac
teal more effective, more helpful education is
what we are driving at.
On this phase and sphere of education. 0uI
old friend Ray Stannard Baker has made some
very enlightening comment in. the current issue
of the American Magazine. Incidentally educa
tors must thank Mr.. Baker for coming a new
phrase which epitomizes an ambition which the
practical men have for the educated and the edu
Gator Hesays the scouts of modern knowledg,
are "teaching the people how to conquer the
As the Star Bulletin understands it, that is
what we seek here in Hawaii--that the children
shall be fitted to dealwith what they find right
under the soles of their feet, not a far distant
dreamy theoretical impossbility which will lead
far away from everyday facts of real life, on
that will cause them to be discontinued on &C
count of a false estimate of their opportunities
Mr.. Baker centers his remarks on the western
university but it applies with splendid force tc
every detail in the scheme of education. He
writes as follows, the emphasis is ours:
"A new movement has not only its morality but
its teachers shonld saw, indeed that the soul of
the new educational movement in America, which is
closely linked up with agricultural development is
passion for the adaptation Of knowledge.
Emphasis in education in the past has been upon
the requirement of knowledge, often of useless
knowledge; but in the great vital peoples universe
ties OF the West while investigation and the
quirement OF knowledge remain large part of the q,
work the profound emphasis the sense of vivid
life, the weight Of enthusiasm, is upon the adapta
ton OF the of knowledge hitherto hived
up in libraries and in the brains of to the prac-
teal problems Of everyday life. l treasure a re-
mark of of the ablest Of the leaders of the
education President Van Hise of Wisconsin Univer-
sity with whom had of the most interesting
talks of my western trip Es*~
Think of it.! he said. we know enough already
to double the agricultural production of the state
Of Wisconsin; know enough to eliminate
practically all contagious diseases; know
enough TO- make over government that it
will serve the people more justly; but the great
problem is one of applcation-to get all this knowl
edge out among the people and make it effective
This idea is what has made the great western
universities so strong so full of enthusiasm; it is
felt to be a new work. somehow connected up with
the new pioneering. And today in every little town
country settlement in MINNESOTA Wisconsin, Iowa,
Kansas, Missouri Illinois, Michigan you will find
these scouts of modern knowledge at work. telling
the people how to conquer the wilderness under the
s0les Of their Shoes
IF there be any pessimis in the east with
outlook on American institutions, let him go out
] have, and travel for day so, with a group of
these farm reVivalsts. hear them talk better pota-
toes better better COWS, better schools better
churches,--and not only tell them. but show them"
This is just what we expect from our eluca
tional reriyalistS in Hawaii. We ask that the,
not only tell us but also show us.
Mr. Baker went abroad looking for The pic
neer i'm the middle west. He found the obiet.
of his search AZ just summarized. If the pcop
of Hawaii have not a pioneer work in dignity