Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-01-27
GRAND JURORS
PRAISE SCHOOLS
and FIRE DEPT.

| AMI fML DLPl.
! Two interesting sections in the re
cent report of the territorial grand
Jury that recently finished its years
work are as follows: III
! FIRE DEPARTMENT.
/ We wish to state that it would be
hard to find a body of men-from
Chief Thurston down-more efficient |;
Ithey all seem to be happy and take
great interest in their work
The following items would increase
the efficiency of the department: H.
More liberty for the men, Increase
pay for firemen and drivers 3-The
merit SYSTEM 4-Replacing horse
drawn with motor apparatus. 5-That
the hook and ladder truck be placed
in commission. 6-New stations.
The men az present have liberty of
"a hours every IL days. The chief
states that, by increasing the present
force with three extra men he VIII be
liable to allow them "a hours off every
eight days. which will compare favor
ably with other cities, which allow, in
most cases, "a hours off every six
days. - -
/ Increase In pay--Foremen of com.
panies now receive $95 per month, as
compared with captain of police at
$110 per month, whose responsibility
is not any greater-if as much. Drit-
efs of trucks now receive $50 per
month. Drivers of police patrol re-
ceive 500 per month, have less re-
sponsibility and better pay. We re-
commend that they be advanced.
Merit system-We believe in, and
should be adopted
Replacing with motor trucks-This
is the most important point advanced.
Our city is increasing rapidly in size
and stretching over more area all the
time, and to more readily protect
same, will have to have motor appara-
tus to do it. As for years past outside
stations have been needed and asked
j for, but one has materialized- lat Kali
muki. By replacing said horse appa-
ratus the department win be in bet
| ter condition to answer long runs, and
get there before the fire Is out.
The pumping engines Should be
replaced by more modern ones, and.
with larger capacity. Should our bust
ness portion Of the city have big
! fire (Which is liable to occur at any
time) they viii more than pay for
themselves.
| Hook and ladder truck Should be
placed m commission, as buildings
! now in bu9iness section are much
higher they need the hook and ladder
truck more than ever. It may, in case
Of bad fire, be the means of saving
!, the business portion of the town from
being swept clean
New stations-Have been needed
for some time-Une, especially, in
Chinatown. We do not approve Of all.
city apparatus being located at one
station, as Is now the case.
! We find the station building at
Makiki in q very poor condition. and a
disgrace to our fire department. The
proper authorities should at once re-
pair and paint the said station, as the
men living there are entitled to same
| PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I'VE find the public schools under
the administration Of Superintendent
H. W. Kinney in excellent condition.
At this season attendance is The larg
est OF the year. The increase has been
met by the construction Of the bun
galow house, which meets all require
ments The country authorities have
been liberal In carrying their share OF
scfoolhouse maintenance Earnest
effort has been made to Keep pace
with needs in both town and country.
INSTALLATION Of manual training and
domestic science departments in the
schools is progressing admirably and
it would appear that profitable results
must accrue along these lines. In these
features there has been improvement
in both working basis and policy.
"A new plan or method of providing
examination questions is looked upon
by experts as distinct advancement.
THE reduced attendance as the
grades advance is feature of school
statistics everywhere. The abnormal
lily large attendance or enrolment in
the first grade shows disposition on
the part Of all parents to start the
child with an opportunity at the edu.
cational advantages Of the territory
and to keep down the percentage OF
illiteracy.
sAn apparent startling shrinkage in
attendance on the second grade, as
compared with the first, at present
one-ha1f, is due to the fact that owing
to lick of knowledge of English the
greater portion Of the children spend
two years with first grade making il
practically two grades in one.
Use Of the public school as a com.
munity center or neighborhood is an
innovation at Honolulu and is a wise
departure
The Liliuokalani School at Kaimuki
is used by the local Improvement
Club, the Mothers Club. Boys Club