Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-06-06
Mrs. Leopold. in an Interesting
Paper, Outlines Condi-
tons and Prospects

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Crhe following paper entitled Work
Among Hawaiian Women and Girls
I Its Present Condition and Prospects
was read at the annual meeting OF
the Woman's AIxiliarytof The Episco
pal church by Mrs. Leopold KToll:)
Before speaking OF present condi,
! tons and prospects Of the work among
/ Hawaiian women, and girls, il is neoes-
sary to look hack On earlier condi-
tiors in erder to appreciate the re,
ma:kabie progress that has been
made. By comparison OF what was
!! and what is, we can reasonably expect
even greater progress in the years TO
J come
II has been oniy three generations
ago that the work Of leading the Ha-
waiians out CT primitive conditicn
was begun. At that time, conditions
| in the islands were far from promis-
! ing, everything tended towards a Life
Of ease there was no necessity for
thought OF tie; future, Incentives for
mental activity were entirely lacking,
nature supplied all wants for the
twelve months of the year, and out.
side-of q few primitive arts, materials
for Which required little preparation
there was little need or opportunity
for the creative faculty rs develop.
The coming OF the white race changed
all this. With the higher ideals of
life And material conyenienees, more
demands were made upon the natives
to adjust themselves to environment
to which they had never been accus-
toned and make. use Of faculties which
had never before been brought into
activity
The change Of conditions was so
radical and sudden that large per-
centage Of them were soon found in a
class far beneath that of the new
ccme-s. Many felt that this was a
sign of race fnferiority, but others.Who
could see beneath the surface and had
the true Christian spirit of service
thought otherwise The former were
only too ready to let the Hawaiians
drift along and by SO, doing be in q
better position to exploit them and.
their beautiful home. On the other
hand the latter set to. work to train
aud educate the people TO fit them fer
the new economic condition.
In this they found a willingness on
the part of the natives, but the first
steps were feeble and many stumbled
by the way The worldly ones were
quick in saying What is the usa of
doing anything, |" but. in the face of
such. remarks and in spite of the OBJ
- af
were opened, workers labored on year
after year along definite lines and re-
suits have been obtained. We are not
so far removed from the beginning OF.
things but that we can see the same
principles in use. DurIchuteh schools 81
and especially the pfiors. realized the
surroundings in which most of the
children had bseH bf3qght up and
worked on the pfinciple that d large
part of right growth depended upon
environment.
The idea of home was the first thing
to be brought to them TO many, even
at this present time. home has been
merely a place for shelter The fam
lily life with it's affection and hope OF
the future welfare of the members
was an unknown quantity. Our bishop
has many times emphasized this point
and stated that our schools are to be
homes and not institutions for bool.
learning. This family life necessitat.
ed the exercise of selfrestraint where
inthe former condition this was not 50 |
necessary, for most Of the time was
spent out of doors and the children
were allowed to do pretty much as
they pleased. |
Possession OF the necessities and /
convenienCes of life required order, |
order required planning and planning
required thought The church's ssry-{
ices, sacraments and teaching werel
placed in the forefront from the very /
beginning and they have had much 10 I
do in the unbuilding of the present
generation It is therefore a proven
fact that it1mas not lack of mental I
ability or capability, nor a matter OF :
racial inferiority that left the earlier /
and even some of the present genera
ton of iIawaiians stranded on a low /
err plane IF life. The material for a I
more useful and better life was there /
but Il needed time to bring out. Today
We find, our women and girls, for it is .
these that our article is concerned :
with, equallinS their white sisters in
Of service, ability to plan
and carry out, to hold positions OF
responsibility an appte"iatA ideals OF !;
a higher lie. -
1t is a satisfaction and encourage
ment to the workers to look back a
few yearstat field siIeh as one finds
at Lahaina, and take note of the little
ones who came under the influence of
the church, gradually change and
blossom out into fuller life. 1t was
the close association with the workers
in the school and at the parsonage,
the taking part in the church services