The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-12-12
Makes Reply To College Club
Suggestion For Holding Sur
vey Of School System
DoDGES MEAT OF DEMANDS
lNlETTER TO COMMISSION
Makes One Statement Plainly;
That He Trusts Personnel
of School Board

1t is Uncomfortable to Governor Pink.
ham why there should be in the Terri.
tory so many Observation-Disclosures
who claim TO be imbued with all the
virtues.
He expresses his surprise over this in
a communication yesterday to the com
missioners of public instruction, this
being the Governor response to the
Suggestion. of the College Club that the
authorities should make provision
whereby there could be federal sur
vey made of the Hawaiian public school
system, with view to determi ming
where improvements could be made.
The Governor writes:
No Generalization Allowed
"Gsntlemen-Jointly with you l
have received communication from
the Colleges Club.
In an interview with the president
of that club and the author of the com
munication called their attention to
, lines three, four, five and six on the
fifth page and inquired if the .incide lent
referred to was the melting motive of
the paper. This was admitted. then
inquired as to the name Of the person
therein referred to. After attempts at
generalization, they stated it was Mrs.
Penfeld, who, | understand, failed to
meet the highest professional require
ments of the department of public in
struction. This point am not called
upon to determine Your board of ex-
aminers can inform you of the merits
or dcmerits Of the case.
Normal School Effective
81 nave been aware for over a year
II the pressure circumstances have
brought on the normal school and its
teachers. 1 have used my personal in
.fiupnre in several instances where frail
keachers seemed to be breaking down.
Owing to the increased dPma nds on the
normal school, funds have not been
available to meet them, yet | venture
to say the normal school has more effec
lively carried out its mission than
some Of our higher institutions and at
far greater tax on it's teachers.
That the Normal School can betinr
proved eatn0t be disputed in case the
necessary funds are provided, and if
the statement long since made to me
by the superintendent of public instruc-
ton is correct, the department has con
sidered raising hat school 5 standards
and opportunity.
Fairness To Local Students
"The Normal schools of this Terri
tory and the States have in view two
objects: First, to provide teachers com
petent to instruct pupils in primary and
intermediate and common school educa
ton, leaving the higher and profession
al education. which has it's decided linn
itatiOn in numbers and ability, to in
situations and professors of tentatively
recognized qualifications; Second, to
provide honorable occupations for our
local young men and women. Any at
tempt to deprive these local Young men
and women of the opportunity they
have been encouraged to seek and pre-
pare for is most reprehensible. | am
authOritati>cly informed lthese Normal
School graduates are generally making
good, even more 80 than many main
land teachers. If the standard of the
Normal School is not sufficiently high,
raise it, and let public sentiment compel
II aBd also compel the protection of
our owu'peOple in, the limited opportun-
tiles for refined and intellectual livcli.
hood now too limited at best.
cit is Uncomfortable to me why in
the Territory of Hawaii there should be
80 many detractors, detractors who
claim to be imbued with all the virtues
No Discrimination
1.-The superintendent of public in.
struction has given facts relative to
mainland teachers vs.. local teachers,
and il would seem seventy-three of the
former to thirty.seven certifcated of
the latter during the past year was no
discrimination but the reverse.
eff it is the purpose to eliminate
our Normal School graduates in favor
OF mainland college graduates, why not
state the issue plainlyf
81 believe the board of commission
ers of public instruction is capable of
handling the situation and making cor
rcctions and advances when and where
required. If they feel they are not,
they certainly can indicate their need
for assistance.
"In seeking assistance it should be
such as has prepared itself by deep
study and knowledge of our strikingly
diverse local conditions, and is not
above our practical requirements"
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