Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-03-24

The College Club yesterday issued a
statement emphatieally opposing the
spending of $4,000 on a local school
survey and urging that public atten.
ton be centered on thesfederal survey.
That the local survey cannot be i'm
partial, particularly since Gov Pink
/, ham and Superintendent Of InStruc-
ton Kinney have. from the start, at
tempted TO block the federal survey, is
the substance Of the College Clubs
points. ss...
Yesterdays statement was brought
forth particularly because Of an item
OF $4,000 asked Of the legislature for
this local survey. -.
The College Clubs statement fol-
lows: " ..s L..
The federal survey for the public
schools In Hawaii is the cause that
brought the College Club into the lime
light and Is going to keep 1t there.
right on the firing line, until the case
Is lost or won, so far as the present
session of the legislature goes. The
federal survey is the reason the club
wrote fits recent letter concerning the
local survey work discussed in the BIZ
ennial report TO the governor. That
letter charged that such surveying
gets nowhere, is not reliable and
wastes the public money. These same
charges the club here repeats and en-.
phasiZes. ~. e.. H..
"In the school budget now before
the finance committee, the superin.
tendent has the following item: *
Salary for survey director. $4,000.
"Houge Bill 152, dated March 3.
r., "In the Star.Bulletin of March IA,
I appears to be an absolute neces-
sity as quoted by the superintend.
ent.' q.
at is, for with such an appropria.
ton the chances for an appropriation
for a federal survey go a-glimmering,
and the department is left TO act, still,
as judge Of itself, auditor Of its own
accounts. No danger of the plain pub
lie learning more than what the de-
partment thinks is good for them to
know!
This local survey looks toward at
least two purposes, to glorify the pres
ent regime, and to block the federal
survey. The territory cannot afford
surveys galore, and every penny for
local is a penny less for federal
survey. The superintendent calls for,
$500 to glorify the department in all
Its works and to compliment US fond
parents on how our own youngsters
can spell down the nation--delightfHl
reading, but expensive.
The club contends that the general
public is not particularly interested In
learning how much smarter the pres
eft. administration is than its prede.
cess0rs--half of the. survey is devoted
10 seli-sloyification: nor Is Che public
interested In spelling tests when the
report is uninteliigible and its only
apparent meaning is an absurdity.
A federal survey IS made by spe-
cially trained investigators and Stats
ticians. The expenses for the federal
survey now under discussion for this
territory would run about as follows.
according to DIR. Claxton's own est
mates :: The travelling and living ex-
penses of DR.. C.axton himself will cost
this territory not one red cent. The
salaries Of men sent, printing and dis
tribution Of reports, etc, will cost the
federal government about $4,000. The
travelling and living expenses from
Washington and return for from three
to five men must be met by the terri
tory. Such sum can better be esti,
mated by legislative committee than
by the College Club. II would scarce,
ly be twice the departmental glory
fund. perhaps net much more.
what would the territory get for
it, A, first-hand Inspection OF our
school system, our school laws anu
customs by man whom the United
states government has seen fit to send
ON important educational missions
to foreign lands. That DIR. Claxton
and the College Club have formed
hui to force Hawaiian teachers out o;
the schools is a pipe dream solely Of
the department DIR. Claxton win study
cur, schools and advise with us all, not
the governor alone and his officials,
but with us, the plain, everyday
people. We can then read what the
United States bureau of education
thinks would best help our children to
become better Americans.
The Governor says: 4 have my
own ideas concerning education in
these islands. Why did you go to-
Kinney
"The superintendent says: The de-
partment welcomes constructive criti-
cism-and condemns the criticizer.
"A federal survey says, by its re-
port This Is my final conclusion as to