The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-09-03
ATTEMPT TO DELAY
SCHOOL OPENINGS .
BEATEN AT START
Charles Rice EnIists Aid Of Food
Administrator Child To Secure
Two Weeks Postponement
KINNEY VIGOROUSLY
OPPOSES THE PLAN
Refuses To Make Any Recommen
dalton To Governor - Says
Schools win Open On Time

half Of plantation interests, yesterday,
with a view of breaking through the
defenses of the department OF public
instruction and delaying the opening
" the schools so that school children
might continue to work in the cane
fields met with sudden defeat almost
before IL got started.
Superintendent Of Public Instruction
II. w. Kinney countered strongly and
hurled back the attackers with the
vigorous statement that under no cir
euinstanees would he lend himself to
any such plan.
It was Charles A. Rice, of Kauai,
orIner territorial senator and candi
ate again for the upper house, who
Brought up the matter yesterday and
enlisted the aid of Food Administrator
j. +. Child, who consented to take
teps toward having the Governor ask
II TO postpone the opening of the pun
lie schools. His proposition was thai
the Governor scould easily do this by
declaring a school holiday during tho
last two weeks of this month, thus en-
abling the school children 20 continue
TO work in the cane fields and "helI
save the sugar CROP
The same proposition was made re
Gently by s. o. Halls of the Hawaiian
Sugar Planters Association and met
with prompt assertion on, the part OF
Superintendent Kinney that the school,
wonld open on time.
Mr.. Child said yesterday, following
n conference with Mr.. Rice, that ''this
proposition Of delaying the opening OF
the schools for two weeks was sort o.
thrust upon me, but it seems to me to
be n practical suggestion.
81 expect to take the matter up with
the Governor, added Mr.. Child, "and
think that any legal objection can be
overcome by the recommendation OF
Superintendent Kinney, of the depart
ment of public instruction, to Governor
Mccarthy that the official opening OF
the, public schools be delayed until Dc
tober l next, and the issuing of a proc
lamation by the Governor declaring
school holiday until that time"
According to Superintendent Henri,
w. Kinney, however, there is littlC
chance of any such holiday being de
clared, especially with his recommend .
tion. When asked if he would eonside
such proposition Mr.. Kinney was ex
ceeding emphatic in his opposition.
81 simply will refuse to make an,
such recommendation to the Governor, ;
asserted Mr.. Kinney. 1.-THE school
will open promptly on time, as advise,
by the President, who SAYS that nothinI
should be allowed to interfere with tn
schools. The commissioners have al
ready acted upon this suggestion in tn
negative. As for the argument tina
the teachers will not be here in time
II is probable now that practically al
of-thOse expected will get here, due t.
the special arrangements that hav
been made. After all the trouble an,
effort made to get the teachers here il
time for the opening of the schools i
would never do to postpone the open
ing.e9'
The idea of postponing the openin
OF the schools for two weeks to enabl
the children on the various islands t
take part in the effort to harvest tn
sugar cane, as put forth by Senate
Rice is as follows:
Statement Of Charles Rice
49, III these youngsters are allowed I
continue work for two weeks lunCc
until the end of this month of Sc,
tcmber, said Mr.. Rice, lit will mea
much to the coming crop. The wcathe
conditions are ideal now and if W
can take advantage Of these wealth,
conditions il will mean an increase c
the yield Of about n half ton Of su2a
70 the acre. Furthermore, it will m"a
The releasing of large number {
adults for the harvesting of the pre-
ent fast rpening crop.
1.-THE work that these boys and gIr
are doing is not irksome nor arduou
Their work is strictly confined to plan
ing. They go to work at six in tn
morning and are through at about Nv
IN the afternoon. The Youngsters III
taktng great interest in their Wei
and are enthusiastic over the fact III,
they are taking an active part
helping win the war.
HThe boys Of fourteen and over NJ
very proud Of their working reserN
buttons and the youngsters under III;
age are a bit peeved because no III
vision has been made for them to wet
some sort of patriotic insignia. Foo
Administrator Child, however, is goir
70 try to arrange for these Kidd
TO have a food administration butte
which will cover this purpose just
we'll.
~. Boys and girls of all classes ar
III lu'N W
wosk. Plantation managers sons a
working alongside of field laborers al
storekeeper's sons. Sheriff Rice h
three sons at work who range fr"
twelve to seventeen years of age. Z
~. II, Waterhouse has a sixteen yea
old son who has recently worried hm
self up to a job of luna over one
these working reserve gangs.
The lads work on piece work al
there is great rivnlry among the variO
gangs. They make on an average
from twenty i've, cents TO q dollar
day, The eighty boys who went dow
TO Makaweli from Honolulu did exc
lent work rnd Manager Baldwin "
sorry to see them go. These b"
planted 40 acres of cane and too
care of it in manner as good
much older persons.
"Despite Superintendent Kinney
opinion to tie contrary, l see no rem
why school could not be started ~
weeks later this year. If week "