The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1919-08-01
Maui's School Population
BY II. M. WELLS.

$3.50
There are enrolled in the Maui
County Schools, $3.50 pupils. Of
these, 1869 are in the Makawao Dis
trict, 1926 in Wailuku District, 1895
in the Lahaina District, 592 in Hama
and 23S on Molokai.
The Japanese are in the lead, num-
bering 1921, or 1880 of the whole;
the Portuguese rank second in num-
Der, with 900 pupils; then followed
Hawaiian 1856; Part Hawaiian 65S;
Chinese GAS; Porto Rican 1873: Am
erican 121; Filipino 1O1; Spanish, Sc;
Korean 43; Russian IL; German Q;
British 2; with Is others, designated
as "Other Foreigners"
There are 999 Japanese pupils in
the Waikiki District. The odd one
will be likely to show up in a few
weeks. These figures are interest
ing, showing, as they do, the cos
mopolitan character of our scholars:
but the tabulation by grades and ages
is the n that reveals the real
strength or weakness of our school
system, and shows us some of the
problems to be grappled with in the
future.
In the Maui schools there are 2175
pupils in grade one, or 1850 of
the whole. The enrolment in this
grade at this time of year, however,
is somewhat greater than at the mid
die of the school year. In December
there were 1766 enrolled in Grade /.
That Maui is not SO far behind the
other Islands however, is shown by
the fact that Maui had 1850 in first
grade, Kauai 1920, Hawaii 1920,
while Oahu with her big graded
schools, had 25.5% in Grade l.. 1t
should be noted, too, that 500 of
Maufs schools are of the u~ngraded
one and two type, while Oahu
has only POO of her schools of this
class; Kauai only 1910 and even Ha-
wall, with her scattered populations
has but 42%c.
Pupils Less Each Year
The general public is likely to be
somewhat misled by these figures,
unless it is explained that our pres
ent course of study plans so much
for the first grade that it is impossi-
bic for the majority of our foreign
pupils to complete the work in less
than two years. The first grade,
then, is practically a double one.
Maui's second grade has 500 enrolled.
This shows a fair rate of promotion
since half of our first grade enroll
ment for December was 924, and since
each year should show, normally, a
decided increase in enrolment over
the last. While Maui's rate of pro-
motion in this grade is somewhat be-
low that of Oahu and Hawaii, it is
better than that of Kauai.
The third grade, with an enrolment
of 761, shows a falling off of 2OS as
compared with the second. This is
a greater decline than the yearly in
III Nv SldutS WOulu
warrant, and shows the effect of the
poorly graded schools. This rate of
promotion, however, compares favor
ably with hat of Hawaii, but is some
what behind that of Oahu, while
Kauai speeds up at this point, and
shows an enrolment greater than
that of her present second grade.
Maui's Grade ", 557, shows another
big drop, as does Grade V, 375, Grade
VI, 258, and VII, us; while Grade
VIII makes an anti-climax with an
enrolment Of an ever hundred.
In December last, Maui had an en-
rollment of los in her eighth grades.
This was a trifle over 2 percent of
the enrolment of all her schools.
Hawaii had a trifle under 2 per cent
in her eighth grade, Kauai a little
over 2bR, while Oahu had some
thing under $40 in The same grade.
HERE is HAWAIFS SCHOOL
PROBLEM IN A NUTSHELL. WHY
DO so FEW OF OUR PUPILS EVER
REACH THE UPPER GRADES?
HOW SHALL WE REMEDY THIS
CONDITION?
What kind of citizens are we train
ing, when the majority of our pupils
reach the sixth grade? Here
are a few more figures: In 1914,
4453 pupils were in the schools of
the Territory, who were in the sec
ond grade. Four years later, only
2162, or less han one half, had reach
ed Grade vi. What of the submerged
half?
Rising Generation Reads Little
1t is IA thousand times more danger
GUS to u Democratic institutions