The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1919-07-04
Il LITTLE MORE ABOUT H WAILUKU SCHOOL

In answer to an editorial which appeared in The Maui News, June
20, Miss Orchard the principal sent a letter to the Open Forum which
was printed last week. The letter is intended to be a justification and
q criticism, instead of which it is but a confirmation Of statements which
have been made by The Maui News and visitors to Maui.
Before we go any further, The Maui News wishes to point out
that Miss Orchard is laboring under a nislnterpreuon OF the editorial
in question, when she states that it is a malicious attack against the
school and all connected with it. The editorial was not written as an
attack on the school or any individual, but mainly with the idea of &C
quainting the citizens of Maui with the conditions surrounding the
school to which they we're sending their children. The medicine may
have been strong, but it was made strong in an attempt to awaken the
community or county government, and The Maui News criticism was
made solely with the object of lettering conditions, not beGtting service.
Miss Orchard maintains that the criticism of unheathful cOndi-
tons is hurtful, and intmates that the editorial was inshgated by idle
gossip. The Maui News backs up its statements by the statement of
DR.. j. I. Wayson, chief Sanltarlan of the board OF health, who, after
visiting the school on Maui, in which the Wanuku Public school was
included, stated that the toilet facilities at the public schools are a dis
grace to any civilized community, and to Mr.. MacCaughey, Superinten-
dent of Public instruction who stated that the toilets we're antique,
dlapidaed and in need of thorough oVerhaulng.
In her letter the principal admits that there are $50 pupils enroll
ed in her school and that the toilet facilities are inadequate; also that
the present toilets are the same as were installed Is years ago. 1t
stands to reason, by her own admission that inadequate toilet conditions
would breed unhealthful and inSantary conditions. 1t is true that the
editor of The Maui News paid a visit to the Waluku School on Satur-
day morning and that she did not find the toilets at that time in a
noXious condition, because there had been time to clean up, but they
were not any too clean and were in bad repair. With only seven
toilets for $50 children, it doesn't take a very lively imagination to
picture what. the condition would be when school was running.
In her letter, and also by her and the officials admissions to the
editor of The Maui News, a state of affairs is revealed as existing that
is surprising in this day and age. The Maui News begs to ask since
when has it become the duty Of the principal Of a school and the chill
dren Of a community to clean the toilets and lavatOries of the schools?
In a city the size OF Waikiki surely there can be procured someone
to attend to the janitor service daily instead of bi-weeky. Miss
Orchard is to be commended for her zeal in attempting to run her
school without a jantor service, but it is hardly possible that people
are not sending their children to school to do the jantor service that
they are paying the county and territory taxes to have done for them.
The Maui News repeats again that it is Wailukus shame that such
conditions exist and that it is necessary for strangers to come into Maui
and awaken the community to the fact.