The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1919-04-11
BY VAUGHAN ~MacCAUGHEY.

hS lOllOW luS Interesting pdDbT Ou
needs of the public school system was
read by Prof. MacCaughey at a
teachers meeting held in Kawaiahao
church, Honolulu, some months be-
fore he had any intimation that he
was to be superintendent of public
instruction, and is the more interest
ing from this fact.)
Hawaii can be justly proud of her
public school system. On the whole
it ranks favorably with many school
systems. serving similar populations,
i he States. All Systems" how
I /, enc to fall behind the progress
of the times in this swiftly moving
age. Throughout the United States
the purposes, content, administration,
and community relationships of educa-
ton are being studied more carefully
and more scientifically than ever be-
fore in the history of any nation.
We understand more clearly than
ever before that if we are to succeed
as a great nation, and as champions
of true democracy, we must succeed
in the realm of public education.
Ignorant peoples, half-educated peo-
pies, and wrongly-educated peoples
(the Huns for example), are heavily
handicapped in the Twentieth Cen
fury march toward real civilization.
Everyone is looking toward the
future. The gigantic mistakes and
evils of the past cannot be undone,
but we can use our best knowledge in
building for the future. In a very
real sense, the future of Hawaii is
inseparably bound up with her public
schools. Hawaii's educational pro-
gram is thus of vital interest to every
man, and child in Hawaii.
In the brief time at my disposal l
shall endeavor to present, as con-
cisely as possible, three great educa-
tional problems that Hawaii must
solve if her schools are to most effect
lively serve her people and her needs.
Many other problems might be emu
merated, but these three will indicate
the large lines of advance.
Rural Education
Any school system that has the
same identical curriculum, methods,
and administration for city and for
country serves neither city nor coun-
try effectively. Hawaii is preeminent
ly a rural country. Her basic indus
tries are agricultural. Her country
schools must be developed to serve
the country, and not to lure children
into the city. This has been found
true throughout the mainland. Rural
schools have been merely miniature
city schools, with city teachers, city
methods, city point of view, and city
ideals. The mass of Hawaii's popula-
ton must be trained to live success
fully and happily in the country; to
earn their living through agriculture;
and to develop a self~-respecting citi-
zenry on the land.
This involves, not only agreat read
justment of our present rural schools,
but also profound changes in many
rural institutions. 1t is not within
the province of this address to dis
cuss the latter, although they are ex-
tremely important. The first great
step is to get teachers who are gen.
uine rural teachers; whose homes
and ideals are rural; who understand
rural life; and who can teach children
in terms of rural life. Most rural
teachers are not only very temporary,
but have not been trained in rural
life and industries.
The second step is to give the rural
curriculum a large agricultural con-
tent; it must deal largely and con
cretely with country life and country
institutions. Most curricula, in the
past, have been made for city folk, by
city folk. They have emphasized liter
airy, academic, and city subjects, and
have looked with either ignorance or
scorn upon agriculture and rural life.
The school-garden movement has beer
OF great value in giving genuine rural
material to our country schools.
The third step is to make the rural
school a real community center. Peo-
pie like s~ociability; like to get to-
gether. The routine and monotony OF
rural life, as contrasted with the
sociability and diversity of the city,
has been one of the chief reasons
why country boys and girls have re-
fused to remain in the country. The
rural schools, with trained, high
grade, wellpaid, permanent teachers
have a great field for service before
them. At present this field is scarce
ly touched.
Industrial Education
The vast majority of boys and girls
are hand-minded, not academic. The
majority will not go to high school;
only a minute fraction will go to
Yollege. At present they are all fore
ed through the same academic curri-
culum, with very little handwork, and
practically no industrial training.
hey leave the plantations because
they are not trained toward the
plantations. Until we have a general
system of industrial education, that
will give boys and girls the opportun-
ity to learn rural industries, we will
have the problem of great numbers OF
children leaving the schools untitled
for any useful activity.
The majority of girls become home
makers, yet the curriculum contains
little concrete subjectpatter dealing
with home-making. The majority OF
boys are to be hand-workers, yet edu-
cation in terms of hand work is just
beginning to make its appearance in
school curricula.
or course, any progress in indus