Honolulu Republican, Volume IV, Number 492, 9 January 1902 — WORK OF HONOLULU TEACHERS [ARTICLE]

WORK OF HONOLULU TEACHERS

Difficulties Enccoatered la tiie Kindergartens of This City. ! r CHILDREN OF MANT RACES ATTEND d t influence of the schools IS ■ SHOWING ITSELF ON THE $ PARENTS.

Cleanliness and Self-Reliance Are Especially Impressed on the Minds k of the Little Ones— Pick Up English Language Very Quickly Plague Time Benefits the Schools There is hardly any city in the world where the kindergartens meet with as difficult and complex a problem a3 do the kindergartens of Honolulu, and the teachers have to contend with hundreds of obstacles which are presented owing to the diverse races and languages of the population of this rit v

bvery morning, with the exception of Saturdays and Sundays, one can :• see groups of little tots of all races—f haoles. Japanese, Chinese. Hawaiians and Portuguese, trotting along to the kindergartens, and at noon the same little crowds can be seen on taeir 1 way home from the schools. One Result of the Plague. It is only comparatively recently I that the kindergartens have been able to take children of all nationalities together In one school. Tins, curiously enough, is one of the few benefits which the plague time brought Honolulu. Previous to the plague the different nationalities attended separate kindergartens, but during the plague, when all the various races were crowded together in camps and barracks, the races were thrown together and mingled to such an extent that after that time the kindergartens experienced no difficulties In having the different races in the same classes. If seems as if a great deal of benefit is derived by this system. Nothing but English is spoken in the schools, and as the children have to use this language in their conversations with one another. It is found that those who know English unconsciously act as teachers for those who do not. As a general rule the children experience but little difficulty in picking up English. but special attention Is paid by the teachers that they learn tbe'cor-

root language and not tho mixed pigeon English which is generally spoken on the streets. All the words and phrases used by the teachers are of the simplest construction and a r e spoken very clearly in order that the children can get the correct enunciation. Great patience is exercised to have the children understand every word said, anu a phrase will be repeated time and time again until the teacher is sure that every child will grasp it. Social Work Quietly Done. While the work done in the kindergarten itself is more or less the same as that done in other places, it is the great sociological work which is quietly carried on by the kindergartens that is the most important feature; but this is done in so unostentatious a manner that it is very apt to be overlooked by the casual observer. The children who attend the kindergartens for a great part represent the coming generation of the labor element of these Islands, and the work of the kindergartens is invaluable, as it trains these children, who later will j beeotu. so important a class in our > social system, to form good habits, by i developing their chara< ters while | they are -*> young that the habits i formed new will cling to them all th-'ir lives Virtue cf Cleanliness. Cleanliness is one g-eat virtue which is constantly impressed upon the minds of the children. It often happens that a child wh* n at . tending the kinderga ten will be very 1 untidy n arrival in the morning. The 1 teachers will then immediately wash :he child and make it as clean as possible. The teachers state that with ' i very few exceptions the child will 1 < on take a pride in coming to sihooi ( den-; anl neat The influence of the kindergarten j also extends beyond the children and into the homes of the parents. Mothers' meetings are held regularly at the kindergartens and are attended by ( the mothers of the littie ones. At these meetings they are instructed or j the tea. hers to keep themselves and )

their h r >m- > 9 neat. and how to take care of their children. This work is certinly bringing very good resuits. Teacher* Visit the Horre. Many people think that the work of £r- kindergarten teacher begin* an’ ends with the daily period in the '■ol- This is a big mistake. Thtea sen, are constantly visiting h E’S of the children and doing their b- *t to make the parents keep their r -ni-- E-at and hyg sic. I* will often be seen that the teacher is a sociological worker of no m-aa im portance and. although the grea'— * results are of coarse expected frc-n the coming generation which ha* benefited from the iasTructicn in kin dtrganens and public schools, still the influ- nc e through the children on parents, and on the parents ii- ■ ■ -- i* constantly showing good re suits. Self-Reliance Taught.

A ?reat feature of the work in th • kindergartens is the teaching of self-reliance to the children and preparing them to take care of themselves as they will have to do in their later life. They are taught to make their own books and impl ments in the school and every 1 indergartea of the city can show ,i number of rakes, tools, baskets afid various other easily made articles which, although somewhat crude, are yet made so that they can be Used by the children. |

National Characteristics. Concerning the traits and special characteristics of the children attending the kindergartens it is said ly the teachers that these traits do not show nearly as much in the httle children as they would in childr, of a more advanced age. Still there are some distinct social chara ten'stics. The Japanese child is quick and easily imitat- s whatever he sees, y He is more superficial, however, than the Chinese who. while not very quick to grasp an idea, will retain what he has once learned. With the Han aiians there seems to ho more difference :n the different indi\idealities. some Hawaiian children being 1 exceedingly bright and others very dull. Th children get along well tog h * er. notwithstanding the difference in iace, and the sight of a kindergart-. n in session with the childr n if various nationalities in their hetero gcneons clothing., sitting at work around the low tables, is a very interesting one.