The Honolulu School by I. C. Colcord

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Aug 11, 1904

The Honolulu School

By I. C. Colcord

THIS past year has been a busy one in the Anglo-Chinese Academy. This school, when established, was for Chinese, and Chinese only. But owing to the changes here in the islands, financially, politically, and socially, the school for the past two years has been cosmopolitan, also co-educative.

We have matriculated Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Hawaiians, and Americans. This mixing of races has not been devoid of some good results. On the playground the boys are compelled of necessity to choose some language in common, thus the English wins its way. And in the class room it brings in a healthy stimulus. A noticeable improvement has been made in the matter of “talk English” among the students this year.

Nevertheless a watch-care is needed to guard against cross-purposes. The Chinese and Japanese are book-worms; the Hawaiian does not have the same ambition to delve into his books. Of course there are exceptions, for some are very bright and talented. The harm that may come to the American boy is speaking what is called “pigeon English.” This is using abbreviated phrases, as, for instance, “I come see you,” “me like,” “I no see,” and “all same.”

The methods of imparting our language to the foreigner are many. “Necessity is the mother of invention” is exemplified, to the truthfulness of the old adage. For instance, the teacher wishes a Japanese student to learn a certain thing, but the little Jap does not understand, so the teacher calls to her aid a Chinese student, who understands what is wanted, but the two can not talk together; and here comes the interesting feature: the Chinese and Japanese use the same characters in writing, so the Chinese student writes on the blackboard or paper in hieroglyphic penmanship that the Japanese student can read.

Thus the three bring about an understanding. Pictures, real objects, blackboard, freehand sketches, and actions suited to the thought are much employed as helps in teaching.

To discriminate between words that have but small shades of differences in sound is somewhat amusing; as, grace and grass, quick and quack, hair and hear. More could be written along this line of peculiar experiences met in teaching among the Orientals, but the preceding will suffice to give a hint.

All the students were in Bible classes the past term. The advance pupils studied the doctrinal truths as held by our people. Some of the boys made very neat Bible lesson books. The boys also like “Christ’s Object Lessons” and “Heralds of the Morning.”

Boys have now gone from this school to the United States to prepare for service in the Master’s vineyard. Two Chinese boys of our school were baptized on July 3 by Pastor Behrens. One of them left July 8 on the steamship “Mongolia” for Healdsburg College, to enter upon a medical missionary course of study. But, to gather in these boys from their deeply instilled superstitious practises is a slow work, calling forth much patience and perseverance. One of the quickest and surest ways of bringing a Chinese boy under conviction and conversion is to have him live with you in your home, eat at your table, sing and pray with you in the family circle. Take one of these boys into your home and give him a practical Christian training. You will find him apt and susceptible. He will please you, if you get a good one; you will learn to love him, and your heart will be touched with the crying needs of China. This has been our experience and practise.

We long for the time when the Lord says, “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.” Zeph. 3:9.

I. C. COLCORD.