NOTES FROM THE ANGLO-CHINESE ACADEMY OF HONOLULU
By W. E. Howell
I had rather an interesting experience the other day with a young man who had played truant both on his teachers and on his father. On his return to the school, he expressed a desire to discontinue his school work. I had been to see his father the morning of the same day. He was not aware that the son had escaped from custody, and said that he wished him to continue in school. Under these circumstances, I took the young man with me to see the father. After reasoning with the boy for some time, the father persuaded him that he was in the wrong, and induced him to return to his school work. The boy has always been well-behaved in school, but has the bad habit of smoking cigarettes, which had given us considerable annoyance; so I spoke to his father about the matter; and although the father had a cigar in his hand, ready to light, at the time I mentioned it to him, nevertheless he waxed quite eloquent in declaiming against the bad habit, saying that a boy ought not to smoke until he had his growth, but that after he became a man, if he wanted to smoke a little, it was all right. He told the boy that smoking and drinking were both bad habits, and ought never to be indulged in by a schoolboy. At the same time, the father’s breath was strongly alcoholic. This gave me opportunity to tell him that neither I nor any of the other teachers ever smoke or drink, that we regard both very injurious habits, and that we teach the boys accordingly. He said that we were right in this matter, and that he could trust his boys in our hands. It is difficult for the boys to see the force of our instruction in these things, when almost without exception the father uses tobacco freely, and in most cases alcoholic drinks also. It was rather a serio-comic picture to see this father berating his son for indulging in the same hurtful practices in which he himself was indulging in the presence of his son. Nevertheless, the boy nodded assent to all his father’s advice, and promised that he would follow it faithfully, as he had also promised us half a score of times before. I stepped into the house of a Chinese neighbor on an errand the other day, where I found two prominent rice-planters of my acquaintance, chatting together in the sitting-room. One of them was smoking a cigar. The other offered me a glass of wine which was standing on the table near by. On my declining it, he said: “Oh, yes; I know you no drink wine, no smoke cigar.” “That’s good!” interrupted the smoker. “Yes,” said I, “I think it is good. It is much better for the health not to use those things.” “Smoke cigar cost too much money,” suggested the smoker. “That is true, but it is more important to keep the body in good condition,” I said; “and then the mind can understand better.” “That’s good,” said both together, “smoke cigar and drink wine no use. Good health is better.” “The teachers do not smoke or drink, and they teach the boys the same.” “That’s the best way.” The smoker is said to be the richest rice-planter on the islands, and is a Catholic. His two sons were educated in St. Louis College (French), just across the street from our school. One of them is now attending a Catholic school in Dayton, Ohio. A daughter is expecting to take the veil soon. The father is also president of the Chinese Reform Association in Hawaii. He has never had any sons in our school, but has had several relatives, and contributed money toward the erection of our buildings. A young man in the home, above the average Chinese in height, about nineteen years of age, whose features are not strongly Chinese, and whose complexion is unusually fair for one of his nationality, is greatly interested in his study and in the work of the school, although he has been with us the present year only. While I was in his room last Sabbath evening, he said to me, “You like queue?” “Yes, I like to see Chinese wear a queue,” I replied. “I no like queue. Long hair no use, too much trouble. I like cut my queue, but my father say No.” I told him the queue was all right, that the outside of the man is not of so much importance; but he was certain he did not want any queue, though compelled to wear one. The next day, Sabbath, while sitting at the reading-table, he found a picture of a Chinese idol. Seeing me, he asked, “You think Chinese idol good?” “No,” I said, “it can not help any.” He said, “I think Chinese idol no use. I go back China again, I never worship idol—foolish! Idol only made of wood, no can help anything.” Evening after the Sabbath, on entering his room, I found him reclining on his bed. I remarked, “Well, are you taking a rest?” He replied, “Yes, one day every week. I no work. To-day I rest, no study.” When I was about to leave the room, he asked, unexpectedly, “Professor Howell, by and by you go China, make one church, preach?” I said I should like very much to. He said, “I study in school now, by and by you go China, do that, I help you.”