Pertaining to the English Language.

O Kuokoa Newspaper: Aloha oe:—

In the year 1866, I asked a missionary, “What is the reason English isn’t being taught in the government schools,” and he replied, “That is what I think as well, but we are weak, there are not enough of us, and we teach Hawaiian, and from amongst our students we find teachers.”

The Hawaiians are often astounded at seeing how quickly the haole gains wealth, and one asked me, “How does the haole get rich?” I answered this way, “Why is the cow in the fields fatter than the cow that works, isn’t it because it isn’t tamed? or because it is independent? or because it refuses to have it’s neck put in a yoke? That’s it. So when shown the yoke of the haole, your necks are put within it and your noses are soon wired; some may say, ‘How are we to live if we don’t work under the haole; they have the work, to them belongs the land, because soon our land will all be taken by you.’ It is true, you cannot survive without working for the rich (haole), but you can think about your children, lest they fall into the abyss with you. This race was called a race of slaves in a newspaper in New York, and I say to you that this will soon be true. ‘Your noses will be put through with a wire.’ until the day when the English language spreads amongst you, then you’ll will be able to remove your yokes and associate with the haole.

If you all understand the language and the knowledge of the haole, then you’d be able to climb the path and meet up with them in law, medicine, &c.

What is the reason that the college of Lahainaluna is not changed, having only English taught there?

This college is currently a waste. And so too the other schools, the government schools. We must all think carefully about the good of our children. That is no reason for them to forever more work under yearly contracts, for we’ve worked under yearly contracts during out lifetimes.

If the schools were changed so that just English was taught, I predict that after fifteen years, and if the haole leave, then you’d become your own leaders in the government, and not only haole would be appointed.

Kamaaina haole.

Lahaina, Maui.

{This is a letter written by a haole, and it is for us to determine his competence.}

[The argument over what language should be taught in schools is a heated topic that can be seen throughout the life of the Hawaiian-Language Newspapers. At first the argument is whether or not to teach English, and in later years when more and more schools are taught in English, the argument for teaching Hawaiian in schools will become prominent. Most everyone it seems were concerned with the future of the children (whether they were for English or Hawaiian-language education).]

(Kuokoa, 10/26/1872, p. 2)

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke XI, Helu 43, Aoao 2. Okatoba 26,1872.