Racial Integration In Hawaiian Education

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30045, 1 February 1963, Page 2

Racial Integration In Hawaiian Education

Hawaii’s inter-racial education system has to a great extent contributed to its world-wide reputation as an enviable example of racial integration, according to a visiting American woman, who for the last 10 years has been teaching in a Honolulu girts’ high school.

She is Miss Marie Daetz, formerly of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a trained instructor in business (commercial) education.

At present on a two months* visit to New Zealand during an extended tour through Australia and the Pacific. Miss Deete is stopping briefly in Christchurch this week

With mots than half the population under 21 years. Hawaii was haring to cope with a rapidly-expanding school Intake, Miss Daetz aaid. Coupled with the increasing mingling of the races through inter-marriage, this was cresting an increasingly multi-racial society where the distinctive cultures of each were proving lass dominant in educational programmes

However, as a polyglot society to the midst of a dwindling world, Hawaii was now beginning to recognise the necessity of understanding the Imicxmhpbb and cultures of other nations

It could weH be that to the future, Hawaiian education would encourage more study ef Ms students' racial backgrounds, particularly to the

language field, said Mias Daetz.

At present, chtidvec from one of mote than half a dozen racial groups might apeak their parents' national tongues at home but written study of these languages would not generally be available to them at school.

For example, to learn to spell and write in his native tongue, a Japanese child In Hawaii would have to attend special classes put of school hours.

English Vnlvereal Pressures Instead worked the other way. said Miss Daetz. English being the official and universal medium of instruction as in all American schools. State or private, kiwwkxlgs of other languages was not a necessity. The universal facility of peooles everywhere to master English for their overseas dealings in trade or commerce, added to this reluctance of Hawaii’s citizens to “keep up” their native languages.

However, the national characters of the State’s numerous peoples were in evidence in other spheres and were often used to the mutual benefit of all In any mixed racial group, whether school or business, those of Hawaiian blood were always recognised for their ease and charm, the Japanese for their skill and attention to detail, and the Chinese for their sound business brains, each one complementing the other. Filipinos, Puerto Ricans, Caucasians (whites), and Portuguese al tedded their own distinctive flavour to Hawaiian life.

Even for those living or working in more homogenous groups such as the predomin-antly-Harwatian school where Miss Daetz teaches, or the Japanese quarter of Hono-

lulu. life was not confined in narrow national bounds. Everywhere on the islands persons of all races had equal opportunity to meet, to work and to achieve success. Any existing class structure was based mote on a natural preference for members of one’s own race, particularly where a question of choice was involved. In the business world some antipathy between the races was apparent. But in affairs of national life the State's half million inhabitants were entirely equal in the face of the law and were able to rise purely on their own qualities and merits.

After observing conditions there for a decade. Miss Daetz said she was generally willing to agree with the popular contention that Hawaii to an example to the rest of the world in racial toleration.