AMERICAN VISITORS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 163, 13 July 1933, Page 2

AMERICAN VISITORS

EDUCATION IN HAWAII. With the object of seeing the country and studying the working of the schools of New Zealand, the party of teachers from Honolulu who arrived in Auckland by the Monowai this week, have left for Rotorua. The tour is scheduled to include Rotorua, the Chateau Tongariro, Waitomo, Wellington, and Christchurch, and the party will return to Auckland in 16 days’ time. Some members will then return to Honolulu, sonic leave for Australia, and some remain until the end of the month in Auckland. Conducting the tour is Mrs. F. A. Cunning, and the ladies of the party include Mosdames Wilkins and Whitenack and Misses Gurney, Cook, Deverill, German, and Betters. Miss Cook, on arrival, said there were four islands in the Honolulu group, and each had its own supervisor working under the jurisdiction of a central control board presided over by tho Superintendent of Public Instruction. The coarse of instruction was prepared by the commissioners of the central control with the help of the teachers. English was the language of the schools, which were divided into three classes, primary, intermediate, and high schools, the intermediate being the equivalent of the junior high school and the senior high school being the preparatory school for the university. Each island had its own senior high school, there being throe in Honolulu, and one university. No uniform was worn in any of the schools. School hours were in the coolest part of the day, from 8 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. or 8.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Homo preparation was regulated by the teacher in charge. Asked whether a course of technical instruction was included in the school curriculum, as in New Zealand, Miss Cook said that there was a well-organised domestic science course for the girls, sewing, cooking, and all household duties being included. In each of tho large schools was a. cafeteria and tho girls received instruction in the home making of the foods. The boys took an extensive course in agriculture, the course often being maintained through all grades. Evon in the primary classes the boys had their various gardening plots. In tho primary and intermediate schools, school dentists took care of the children’s tooth, and every year hygienists visited the schools, inspecting the work and giving talks am’ instructions on the care and methods of cleaning the teeth. Sport hold an important place in the curriculum, all standard games—baseball, volleyball, and basketball—being played, while swimming was a universal favourite. There were also various student body organisations in connection with the school as well as girl and boy Scouts, pioneer tubs, and girl reserves, which were controlled by tho Y.W.G'.A. and Y.M.* '.A. Each school had even its own traffic p< lice organised from the school.