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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 26

Haleakala Boys' Boarding School

page 6

Haleakala Boys' Boarding School.

Mr. F. L. Clarke Principal.
Mrs. S. A. Thurston Teacher.
Mr. W. H. Rogers Manager of the Dairy.

Number of pupils, 41.

This is now a boarding school, and is in a flourishing condition. The discipline of the school, based upon the military plan, is a success. It banishes the rod, and teaches the boys self-government. It develops a vivacity and precision of movement, and a quickness of perception not easily learned, but of great value. The health of the pupils has been excellent, and the diet, though plain, is abundant.

The school is an industrial one, and the pupils share in the pecuniary profits of their labor. The washing, carpentering, fence making, and dairy work is all performed by them. A ten acre lot has been enclosed with a wire fence put up by the boys, under the supervision of Messrs. Clark and Rogers, and it is now being plowed by young oxen trained by them.

The Dairy is a very important adjunct of the school. On the first day of February, 1871, the live stock connected with the school numbered 197;—consisting of 91 cows, 16 calves, and 90 miscellaneous cattle. The valuation of dairy-house stock at the same time was 125 dollars.

On the first day of January, 1874, the live stock had increased to 406; consisting of 140 cows, 30 calves, 30 trained oxen, and 206 miscellaneous cattle. These figures are exclusive of 41 head of cattle killed for the use of the school. At the same date the dairy-house stock was valued at $462.50.

The present accommodations at the school for boarders being filled to their utmost capacity, and the need of a good dwelling house for the principal having long been a necessity, the Board of Education, in January last, authorized alterations and extensions of the school buildings and of the dwelling house of the principal to be made. A contract was made by the Inspector General, acting for the Board of Education, with Messrs. Snell & King, carpenters, to do the whole work according to specified plans, and including freight and cartage, for the sum of $5,401.75.

After the alterations and additions shall have been completed page 7 the buildings will accommodate sixty pupils. At present the school labors under the disadvantage of an uncertain water supply. The summers of 1872 and 1873 were protracted seasons of extreme drouth; and the water supply at the school was made to last out the drouth, only by the severest economy and at a great sacrifice of cleanliness. Two new cisterns are in the course of construction and every foot of roof surface will be utilized; and should no more long continued drouths occur, the cistern capacity, about 3000 barrels, will be sufficient, if the institution is enabled to enter upon each summer with full cisterns. However, a sufficient and certain water supply can be secured for all purposes connected with the school and dairy, by laying down pipes two and one-half miles to a spring in the mountain, called Waihou. This spring is on government land, and flowed, during the driest months of the drouth of last summer, 380 barrels of water every twenty-four hours.

No school under the control of government possesses so great advantages, as this institution, for development into a practical, industrial school, at which the mechanical trades in common demand may be taught to the youth of this Kingdom. I would respectfully call the attention of Your Honorable Body to the importance of this school, and to suggest that means may be furnished to obtain a certain water supply.