More on the first opening of “Pacific Hall” and the Kamehameha School for Girls, 1894.

SPECIAL DAY FOR KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOL.

Remembrance of the Birthday of the Founding Lady.

The 19th of December is a much celebrated day for Kamehameha School, for it is the day of birth of the lady, Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the one who came up with the idea to set aside her great estate for the educating of the youth of her people in the many fields of knowledge and in living healthily. Therefore on the past Thursday, the day was commemorated on the grounds of the school, by dedicating the Girls’ School and the Museum.

At 8 o’clock in the morning, perhaps 100 boys were dressed in military uniform and put aboard and rode trolleys [kaa hali ohua nunui], getting off at the corner of Nuuanu and King Streets, and from there they marched with lei, led by the school’s band in front, with Prof. H. Berger as the conductor, until the crypt of the alii at Mauna Ala, where they decorated the grave of the honorable Hawaiian woman for whom the day was for.

2 o’clock in the afternoon was the time for the dedication in Bishop Hall [Bihopa Hale]. Before the hour, the room was filled with intimates and friends of the school with a majority outside.

Rev. C. M. Hyde, D. D.; Mrs. A. A. Haalelea; Col. W. F. Allen; Miss Dodge; and Rev. J. Waiamau were sitting in a raised area. And when the time came, Rev. J. Waiamau began with a prayer. After that was a hymn by the school, and then Doctor Hyde gave a short speech of welcome of which the gist was that these structures were built not just to memorialize the name of the founder, but for the continued benefit of those who it is hoped will emulate her life. Thereafter…

MRS. BERNICE PAUAHI.

he moved on to matters dealing with Bishop’s desire to build a museum, and the story of Bishop’s planning given under the board of trustees, and so forth.

Then Col. W. F. Allen was called up as a representative for Mr. Bishop to give some words, and he spoke shortly in this manner:

I know that you all regret the absence of Mr. Bishop on this occasion, and when asked to represent and speak for him I should much rather have declined but felt it a duty to accept. That Mr. Bishop is with you today in spirit you all know, and though absent in person, he interest in these schools never wanes. By correspondence with the trustees, principals, and others, he has kept well posted in all the progress you have made. On this the natal day of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the founders day of this Institution, such a grand monument to her love and care for her people, it is beyond my powers to do justice to the occasion or theme. Both Mrs. Bishop and her husband fully realized that the proper care and teaching of the young was the only way to insure the stability of the people, and so they have devoted their best thought, and much of their property to carry out these ideas.

To you, trustees, principals and teachers the responsibility of carrying out the wishes of the founders of this institution belongs, and from the experience of the few years since the opening, no fears are entertained of the ultimate result.

To you, boys and girls of Kamehameha School, I would say that to show your appreciation of the great gifts of your benefactors, you should ever strive to take advantage of all that is here offered you, so that in the future you can show by your industrious and virtuous lives what the Kamehameha School has done for you.

On behalf of Mr. Bishop, I thank you all for showing such an appreciation for the grand work and memory of the founder of this institution—Bernice Pauahi Bishop. [English for W. F. Allen's speech taken from Hawaiian Star, 12/19/1894, p. 3.]

Then Dr. Hyde spoke about Mrs. Pauahi Bishop’s life, and read the minutes of meetings of the Board of Trustees as well as some appropriate words about Pauahi.

Mrs. A. A. Haalelea was introduced before the assembly because she was one of the speakers, and she read the following speech below:

O Associates and Friends, Parents and Youth of the Hawaiian People:

With all of you is my aloha:—

Because of the decision of the trustees of the estate of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, I was invited on this day to speak a bit about the Honorable one for whose birthday we are gathered.

The first thing to come to mind, is that it was the aloha of this alii which initiated this greatest work of beauty and fame, that is her idea to build boarding schools for the Hawaiian children to help educate the youth of her homeland. That was her great desire and spoke often things pertaining to the good and benefit of the lahui. [Image is unclear for a number of lines.] She was devout and vigilant in her Christian duties; she undertook many worthy causes to help those in need, and she is a fine example for all to follow after in good deeds. She was an alii who was thought much of and well loved by the people.

The second point: upon you, O Girls, is the inheritance of education, something our kupuna did not dream of. That being for you is prepared some boarding schools where you can find knowledge that will be truly valuable for you. So you will be indebted for the great kindness given upon you at no expense or trouble. Therefore, strive with great effort to acquire this precious treasure, a treasure more beautiful than gold or any of the other riches of this world; should you gain an education, there is no one that can take it away from you. Listen with aloha to the teachings of your instructors, pay attention to the lessons, be humble to their instruction, and be neat and clean in your daily life. Constantly recall the character of the alii Pauahi: her purity, righteousness, and decorum in actions and words. Always strive for the honorable standing of a woman who lives properly. In that way, you will be blessed. And in that way you will be carrying out the desire of your Father in heaven.

The last thought goes to you, O Parents.—Upon you lie the beginnings of the good character of your children…

CHARLES R. BISHOP.

…by your guidance will your children be upright or not so. Within your hands is the power to steer the children towards all that you desire. The parents are examples for the children; for instance, how a parent acts is what a child will follow. Should your actions and your instructions contradict those of the teachers’, then what is taught to them will be wasted. Therefore, O Parents, please strive to support and cooperate with the teachers on the pathway to knowledge, so that our children may reach a high level in all fine occupations, an this will make the effort worthwhile, and you, O Parents, will rejoice.

With these three plies, that being the teachers, the students, and the parents, we can get a strong cord which will hold fast and push forward the righteousness and blessings of the lahui for the coming age. In that way will God bless us in all our endeavors.

At the end of her speech, the Kamehameha band played a song, then Dr. Hyde read the portion of the will of Mrs. Pauahi Bishop giving her wealth for the building and caring for the Kamehameha School. This is when the keys of the Girls’ School handed over to Miss Pope, the principal, and she took the keys with some appropriate words, and so forth.

The activities were let out with the singing of the students, along with the band. When that was done, the crowd went in to see the Museum.

After that, some fun activities for the children were held.

[Much of the text on the top of the column on the right is hard to read. It is time that these Hawaiian-Language Newspapers were rescanned as cleanly as possible! If you can't read the information, is it really information?]

(Kuokoa 12/22/1894, p. 2)

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke 33, Helu 51, Aoao 2. Dekemaba 22, 1894.