226 HAWAII. 



vailed throughout. The dormitory, particularly, appeared to me well 

 calculated to promote health, and give notions of comfort foreign to the 

 ideas of a native. 



Mr. and Mrs. Lyman seem quite competent to the charge, particu- 

 larly the latter ; for one cannot but perceive the hand of the mistress 

 pervading throughout. This and Mrs. Coan's school for girls, are 

 decidedly the best-conducted establishments, I saw in the Pacific. I 

 cannot pass by the latter without adding a few words. 



Mrs. Coan had been kind enough to ask me to appoint an hour to 

 attend the examination of her pupils, or to come when I could. My 

 employments placed it out of my power to select a time, and I took 

 advantage of her general invitation to drop in when I was quite un- 

 expected. I was very kindly received, and found her with all her 

 scholars seated around, some hard at work with the needle, and 

 some reading. My entrance occasioned little or no disturbance, either 

 to the lady or her scholars ; and the regular routine of the school 

 went on. It gave me great pleasure to see what the industry, talent, 

 and zeal of my countrywoman had accomplished; for by her un- 

 tiring assiduity this school had been established, and is kept up. The 

 whole care devolves upon her of maintaining, clothing, and educating 

 these children; and the only aid she receives is through the dona- 

 tions of parents and strangers, and what little the girls can earn by 

 sewing for the storekeeper. 



The accommodations for this school are far inferior to those for the 

 boys ; and I must say, I felt some astonishment that the Board of 

 Managers had not given it a helping hand. When it is stated that 

 Mrs. Coan has young children of her own, without servants to whom 

 she can trust them, it will be seen that the task of taking under her 

 charge twenty-three native girls for education, clothing, and food, 

 is one of no ordinary labour. She is one of the most useful of the 

 missionaries ; and were it not for the less liberal notions of her 

 husband, would be much more so. I could not but perceive that his 

 interference in the matter of this school is detrimental to the progress 

 of the scholars in civilization: when this is the case, it cannot advance 

 their progress in true religion. 



The number of district schools in Hilo and Puna, is said to amount 

 to one hundred ; but of these I saw only one, which was under Mr. 

 Wilcox, a teacher attached to the mission. This was kept in the old 

 church. The numbers in attendance varied from sixty to eighty, con- 

 sisting of all ages between five and fifteen. 



