The Ble Ssings

Of Education

By Daiku Tau

ww IJI7 E sat on the cool verandah of “f Bill’s house, our feet on the railing, gazing through the whispering palm fronds to the lagoon where the coastal boat on ’which we had travelled was anchored.

Little reflections of moonlight came from the wind-ruffled water.

AII was peaceful, except for Bill’s vo j ce we were Bill’s guests—he did rr)t tnn manv tv,p«;p dnv<? and was making the est of it He had been talking for hours, only a mU rmur being needed from us now and a g a n to show we were not as i ee n TT , , H e was on education now, haying covered a lot of other subjects since we had had kai.

“"When I came here over 20 years ago there were not many of the local natives who could read and write. A few could read print and some could read and write in the vernacular, but they were very few.

Most of their letters were written to ladies who had taken their fancy and for a girl to receive a letter from a man meant an assignation in view. If a girl received a letter from any one other than her

husband it meant she had strayed, or was going to. Even the most meaningless scrawls got results.

“But there were many natives around who could do good work and were prepared to. This house was built in the first place by two native carpenters. It has been repaired since, of course, but the original work can still be seen. Those two whale boats in the village were built by old-time natives. But they could not read or write. They could read the large figures on a rule and knew what the tools were for and hew to use them. They took a pride in knowing. But what of the younger lads coming on now? They are all crazy on education and where is it leading them?”

We murmured and Bill went on: “Yes, it is progress but is it the right way? The ability to read and write is desirable but so is the ability to work at handicrafts. The foundations appear wrong to me All these young people want to dc when they have left school is tc put a pencil behind their ear anc get a job in a trade-store. No dirt and no perspiration required. The\ are lording it over the other un educated villagers and are heading for trouble. They read all the printed matter that comes into theii hands, even the packing from goods from overseas. The printed wore means all to them. I have hac several here but they all becarru dissatisfied with the place and left Not enough night-life.

“I have my boss-boy’s son at th« moment. The boss-boy gets more pay than many lads in better posi tions and he has been with me foi years and can’t read or write. Hi! son, just out of school, has shown himself useful but unreliable. How ever, I keep him on and hope hi will be as good a man as his father He sends all his money South ano gets lottery tickets and Hawaiian shirts and guitars and things. letters everywhere. I get severaf each day. Beautifully written buj meaningless.”

Just then a small boy hopped ontt the verandah and handed a lette:: to Bill and disappeared again smartly. Bill opened it and handeo the envelope to us. It was addressee in much better handwriting than had seen for years.

A smothered sort of noise cause* us to look at Bill. He was swelling up and getting redder until sudl denly he exploded with a roar, ant passed over the letter from thi boss-boy’s son.

It also was beautifully written and the phrasing certainly wasn’ meaningless. It read: Dear Sir, I would like to owe you 10/until pay day. I am your obedient servant, Nesiole R.