Posted on: Friday, September 24, 2004
Kamehameha alumni give books to public schools
By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Education Writer
Every public elementary school in the state will have a collection of books on Hawaiian history and culture, courtesy of the Kamehameha Schools Alumni Association.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser The original plan was to donate books just to schools with large percentages of Hawaiian pupils, but the group raised enough to give two 15-book sets to all elementary schools.
"This donation will not only help our Hawaiian youngsters, but other students as well to learn about our Hawaiian heritage and culture," said project administrator Gerry Johansen, coordinator of Kamehameha's Parents and Alumni Relations.
Julie Stewart Williams, a 1946 alumna and author of some of the books, said the books were written to be more appealing than a text used by the Department of Education to teach about the Hawaiian monarchs. Williams said the textbook is out of date and too difficult for pupils who are not reading at grade level.
In the Kamehameha "Monarchy collection," which features Kamehameha the Great through Lili'uokalani, "Each monarch has its own book and own color, so when students finished one, they could feel excited about accomplishing something," Williams said.
The set also includes seven books of Hawaiian history and culture.
The books will be a welcome addition at Wai'anae Elementary School, which serves a Hawaiian Homestead area.
Under mandate from the Department of Education, the school teaches Hawaiian studies once a week, when a kumu comes to teach history, culture or crafts, which further raises interest and might make pupils seek out the books.
Rodney Moriwake, principal of Pope Elementary, said the school appreciates any donations, but these will be of particular interest to his pupils, 90 percent of whom are part-Hawaiian.
The donation was announced at Nanaikapono Elementary School, whose principal is Kamehameha Schools 1962 alumnus Myron Brumaghim.
"My feeling has always been that you need to know your roots, and it's through books like these that you gain more knowledge," Brumaghim said.
Retired Campbell High principal Carole Paulsen, a 1955 Kamehameha graduate, said: "It's important that youngsters — especially Hawaiian youngsters — have a chance to take pride in books that are about the highlights of their culture.
Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8014.
Kamehameha classes from 1940 to 2000 donated enough to buy more than $64,000 worth of Kamehameha Press books for the state's 180 elementary schools and 20 charter schools.
Kamehameha alumna Julie Williams introduces a collection of donated Hawaiiana books to Nanaikapono Elementary pupils.
