Parental Attitudes in a Hawaiian Homestead Community:

"Armed with this amazing piece of information which soys that parents of poor children don't dig the school. the school authorities arc able to ... give teachers a half­day off to visit the homes of students. And here is the issue: Invasion of privacy is deemed worthy (Mehl, 1968:4),"

"And parents ore beginning .. . to ask questions. and they don't have the same kind of respect for teachers they had before. Maybe it will be built back up again, but it can only happen if the teachers respect the par• ents. too. One way the teachers can show respect is to visit parents' humes ... . It would help for teachers and parents to talk some things out .... It's a question of the teacher letting the parents know and tho parents letting the teacher know (Spencer. 1968:8)."

It has become increasingly obvious that the Amer­ican public school system and teachers in that school system lend to represent one set of values, while many students come from a culture possessing different values, and that frequently a conflict between these values is detrimental lo academic achievement by the students.

Efforts by both educators and social scientists to relate the phenomenon of culture to the phenomenon of education have become a burgeoning part of the literature, research efforts, current vocabularies, and the accompanying folk wisdom. It is somewhat startling, nonetheless, to recognize that the inter­relationship has been at least implied for one hun­dred years. The anthropologist Tylor defined culture in 1871 as" ... that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society (p. 1}."

Dewey. tremendously impressed by the possibility of utilizing the concept of culture for education. wrote of education as " ... the communication of ideals, hopes, expectations, standards, opinions, from those members of society who are passing out of the group life to those who are coming into it

An Exploration

Elizabeth F. Belknap

.. . (1916:3)." Clopton. as an educator. is concerned with education in a situation of conflicting cultures. He is al one with Dewey and Tylor in defining educa­tion in a cultural context when he points out,

The individual is always partic ipant in an interactive, dynamic evolving inlerrulationship with his environ­ment, the most significant components of which arc his fellowmen, their attitudes, value schemes and insti­tutions. If the concern of education is tho guidance of youth in the most fruitful. creative and productive kind of attitude toward and working adjustment within this complex and ongoing interrelationship. ii must be able lo utilize valid generalizations both about the individual himself and the process in whirh he participates (1946:80).

Still more recently the anthropologist Spindler looks at culture as " ... a patterned system of tradi­tion-derived norms influencing behavior (1963:6)." He goes on to speak of the values inherent in and characteristic of each culture. "II is clear that each culture selects certain conditions of living, certain objects of possession, certain characteristics of per­sonality, as more desirable than others (p. 20)."

Today there is an urgency, a sense of need, a grow­ing pressure for the redefinition and reworking of education. I believe that the concept of culture is a valid one which, when properly defined and used, can provide the exponents of formalized education with insight and help. There seems to be a rea­sonable sequential passage from the generalized, overall concept of culture to the idea that there are as many separate, identifiable cultures as there are separate, identifiable groups of individuals or societies, and that each one of these separate cultures can be analyzed in terms of belief systems and tradi­tions, values and attitudes.

Lewis (1961, 1966), in outlining his model of a "culture of poverty," has attempted to pull together fragmented subcultures of various Western societies so as to fit under one generalized term. There has been a good deal of criticism of Lewis' formulation.

15

partly on the grounds that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy-that it lends itself to becoming just one more convenient handle to be latched onto by the organized bureaucracy of the public school system (e.g .. Mehl. 1968). Despite necessary caution in its use, Lewis' concept has been beneficial in creating better understanding of the differing nature of values and beliefs held by members of subcultures within the larger culture as a whole. However, it is important lo be aware that each subculture may well possess its uniquely distinctive aspects. Galli­more and Howard illustrate this point in dealing with a subculture when they say, "We strongly rec­ommend that evaluation of specific aspects of life (in the subculture) always be conducted within the context of the social system and the total life style, and not in isolation (1968:141)."

An increasing number of writers have been stressing the need for educators to establish relation­ships with students and their families which will lessen the conflict inherent in contact between the public culture of the schools and the "private cul­ture" of a particular group. There is, however. a paucity of research into the actual relationship be­tween the home and the school-about parental attitudes toward education and related topics. Many teachers and administrators are at least paying lipservice to the idea that knowing the community and effecting positive school-community relation­ships are important. There is evidence that some educational personnel are aware that integrating life in and out of school for the child can provide more meaningful educative experiences for both child and his family.

Two basic themes emerge in much of the current writing. First, in many schools the necessary contact between parent and teacher is missing. parents are frustrated by the schools' failure to consult with them, and methods of communication are used in­effectively. Secondly, much of what teachers do attempt lo do is negated by their lack of under­standing of their pupils' culture. Green deals speci­fically with the question of teacher-parent inter­views. He makes a plea for carrying out interviews with parents, especially at home, and for teachers being open to the chance for informal contacts with child and parent, concluding,

16

It has been implied throughout this uook, and often slated, that teachers do their job much more effectively

if they try to work with rather than against the parents and the environment. It is beginning to be understood that teachers ore not merely givers of knowledge. They arc, or should be, ready to learn more ond more about the children they teach (1968:107).

I have been disturbed by the division of opinion between the writers who suggest that teacher visits to homes of students may be one means of increas­ing communication and understanding between two subcultures, and those who decry teacher visits as an invasion of privacy. This paper will report on paren· tal attitudes in a small, rural Hawaiian community­it is hoped that an exploration into parental attitudes may be one way of obtaining better understanding of differing value systems, and of helping the school better to serve the community for which it operates.

Interviews with Hawaiian parents have provided the empirical data for this paper. On the basis of my experience with home interviews I cannot completely agree with strictures such as Mehl's on parent-teacher conversations and visits. Depending upon the re­lationship implied and perceived, such meetings could be a ruthless and curious peeping al private lives, or a genuine effort to work out a means by which individuals (both students and teachers) can become bicultural-can, in Clapton's words, " ... move with greater ease and less discomfort in cult­ural milieus different from their own (1968:7)."

The Community and the School The Hawaiian Homes Commission was established

by the United States Congress in 1920 at the instiga­tion of su.ch Hawaiian leaders as Prince Jonah Kuhio (Hawaii's Delegate lo Congress from 1902 to 1922, who was affectionately known to his constituents as "Prince Cupid") in an attempt to rectify some of the injustices which had been perpetrated on the Hawai­ians. Through the act, public lands were set aside to be leased (at a very low rental) on a 99-year basis to persons of at least one-half Hawaiian ancestry. Sub­sequently Hawaiians were further enabled to apply fqi- residential homesteads; there was a fund set up which lent money for home-building, farm equip­ment purchase, and the like.1 At first the act applied only to the island of Molokai; later, lands were set aside on the other main Hawaiian islands. The Makapuu side of Waimanalo (on the Windward side of Oahu) is largely made up of Homestead acreage.

According to Fuchs (1961) much of the Homestead land was unfit for agriculture. or was in remote areas

-but the passage of the act was a politically expe­dient move--a ''symbol of Hawaiian political power (p. 80)." The symbol has become increasingly un­related to actual power over the years. Although the sacred cow of Hawaiian Homes is rarely openly attacked in the political arena, recent discussions and controversy over the benefits or liabilities in­volved in having a concentration of a generally low­income group of a distinct ethnic origin living in a comparatively isolated area , in a situation of depend­ency on a bureaucratic institution, have a marked similarity to discussions about the Indian reserva­tions on the mainland. Nevertheless, there are long waiting lists of families anxious to move onto Home­stead lands; for many. such a move represents a pro­gression upward from public housing in Honolulu, or from rural slums.

In the spectacularly scenic area of Waimanalo the usual indices of socio-economic status present a dis­mal picture. According to the Honolulu Council of Social Agencies, fifty percent of Waimanalo families Ii ve in substandard housing, nearly half oft he adu Its have less than 8 years of formal schooling, the num­ber of welfare recipients is extremely high. and the crime and juvenile delinquency rates have attracted unfavorable publicity in recent months. The Hono­lulu Council says in summary. "With not a single indicator on the ' favorable' side of the social ledger, Waimonalo presents a profile of community path­ology definitely indicating a need for attention and probable assistance in community planning. The most critical areas of concern would appear to be its young people and its housing conditions (1966:Xlll-7).''

Waimanalo's population of approximately 6,250 is close to 50 percent Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian . Otherethnicgroupings include 21 percent Caucasian, 15 percent Japanese, and 10.5 percent Filipino. There is a large proportion of children under the age of 20, and a small number of males in the age group of 20 to 40 years, compared lo the Oahu norm.

The Blanche Pope Elementary School is located on about 10 acres of Hawaiian Homes Land in Wai­manalo. just below the slopes of the Koolau Moun­tains. The student body is drawn from residents of the "Beach Lots" area of Waimanalo (about 20 per­cent) as well as from the Hawaiian Homes. However. Hawaiians and part-Hawaiians compose nearly 90 percent of the school enrollment; Caucasians and

Orientals make up the remainder. In general. the students come from an area of single-unit dwellings in which live many extended families of low socio­economic status.

Pope Elementary School ha~ organized itself into a "nongraded" system: children ore assigned to various "levels" primarily on the basis of reading ability , with less concern for chronological ag<'. Theorcticalh•. at least. each child should be able to move al his own speed from one level to another.

The purpose of this paper is not to dwell on the negative sociological aspects of a particular commu­nity. Anthropological theory Lalls for teachers to look more carefully and with greater understanding al the " ... sociocultural contexts within which (their) tech­niques find their meaning (Eddy , 1968:18)." Recent writings have made increasing!~· cluar the need for learning how to enter into valid. real relationships with other individuals. and for learning better how to read the crucially important nonverbal parts of communication. Teachers need to broadPn their abilities in these din•ctions. and to have a wider range of understanding of value systems different from those of the American middle class. Cohen (1955) summari;,es middle class valu<'S and stand­ards of behavior as including ambition . an ethic of personal responsibility . the cultivation and posses­sion of skills. rationality. the ability to postponP satisfaction of desires, control of physical aggression and violence, and respect for propcrtv.

It is inter<'sting lo compare the above with clelin­eat ion~ of the Hawaiian value ~ystem bv rcsearclwr~ such as Yammnura (1941). Fentin (1968). and Galli­more and Howard (1968). t\ composite picture of the Hawuiian life stvlc indicates that Hawaiians lend to be affiliation oriented- they enjoy carrying out common tasks together. In general, there is an avoid­ance of interpersonal conflicl and an emphasis on maintaining satisfying peer relationships. There appeari., to be a strong egalitarian Pthic among I he Hawaiians which is firmlv focused in the familv unit. Spontaneity is the preferred state form any Hawaiians. Research on personality development among Hawai­ians seems to indicate the fostering of i[!lense de­pendency upon others , the use of" . .. passive tactics lo signal needs (and) social sensitivity .. . (Galli­more and Howard. 1968:10)." Daggs (1967) believes that the consequence for education seems to be that children are not responsive to what he terms condi-

17

tional affection as a means or motivation in the school. For example, he says. pressure for good grades would seem to be incongruent with the children's attitudes. Boggs does not mean to say, however, that Hawaiian children do not care for npproval. They simply do not expect approval to be contingent upon their achievement. There appears to he a fear or failure and a consequent avoidance or risk-taking.

My personal observations and experience at Pope School have indicated that most of the children are extremely warm and friendly. They seem to crave a great deal of attention and affection. They respond positively to individual comments and help from the teacher or observer. Some appear to be easily dis­couraged by lack of success in an assignment.

Methodology Since Pope School has divided its various reading

levels and age groups into "teams," I decided to draw my sample of parents from those represented by children on the team with which I was working most closely. The total number of children on Team 6 was 123. By checking the office records I was able to determine that 95 (about 77 percent) of the 123 children lived on Hawaiian Homestead land. Since by law eligible homesteaders must be of at least half Hawaiian descent. this gave me a group or par­ents who have considerable Hawaiian ancestry. I checked the list of 95 names to eliminate brother and sister duplications and ended up with a popu­lation of 88 Homestead families . From this I drew a random sample of 11 families to interview. Seven of the families gave me an opportunity for extended visits to their homes, in some cases Jetting me come on three separate occasion. I was able to work out evening visits to two homes, which allowed me to meet and talk with both parents as well as other adults in the families. My reception was cordial.

In four cases l had brief chats with one or both parents, set up appointments with them for longer visits, but found when I returned that something else had always turned up making it impossible for the parents to see me that day. This fact in itself communicates well altitudes toward teacher. school. or perhaps simply the intrusive questioner. as per­ceived by some parents. On the other hand. influences from my few home visits may have gone beyond the

18

confines of any one particular home. The day after I had made a lengthy evening visit to a family, several youngsters who live in the neighborhood came up to me al school and asked when I could come visit their homes. "How come you go Mary's house and no come mine'?"

The families in my sample, taken as a group. provide some interesting facts which may be useful for analytic purposes. These facts are summarized in Table 1.

The Interviews I followed a loosely-structured, open-ended type

of interview guide for the most part. I explained my initial visit in words somewhat like these: As you know, I havu been teaching part-time here al Pope School. I also am studying ot the University. Part of my University work is finding out more about Waimonalo. I wonder if you could help me by letting me come visit and talk to you . rd like to know more about how parents here in Waimanalo foci about school ond about teachers. What do you think makes a good teacher'! Whal kind of teacher is not so good'! What do you want the school to do for your children? Would you mind if I write down some of thu things you tell me'!

My basic, organizing questions arc below, each followed by a summarization of the various answers and ideas given to me by members of the families. 1. Can you tell me about any teachers your children have had that you thought were especialJy good?

In the majority of cases neither parent found ii very easy to answer this directly, and seemed to evince considerable reluctance to express much or ei I her a pp rob at ion or disapproval. Discussion cl icited such characteristics of good teachers as being consi­derate. supportive, treating students like individuals, being aware of each child's problems and home situations. Several parents emphasized that a teacher should have firmness and the ability to rommand respect. One mother spoke appreciatively of a teacher who "really knew how to get to kids." She taught not only "fundamentals. but character, too." She would point out what was wrong in the children 's behavior to them. This teacher always made a point of calling I he f amity or writing notes when she was concerned about a classroom situation. One family mentioned a teacher who would go to students' houses to find out what was keeping them from school. would per­sonally help families in trouble, and would see to it that not only lunches but breakfasts were provided to needy kids.

Table 1

Father• Mother- Birthplace Occupation, Occupation, of Education Education Parents

1. Truck driver Housewife Honolulu 2nd grade 8th grade Honolulu

2. Truck driver Housewife Honolulu 9th grnde 9th grade Honolulu

3. Dept. of Parks Housewife Honolulu 9th grade 12th grade Honolulu

4. Electrician Housewife Honolulu 12th grade 11th grade Honolulu

5. Unemployed Park custodian Maui 8th grnde 11th grade Honolulu

6. Truck driver Housewife Maui 12th grade 12th grade Honolulu

7. Crane operator Babysitting Honolulu . 9th grade Honolulu 8. Warehouseman Records Manager Oahu

12th grade 12th grade Oahu 9. Truck driver Hotel maid Molokai

10th gradu 11th grade Molokai 10. • . 11. Fireman " Al airport" Oahu

12th grade 12th grade Oahu

• No 111/ormalt• n

2. How about your own teachers? In many cases this question elicited more vivacious

and spontaneous answers than the first. One mother was able to give details about several.grade-school teachers. She remembers them as always trying to help the children individually. Frequently they had classes after school for the "slower children, lhe poor children." Another mother spoke of a teacher who was firm and strict; she made sure students "got what she was trying to teach:" she didn 't allow any daydreaming or fooling around. At the same time, this teacher was a "real person." One father said forthrightly that he didn't finish school; he dis­liked it and had some bad experiences. At the time he was in school his idea of a good teacher was one who was easy to get along with, who "talked in a good way." A bad teacher was one who was always after you to get your work done.

Number Age Range of of Religious

Children Children Affiliation

12 26 - 3 Beulah, the Church of Christ, the Redeemer of the Lord

6 16 - 5 Catholic

7 12 - 3 Church of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

7 11- 7 Catholic/Mormon

7 Protestant

9 . 4 25 • 11 None

4 . 5 H ·8 Catholic

5

4 11 - 8 None

3. What do you think schools should do for the children who go to them?

Two families mentioned school as a place in which to prepare for college or university. One mother spoke of a son who wants to be a lawyer; one daughter in the family says she will never marry but wants lo go to college and become a teacher. The mother said somewhat self-deprecatingly. "Of course, if you just want to be a housewife and have lots of kids you don't need lo worry about school." There was concern expressed over the team teaching re­cently instituted at Pope; one mother said mildly that she was not completely pleased, but realized it took time to adapt to new systems. Another family expressed vigorous disapproval. Several parents spoke in favor of small groups working with one teacher. Several families would like to have their children go to the Kamehameha Schools. A mother

19

said one would think that children from the Home­stead area would gel priority for admission, but the Kamehameha Schools' student body seems to have a lot of Orientals and "haoles." Since many children from Waimanalo take the entrance examination for Kamehameha, but only a very few get in. this mother would like to know the basis for their rejection.

A nearly unanimous complaint from the parents concerned the lack of homework. One rationale for stressing homework seems to be that the parents don't like to see the kids "hanging around with nothing to do after school." Another reason is that the parcmts do not feel as though they have much information about what the children are doing or learning at school; hence ii is very difficult for them to evaluate report cards and the like. There seemed to be some feeling of frustration wi!h the school. One father said that the children's marks slip during the year, yet he has no specific information as lo what is wrong. When he sees notations on the report cards that the children need to work harder. he would like more information from the school as lo exactly what is wrong.

There is an apparent misconception on the part of many families as lo what the term "nongraded" means when applied to a school such as Pope. To them. "nongraded" means that there is no giving of leller grades such as A. B, C. Without such grades. how can any other school (i.e .. Kamehameha) eval­uate the children's work? One family said they would Ii ke to see more Hawaiian history and language taught in the schools. "There is no sense in having the children study foreign languages like French and Spanish when they can 'l even study the language and customs of their ancestors."

Two parents brought up the much-publicized question of sex education in the schools. One mother was highly approving, while another was greatly incensed about the subject matter of the films . Children are naturally inquisitive, she said, and will want lo try out anything they see. 4. How do your children react to school? Do they indicate dislike for anything in particular? Strong likes for any part of the school program?

In general. the answers to this question appeared to be somewhat neutral-"The children seem to get along okay," and so on. One mother brought up the case of a high school teacher who apparently made some derogatory remarks about the Hawaiian child-

20

ren from Waimanalo. Her daughter was hurt. One adult son in a family mentioned being embarrased in class--upsetting the teacher without meaning to. One family, recently moved from Honolulu, felt that "country kids" are rougher than they are used to. Some children are concerned about being on the same "team" as their younger siblings and cousins. 5. Whal kind of discipline should there be at school? How do you discipline your children at home? Should porenls know about the behavior problems of their children if there ore any at school?

Three families believed there should be physical means of discipline used at school (paddling, spank­ing}. Two others stressed the withholding of priv­ileges, and several families emphasized the efficacy of talking to the children about what has gone wrong. One mother thought that the only discipline should consist of talking to the child, explaining why his actions need to be changed. One should always "speak in a nice way" to the children and get their confidence first. Then you can gel them settled down after that. A father said he can remember being hit by rulers with sharp metal edges when he was in school. When he was small, he thought it was a terrible thing to do. Now he has come to the conclu­sion that sometimes you have to use physical force.

One family had previously sent their children to parochial school. They commented on how "smooth" classes were there, even with 53 children in one room. The mother said in parochial school if a child didn't behave he was out. You can't do that in public school, she realized. It's a much bigger problem in public school; the parents don't care and the children are harder lo control. The great need is for more teachers. All the parents queried were emphatic that if there are behavioral problems al school, the par­ents should be notified. One mot her said it should be right away, the school shouldn't wait for a week or so until something else happens.

6. Do you think parents should have something to soy about how tlie school is run? Do you feel inter­ested in the scl10ol yourself? Are you able to get to PTA meetings or teacher conferences?

All l he parents said quite glibly that the PTA rep­resented the mechanism through which parents can have a say in school activities. The majority, how­ever, said frankly that they themselves had neither interest nor opportunity lo go to PTA meetings. Fa-

thers, especially, say they work loo late or are too tired to go. Two mothers mentioned that many people in the community have lots to say in complaint "in back of the school," but they fail to speak up in meet­ings. Examples of complaints included calls on the money and time of the parents such as the end-of­the-year luau (they are asked to donate food. help prepare it. and buy tickets, too) and cookie sales (money shouldn't be collected before the cookies are made and distributed). One fairly recent arrival in the community said she had gone to PTA meeting once, but felt shut-out-"like an outsider." On the other hand. one of the mothers spoke happily of her long and continued interest and participation in all school-related activities. She makes an effort. she says, to encourage parents lo come lo meetings. She knows there are complaints in the community. and feels that people are shy or afraid to express them­selves. She feels it is up to parents to speak up if they see something is wrong. 7. Do you find a strong community feeling here in the Homestead area? Do neighbors care for each other and help each other?

Three families indicated that they were neither involved nor interested in the community. In con· trast. one mother, a recent arrival, spoke about how impressed her family had been with the cooperation and help they had received. More than any other place she has lived, people "are not trying to down anyone." There is a good feeling, no complaints or gossip about where one family's money is going, and so on. A father said he often meets with friends to discuss Waimanalo problems, and what can be done to bring the community closer together. One mother said that she has "deep Waimanalo roots." Her parents were the first homesteaders in the area. and she always has had a strong feeling of community, has always tried to be neighborly. She is glad to see other families moving into the Homestead now. This woman said she knows that some people are already complaining. and that they haven't any real feeling of adjustment. She hoped there eventually will be more group feeling among the newcomers. One has to be patient and keep on offering friendship and help, she said. 8. Do you have relatives here in Waimanalo?

All families interviewed have relatives in the community. Two mothers were born and brought up

in Waimanalo. In one case the family said they saw little of their relatives ("their views aren't the same"); otherwise, there seem lo be close relationships among extended families. 9. Do your children play around with the other children in the neighborhood after school? What type of organized after-school activities do your children participate in? Are there any activities you would like to see started?

In two cases (both comparatively recent arrivals) the children in the family stayed quite close lo home and saw little of other youngsters in the area. Other· wise, the children play freely in the neighborhoods.

Two families are not letting their children partic· ipate in organized after-school or summer activities; one mot her spoke of the cost of fees, while in another family the reason seems to be safety. To gel to the park it is necessary lo cross the busy highway. Hence the mother suggested it would be good to have Summer Fun programs at the school. The father in the family took his son out of football since he was afraid he would be hurt. In all other families the children participate in such activities as Scouts, Gra-Y, PAL programs. and Summer Fun. One moth­er wishes there could be a program more like the Kamehameha Schools Summer Explorations, where the children could broaden their horizons and get acquainted with the whole larger community-Ho­nolulu, other parts of Oahu. for example. 10. Does your family spend a lot of time with church activities?

In general. there seems lo be little involvement. In two cases the children participate in organized church classes and instruction, although the parents do not. One family, in contrast, gears its whole way of life around church-related affairs. I felt it was significant that this family expressed a devoted con­fidence in their pastor. Apparently they have been helped in all aspects of life--how to budget, use a checking account. develop skills in reading and writing, increasing self-confidence to the point of conducting classes and acting in plays. 11. Do you think it's good for the parents ond the teachers to get to know each other better? Would you rather just visit the school or do you think sometimes the teacher should get out in the neighborhood to visit? Do you think it would be good to have more teachers living in Waimanalo? Do you think it would

21

be good to have more teachers at Pope who are Hawaiian?

One mother expressed indifference as to whether parents and teachers became better acquainted. A father seemed interested in the opportunity for closer knowledge--"it was good to have a chance to size up the children's teachers." Two parents remarked spontaneously that my visits were the first time a teacher had ever visited them. When I first proposed making a visit to one family I noticed considerable appr~hcnsion over whether it mean! the children were in serious difficulty al school. In general. most families seemed to indicate that being Hawaiian would not enter into their concept of whether a teacher was doing a good job. While one mother thought perhaps Hawaiian teachers might have a clearer understanding of childrnn's problems, an­other disapproved emphntically of the idea. This may be relnted to the clear division of opinion on the· suggestion about teachers living in Waimanalo. Many parents apparently are afraid that in such a case teachers would be more likely to show favorit­ism. A father thought it would be good to have teachers living in the community-"more neigh­borly." One mother spoke nostalgically about when she was a girl-school was the center of all commu­nity activity, and teachers lived in cottages al the school. The teachers "worked at their jobs all the time," and organized summer activities such as barn dances when they would string up lanterns and everyone would sing and dance.

I found it interesting in several visits to ask the parents about two much-needed improvements at Pope School: a cafeteria and playground space. Several parents told me that they had not realized the conditions under which their children ate lunch and played outside. and seemed to enjoy the chance to discuss the situation. They suggested several courses of action which might be initiated.

Conclusion As my title indicates, this paper is of an explor­

atory rather than definitive nature. As well as pro­viding an exploration into a theoretical framework for my thinking, it has given me both as teacher and as a human being the opportunity lo do some explor­ation on an intuitive basis.

A study based on the small number of cases pre­sented here cannot claim scientific validity. I believe,

22

that I have had the opportunity to confirm for my­self and to sense with greater reality some of the ideas which I have stated. I have been able to extend and reorganize some perceptions and insights con­cerning the nature of the relationship between home and school.

Implications and suggestions for teachers come to mind. For example, there appears to be a need for teachers to become aware of two d iff erenl dimensions in looking al the school as part of the community. II is suggested in this paper that both background information and first-hand experiences in the com­munity are important to a teacher. It is clear that few teachers have anthropological training, and that con­clusions which teachers might draw simply on the basis of a few home visits could lead them far afield and quite possibly to serious misinterpretations. Therefore l conclude that helping teachers to become familiar with basic anthropological concepts and with anthropological and sociological studies deal­ing with their particular teaching locations would be of considerable advantage in expanding their understanding. At the same lime. however, it be­comes apparent that much of the background liter­al ure is replete with overgeneralizations. The teacher can provide himself with a guard against overly facile generalizations by allowing himself the check of first-hand, personal experience in the community.

Visits between teacher and parent can be of great value simply from the point of view of exchange of information. There are factual matters which can be clarified by such informal contacts. Some information does not get to the parent by the traditional mimeo· graphed notice. Parents may have misconceptions about terminology [e.g .. "nongradedness," progress reports). or school policy (e.g. homework, special research projects, flexible scheduling of classes, fund-raising) which may be cleared up in direct. person-to-person experiences. As Gallimore and Howard stress, the " ... relationship of person to person is paramount ... (1968:12)," in the Hawaiian view. I have been impressed by the fact that (contrary to what some teachers believe) parents in the Home­stead area care very much about the quality of edu­cation being given to their children, and want to know how they can help their youngsters.

In visiting the homes, it became obvious to me that generalizations such as those of the Honolulu Council are misleading. There is a wide variation of

housing (old, ,veatherbeaten lo sparkling new "Hicks Homes" models), furnishings, and life styles. We cannot speak glibly of the "disadvantaged popula· t ion of Waimanalo." There is, I th ink, an overall warmth and openness apparent in the homes which is reflected in the warmth of the children at school.

If one looks at the question of communication between school and home, and accepts the definition of communication as having two levels--content and relationship-there is value in underta~ing home visits such as those described. It is not suggested that much in the content of these interviews is un• usual or surprising. I know, however, that through each visit I had the opportunity to enter into a relationship with meaning both for the parents and for myself. As I became acquainted with the homes 1 found il easier to establish a warm, fruitful rela­tionship, with perhaps more disposition on the part of the parents to avail themselves of my "expertise."

It would seem that contacts outside the school provide the opportunity, through acquaintance with parents and homes. for the teacher lo expand the process of education (Fullmer. 1964). There are kinds of school practices which appear static. conventional -even, at times, mindless. These practices stand in the way of what I have discovered both in the theo· retical realm and in actual practice. At the point where school and parent come together. we need to develop a new. different view of what education is all about. Can not an attempt to understand better the values of parents and the community be one means of gelling the teacher, as well as the student, into direct experience and subsequent broadened abilities in abstraction and meaning?

• In a family where one parent is one•half Hawaiian and the other non-Hawaiian. neither the non•Hawaiian parnnt nor the children would be able to inherit the homestead in the event of the death of tho eligible parent. Information from the Ha­waiian Homes office indicates that in such a situation value of house and other improvements is assigned on the basis of the tax office appraisal and the amount is divided among survivors. It is interesting to speculate on what effects this may have in relation to altitudes toward home and properly.

References

Boggs. Stephen T. Lecture on Hawaiian children's adaptation to the classroom, Uni\'ersity of Hawaii, No\'ember 1967.

Clopton, Roburt W. Culture Conflict and the School. North­wustern Unh•ersit}, Cvanston, Illinois. 194G.

Clopton, Roburl W. "Response to thu Question:· Educational Perspectives. 1968, 7,'l. 6-7.

O:lhen, Albert K. Delinquent Boys: lhe culturn of the gong. Glencoe, The Free Press, 1955.

Dewey , John. Democracy ond Eclurolion. New York: The Mac­millan O:lmpany. mm.

Edd\', Elizabeth M. ",\nthropology and Teacher Education." Human Organization, l!l68. 27 .1:17-19.

Fuchs. Lawrencu. Hawaii Pono. Nuw York: Harcourt. Bracu and World. Inc .. 1961 .

Fullmer. Daniel W. "Working With Parents." Guidance and the School Dropout. 196J-64. copyrightud by APGA and NEA. 196-1 .

Funtin, Michael. t\ Study of Some Factors Associated wilh t/w Education of S!udenls of Howoiion Ancestry al Koiluo High School. Unpublished senior honors thesis, Honolulu: Uni­versity of Hawaii, 1968.

Gi!llimore. Ronald and Alan 1-!oward. eds. Studies in a Ho­ll'oiion Community-No Mukumoka o Nonokuli. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Pacific Anthropological Records No . 1. 196B.

Green, Lawrence . Parents oncl Teachers: Partners or Rivals? London: Allen & Un win. 1961!.

Honolulu O:luncil of Social Agencies. 1\ Study of lhe Social Characteristics of Thirlccn Oahu Communilics. Prepared for the Community Renuwal Program of Honolulu. 1966.

Lewis, Oscar. Tlw C/1i/drcn of Sanchez. New York: Random House, 1961 .

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Spencer. David . "A Harlem Parent Speaks.'' NEt\ Journal, 1968. 5 7 :8-11.

Spindler, G.D., ed. Education and Cullure: Anthropological Approaches. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, Inc .. 1963.

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Elizaberh F'. Belknap leaches in the Tille 1 Remedial Reading Program al Blanche Pope School in Waimana/o, Oahu, Hawaii. Mrs. Belknap did graduate work in Anthropology at the Uni­\•crsily of Hawaii under a National Science Foundation Train­eeship, after which she received her M.Ed. in Educational Foundations. College of Education. University of Hawaii.

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