Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 1, 1 January 1987 — Special Hibiscus Honors Princess [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Special Hibiscus Honors Princess

A new hybrid hibiscus especially developed by 1929 Kamehameha graduate August Miller in honor of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop on the occasion of the Schools' 100th anniversary was planted Dec. 18infront of Dorm D on the grounds of Bishop Museum. Six other members of the Class of '29 returned to Dorm D to watch their classmate in a brief ceremony whieh was also attended by wives and husbands, Miller's family and Museum and school officials. There are 19 survivors out of 21 girls and nine of 25 among the boys. Five of the women attended the ceremony along with Miller and Joseph (Seaweed) Kealoha. They included Aliee Nicholas White, Cecilia Arnold Kane, Eva Ralston Silva, Linda Bartels Lum and Frances Dunn Silva. Miller, who was a football star at Kamehameha and a good enough amateur boxer to reach the finals of the National Amateur Boxing Tournament in Boston, turned out to be one of Hawaii's leading hibiscus breeders. He's been fascinated by the official state flower since the 1940s. "I can't explain how I got interested in breeding hibiscus. All I know is that I think they are the most beautiful things in the world," Miller told Ka Wai Ola O OHA. The new Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop hibiscus is large, deep red with white speckles and has curly petals. Miller also has bred many famous other hibiscus now growing around the world, including one named the John F. Kennedy. Breeding hibiscus started out as a hobby for Miller "many moons ago." It soon became a business when nurserymen eame around to his Kaimuki yard and asked him to grow hibiscus for sale. It was during this time he became known as one of the best of the early

breeders. There are an estimated half a dozen people who breed hibiscus in Hawaii. Miller, who recently turned 80, worked for the federal civil service as chief quarterman at Lualualei. He quit at age 46 and went into the housing rental business. He and his wife Adele, who was also on hand for the proud moment, observed their 55th wedding anniversary on Dec. 24. Richard Lyman, chairman of the Bishop Estate Board of Trustees, described what a great football player Miller was despite his small size. "And I'm proud to say he was the first Hawaii youth to reach the amateur boxing finals in Boston. Who would ever think he would become one of our leading breeders of the hibiscus," Lyman remarked. Dale Phillips, who graduated from Kamehameha in 1981 and a Miller grandson, also delivered a few brief remarks. He noted it was a happy moment for him and his family because "of the birth of this plant, my upcoming wedding and my grandparents' wedding anniversary." He said that for as long as he could remember his grandfather has always worked with hibiscus. The five ladies of Miller's 1929 class who attended the ceremony recalled that while the boys occupied Dorm D, a two-story wooden building located at the right front

entrance to the Museum, the girls were housed across King St. where Kamehameha Housing now stands. Among those attending the ceremony was Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chairman Moses K. Keale Sr. in his first official capacity as chairman of the Federal Native Hawaiian Institute of Culture and Art. He was aeeompanied by Administrator Kamaki A. Kanahele III. W. Donald Duckworth, Bishop Museum director, was master of ceremonies. Refreshments and a light snack were served by some members of the Museum staff.

Bishop Estate Trustee and President of the Board Richard Lyman watches as August Miller plants the Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop hybrid hibiscus.

Six classmates from August Miller's Class of 1929 at Kamehameha watch hibiscus planting ceremony in front of Dorm D where the former footbalI star and amateur boxer lived as a student. Starting f rom lef t to right are Joseph (Seaweed) Kealoha, his wife Jennie who was a McKinIey High School graduate, Aliee Nicholas White, Cecilia Arnold Kane, Eva Ralston Silva, Linda Bartels Lum and Frances Dunn Silva. Seated behind them from left to right are now retired Kamehameha President Jack Darvill, Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chairman Moses K. Keale Sr. and OHA Administrator Kamaki A. Kanahele III.