Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 9, 1 September 1991 — Coach Eldredge honored by Punahou [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Coach Eldredge honored by Punahou

by Gail Chun At Punahou School, the athletic letter "O" stems from the school's early history, when Punahou was called O'ahu College from 1859 to 1934. But for Punahou teacher David Pinkham Ka'iana Eldredge III, 59, it now stands for the "O in Life" award, the highest honor given toa Punahou alum by the alumni association. In 1981, he was named into the Punahou Athletic Hall of Fame by the Punahou "O" men and also received the 01d School Award, signifying service to the school and alumni association. Eldredge, a graduate from the class of '49, was presented with the "O in Life" award at the school's alumni luau in June. These awards stem from his 35-year commitment as an outstanding teacher and eoaeh at Punahou School. Eldredge coached basketball for 20 years, baseball for 26 years, and football for 27 years. He is also known as the founding father of Hawaiian studies at Punahou School, establishing the program when society did not consider Hawaiian culture important to leam. "When I first started, it was a challenge," he said. "The (Hawaiian) renaissance had not really started. "But I wanted to push (the idea) we are all Hawaiians, regardless of blood. It's just that those with Hawaiian blood are even more so." Eldredge demonstrates this tenet through his Hawaiian studies classes, and his Hawaiian culture activities on campus. He advises the Hawaiian club and the kahiko hula halau at Punahou with kumu hula Kaha'i Topolinski. The halau has taken top honors at the Hawai'i Secondary Schools Hula Competition for the last two years. He also directs the annual Holoku Pageant, whieh he started 27 years ago. He describes the pageant as a "two-hour Hawaiian and Polynesian show perpetuating Hawaiian culture and dance." Through such activities as these, Eldredge tries to impart a lasting impression and knowledge of Hawaiiana with his students. "I try to get them to take it (Hawaiian culture) with them wherever they go." While his string of awards are testaments of his commitment to teaching and Hawaiian culture, Eldredge quietly shakes off their glory, merely seeing it as doing his job. "The award itself sits in my living room, and it was very niee for the people to appreciate me. (But) the things you do in life,

you just do. "I wanted to eoaeh at Punahou because I wanted to eome back and eoaeh where I played," he said. "Having the opportunity to go to Punahou was a great plus in my life, coming from a sugar plantation in Maui." Eldredge's brother and sister, Pel Eldredge and Hattie Phillips, are also teachers and alums of

Punahou, as is their mother from the class of '26. "I knew eventually he'd get it," said Phillips, a third-grade teacher. Phillips was also a student of Eldredge's when she attended Punahou. What makes him so special as a teacher, according to Phillips, is that students "not only leam their studies, but other things in life as well, such as pride and respect. "He has just given so mueh." Marguerite Ashford, president of the Punahou alumni association, agreed with Phillips. "He takes extremely seriously the responsibility of preparing young men and women not only for college, but life. "Many young have spent time in his home when there was nowhere else for them to go; many have received discreet financial assistance when it was needed. Many more have fond memories of the man who saw them off at the airport when they first left for college, and was there to greet them when they returned home," Ashford said. "None of this did he have to do as a teacher or as a eoaeh. He did it as an individual committed to bringing growth, joy, and success to those around him." Eldredge said he plans to continue teaching "as long as I enjoy it and as long as Punahou will have me. His wife is the former Jean Matsukage, Punahou class of '50, and all three of his children are Punahou alumns.

• m mab, y .hhmiiwm David Eldredge

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