Ka Puuhonua o na Hawaii, Volume IV, Number 15, 13 April 1917 — ADDRESS BY JOSEPH ORDENSTEIN HISTORY, ETC. KAMEHAMEHA ALUMNI ASSCOCIATION [ARTICLE]

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ADDRESS BY JOSEPH ORDENSTEIN HISTORY, ETC. KAMEHAMEHA ALUMNI ASSCOCIATION

The fdllowing address was' delivered at tbe J {ormal ō'pt;ning of the -new doro)itGry of tha Kamehameha Alumni Association. Mr. Ordenstein said: ■ ' I "1 have heen asked to et desvcr to give to you āt tb)S occasion rhe h'istory oi the Kamehsmeha A(ov;irji Associ&uo , n. I ask you to be linieni w3tb >7i:r m ihe mattcr cf dates and loeali-; ties w'th reference to tbe ear!y history of the Ka- j mehemeha Alumm, I concede the kct thatll am some"W»hc< hr/\ rn the po : nts in question; for in iYf r'rr ( e ard a haif cobwebs have made in o-uH >nio my thiriking organ. ; Aborl twcnty-two (22) years ago there stocd u ihe ccrca d S<.uth ,and Queen streets a twc-M(r\ \\r e' i btn (ture of gocd old New ,England Archltuct jlsi sbout where the Brewery is ne-w ke. i<.d. Just why this particuhr',bu: .:ding- Is r«ot, rrseriUo'ned or depicted in t e Hav; Q zette "FtcfuresqL;« II; p»sses my understapding, for it svās liiWein like the pruverbicl mushroom that the K&mc'femeha AU'wni Assccciaticn first s prung fnto exi:stence, The birth of this rew AsscccĪ£tion. the on'y ore of its kind iri the city at that time I suppcse dce iargely to the fact that there livcrl in ' L he s-ime bui!ding abcut half a dozen. prprn'isirg young men who but a few years bsck had fit:tended the Kamehameha Schcols. I

Prompted by the desire of perfecting the cid K&mehameha sp'rit snd traditions among its rj.;mbers, also'perpetuating the famous wcrds ol - smesake, The Great at the batt!e.of Waiiuku, "I Mua a Inu ika Wai Awaawa," and aided by the suggestions and vice cf frlends eoupleei with the intention of being oi some service to their fe'!ow sfudents and race, as weil as to the co(nunity in whieh they lived, th)s handfu! of young men set forth to perfect an c*gThe idea of an Alumni Asscociat'on w&s a t;ew one in cur litt!e burg. At any rate, lhcy assemb!ed and met pursuant to the eall <A the Chriritrian Pro Tem. They orgahized ar.d !uncbed forth into the world a'new' ship on thc a y of March, 1895, The Pioneer Kamehameha Alumnī Asscociation, f;rst :of its kind;in this Territcry, which"was destined ■to be a tactor in th;s community, and unparalleled "examp'e for other schools to follow. Five officers and e*even members constituted tbis new crgarzation. The first officers were: officers . Fred W. Beckley, ............... President Robt. K. Pahu,. ....... ... .. Vice-Presid'ent W, Ollin Crowell,. .... . Reccrding Secretary J. A. Lawelawe,.... Correspor 4 dmg Secretary S. W. Spencer, Treasurer. ; ■ MEMI!EKS John Joseph, John Waiamau, C. M. Eddie Haoapi,; James B. Pakefe ? Wm. K. Rathburs,' Arthur Kauaieli, Moses Kauwe,: Ed. Quinn, (Not Sunday) SoI. Hanohano, Wm. Maneole Keolanui, Mueh ean be said ābout the cff cers and memhers of this new departure, but I leave that to you for their respective records speak for them selves. I will say that the "Survival of the Fittest" ol this aggregation sre law-abiding and' desirab!e citizens who are wi!ling at all times to respond to the ea?! cf theirccuntry and to do the b:ddir;g of the'r Alm'a Mater.

Being patterntd after the Alumni Asscociations of the CGl'tges and universities on the rmin'and, tfos ssscccĪ3tton foHowed in the wake t.. tn: r rg- rizatior S , dec'ared itself in the couSt ron «nd by-i„ws in the foltowifig terms: Whereas, a great charges are now tak ; nng pUee in the social and po)itical history of our country whieh all m3terially sffect our future, national peaee and happiness arid WheVeas,*the and moral welfare of young Haw*i3.?ns will thereby be nf«turally invo!ved; and I Whereis } this as a proper time to show ouri

ipve.and patriotisiai for : cur e.-;',uy ;'iiui our people strivinp; to th<- chsl , v i eur V <_■; 'or the bc.tterment of our y =:e =■ ī t -im H • tellectual eoLu.uon; anel Wheret s, by promoting the &i4rit uaiieei brotherhood kr the succis« ot- our eauae we em accorapl'sh a grea de?.l in - ll v e unaersigned thereLre cigree a <d fcrm an Associstion, and fcr its j: : rcpgīr gc!verHm<in:t do hereby adopt and declare lo be io ru'l lorcc and sffect on ar:d from tbe 12th chy,of- M'nrch 1895. etc. etc. -li The ob>ect ss. sdoptcd were (1) To f>id its raembers in.ca.se of need or illness; (2) To promote īndustrial, social and inte!!ectml improvemerit amon<r thcm; (3) To better the coridition, in the matter of cf ycung Hawaiians getierally.

I'!I not waste any va!uab!e lime as ihere will be several speakers ■. iollowinu; me r S'i pha'! eliniinale ■ ail unnecesssry coirimenis r?n ihe different phsses of the■"Whereas" .'*nd "Objrcis" of this newly-formt-d sss' ci .t':on. I shall however say, that in so far z$ rny kn<nv'ec!ge lies, tbe"intetits and purpcses cl -the suhj«ctß rcferred to, were c=rri€d out. ■ If infornnātion to hand is be'reiied \ip: n, the Kamehameha Alunīni AssGccii:iion- had sep&rate ?.nd distinct bcmes durirg the 22 ye;-rs of its existence. Of the hst nine ye;-rs'-iegii)ning with June 4, 1908, I aifi ■■ famī!īar- wth ar d ca-n ma&e st?;tferrents in reference therc to wkh -Kome degree rf accurßcy. This pericd cf i : n:e h?s been visited by ye«rs of plenty and'itwas aIsD visited by yesrs full of rdversities and prcplexities. - EDUCATĪON YOUNG HAWAIIANS This asscciation hss nct hsd any great amount cf achievements in the educationūi iines, nor has yet sttempted a great deai, cther ihan maintaining a scholarship at the Manual School ; and the school for girfs at times, owing to ihe laek of funds for that purpcse. While it hss followed out the teachings 0 f the Goccl Book to some extent aud the biblical saying, "It is mcre b!essed to give than to rtceive" has had some bearirg en the h'naneūl "status cjuc" cf the asscciation still it must be :ddni'.tt.d ihui diti-e ean always be some rocm i'jr impro\e®ent. Iti is hoped that in the near future enought iunds will be.availab-e to estab.:ish j,caolarcl:!i-s 1 1 Oahu Coilege if condiīson are w.i changed --.r.d probab!y one or two scho!arships in e jiieges, on the mainland.

The re!ations existing between tfiē asscciatton and the schoo!s never cou!d be amy better than it is now j£ the autHorities.thst be will review it from our s£andpoint. It has aiwjys been cordial ard sincere, whatever stands v.e may have taken or petty differences ia matters educationa! if contrary to the views of the Bōard of Trustees, if firmly beleive wss for the betterment of those young men who ire coming cut Jof the institutions, to earn their livehocd ;;rd solve scme of the gre£ l problems cf -iife &rd'fcr the betterment of the institution- whieh we eali our loving or dear mother genera!iy. "The liberality cf the schoo's with its assistance has never questioned end it is hepea that wiil bē reīgn supreme ia whae under-' takings we may heareafter joint!y take. There ean be litt!e comparison between this Alumni Association and other s:m!lar i#ssociations. While it receives mueh needed assistance and encouragement, there still remaics the fact that it has had an up-hillfight ever since I ean remember against one or another. It was not ecdowed with tbe many assests cr resources that simibr organizatipns have bee:i favored with. In short, its lot, tbis en whieh we boast as our home is in the aature of ihe tenent at will varietv. No copditior-s of the lease have been broken to my know!edge, so it ean at least expect the "square dcal" fr::n the powers that be, and this h; s u-questkn b'y.

Sometimes in the latter part of 1906 or to [be near correct In the early pan 1907, plans ; were drawn up and submitted to iho limieo* of the Estate, for a new cottagc as i; \ s thea called, in the rear nf this'c!ubhou:;e | ?'k» space occupied by tbis buildingj to t." o use ;ibout 25 roembers. Not on!y weiei 1 . i'igstoos attention brought to this mauei-, but a speclal envoy if I raay be permitted to use that ierm,