Recalling Maui’s near and distant past, compiled from Honolulu Star-Advertiser archives:
40 years ago …
Twenty-two girls have been selected to be the first of their sex to live in campus dormitories while attending Lahainaluna High School this fall. Principal Mitsuji Ariyoshi said 70 girls applied for admission as boarders. Of those selected, eight are from Oahu, nine from Maui, three from the Big Island and one each from Lanai and Kauai.
The girls’ quarters will be “segregated” from the boys’ dormitories, but the girls will be expected to cope with the same type of regimentation developed for the boys, Ariyoshi said. They will start their day at 5:45 a.m. on school days to do chores in the school’s cafeteria or farms before going to classes. Evening study hours are also set.
“Our timetable is pretty rough and rugged, and the girls will be expected to pull their own weight,” Ariyoshi stressed. “They will not be treated differently, because we cannot discriminate in our treatment of the students.”
He said 100 boys will be in the boarding program this fall.
50 years ago …
Mayor Elmer F. Cravalho’s Citizens’ Committee on Kahoolawe, in a 7-6 decision, adopted a measure calling for an immediate halt to bombing of the island by the U.S. Navy. Chairman Timothy Head, an instructor at Maui Community College, said that although the majority of the voting members of the committee favor a halt to the bombing, “there is no majority feeling that the island should be returned immediately and unconditionally to civilian use.”
Head itemized six recommendations the committee had made by “consensus” and forwarded the list to the mayor, recommending among other things that long-term civilian use of Kahoolawe island primarily relate to recreation, especially parks and sports fishing facilities; the eradication of the goat population be carried on in as humane and expeditious a manner as possible; and the public be made aware that Kahoolawe is a valuable island with much fertile land and many beautiful beaches.
60 years ago …
The U.S. Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs has voted to establish a second national park in Hawaii. Unanimous approval was received by a bill sponsored by Sen. Hiram L. Fong to create Haleakala National Park on Maui. The area is now part of Hawaii National Park, which is mainly on the Big Island.
Maui Chamber of Commerce directors recently sent a resolution to Hawaii’s congressional delegation backing the plan for two separate parks. Directors said Maui would benefit economically from having its own park.
80 years ago …
Takashi Hirose of Maui, the territory’s leading sprint swimmer, splintered Johnny Weissmuller’s Hawaii record of 52.6 seconds for the 100-yard freestyle when he registered a splendid time of 52.3 seconds in the Punahou pool in the final half of the Hawaiian AAU Indoor championship meet.
His teammate, Kiyoshi Nakama, as great an aquatic competitor as island swim fans have ever seen, also turned in a brilliant victory as he annexed top honors in the 440-yard freestyle in 4 minutes 45.5 seconds. Both Hirose and Nakama conquered Paul Herron of California, who went down to defeat only after swimming the greatest races of his career.
The Maui 800-yard relay team of Jose Balmores, Takashi Hirose, Bunmei Nakama and Kiyoshi Nakama swam the event in an exhibition for time in 8 minutes 11.2 seconds, which is 13.1 seconds under Yale University’s recognized world record of 8:24.3.
