Recalling Maui’s near and distant past, compiled from Honolulu Star-Advertiser archives:
30 years ago …
A proposal to expand Maui County’s Summer Fun program to provide child care over 12 weeks of summer for 10 hours a day was put on a fast track for approval by the Maui Council Budget Committee. The proposed Summer PALS (Play and Learn Sessions) program is designed especially for children whose parents work and who would otherwise have no one to supervise them during the long summer months.
“We are trying to provide the child care needs of the working parents in our community,” said Parks Director Charmaine Tavares. “We feel we can provide quality programs with supervision by experienced personnel.”
It would be the first government-sponsored, full-summer child care program in the state and may be among the first in the nation, Tavares said.
60 years ago …
Between 400 and 500 invited guests had their first look at the 44-room, $500,000 Maui Hukilau Hotel. Maui’s newest hotel, located on the beach at Kahului Harbor, will welcome Harry Owens, famed Royal Hawaiian Hotel band leader-composer of 30 years ago, and his mainland tour group of 40 for a two-day visit.
The Valley Isle’s top entertainment and dance groups appeared at the opening with County Chairman Eddie F. Tam as master of ceremonies. In true Hawaiian style, a giant imu had been prepared to hold three pigs for the luau.
70 years ago …
In preparation for the annual West Maui grade school oratorical contest, sponsored by the Lahainaluna Good English Club, a team of club members and five other students presented a program to pupils of four west side grammar schools. Schools visited were Kamehameha III, Sacred Hearts, Puukolii and Honolua.
May Kusuda, second vice president of the club and chairman of the team, was in charge. Elsie Adarna spoke on “Education as I Understand It.” Alama Matsuno, club president, spoke on “Pidgin English.”
80 years ago …
Eighty-eight kane and wahine hula students of the Kapiolani Hula Studio, conducted under the auspices of the Alexander House by Emma Farden Sharpe, received their distinctive diplomas at the hula iniki, which drew a standing-room-only attendance at the Wailuku gymnasium.
Twenty-three numbers were on the long and varied program, which included hulas by youngsters from 4 years of age up to grown men and women, dances which ranged from ancient chants through stone and stick dances, gourd dances and bamboo stick dances. These were performed in holoku, the traditional grass skirts, while the finale was presented in celloplane costumes.
