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  • Re-name McKinley High School?

    The idea of McKinley High School being re-named is nothing new. Activists who criticized the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy have long portrayed Pres. William McKinley as a historical antogonist for supporting the annexation of Hawaii.

    But the recent passing of the school's most famous alumnus (Daniel K. Inouye) makes me wonder: Will there be a call for McKinley's name to be removed, in favor of the late senator?

    How does everyone feel about this?
    6
    Yes - the Inouye High School Senators sound good.
    16.67%
    1
    No - McKinley Tigers forever.
    83.33%
    5
    Last edited by Frankie's Market; January 31, 2013, 04:55 AM.
    This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome.

  • #2
    Re: Re-name McKinley High School?

    I don't like renamings. I didn't like it when Idlewild international airport was renamed for Kennedy, and I was happy we got back Cape Canaveral, after its time as Cape Kennedy. I was sad to lose Siam, Ceylon, Bombay, Peking. I was pleased when we got back St. Petersburg, after its time as Petrograd, then, even worse, Leningrad. It diminishes our sense of history, tradition and of the enduring nature of human institutions when we discard the old names.
    Greg

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    • #3
      Re: Re-name McKinley High School?

      I no tink so.

      '63
      Born in Hawaii, too - Truss me

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Re-name McKinley High School?

        Istanbul........
        Greg

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        • #5
          Re: Re-name McKinley High School?

          An' what we gonna name it when we're tired of the new one 'cause we're tired of the old one?
          Longs Drugs will be moving in soon mauka, maybe they'll show some good old style community spirit and rally up a capaign to boost attention, maybe a parade...
          https://www.facebook.com/Bobby-Ingan...5875444640256/

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          • #6
            Re: Re-name McKinley High School?

            Already in motion is renaming Saddle Road on Hawaii Island:
            State Sen. Malama Solomon, a Democrat whose district covers the north side of the island from Kona to Hilo, has sponsored a bill renaming Saddle Road the “Daniel K. Inouye Legacy Highway.”
            Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Re-name McKinley High School?

              I say NO!!

              Why mess up a good thing just to change the name??

              Its been like that forever "McKinley High School" !!. Why even change it now?? you know?? GAWD!! Just leave well enough alone, & leave it as it is!!. That's my thoughts on that!!.
              Aches & Pains
              (through out our lives) knows no time!!.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Re-name McKinley High School?

                Originally posted by GregLee View Post
                I don't like renamings.
                MHS was re-named, not once, but twice before arriving at its present name, in case you didn't know. (Fort Street Day School and Honolulu High School were the institution's earlier monikers.)

                Whenever I've brought up this topic to friends and acquiantances who favor the idea of keeping McKinley's name on the school, they always bring up reasons like preserving tradition and honoring the bronze statue of the man in front of the auditorium. And that's all well and good. But I've yet to come across anyone (even graduates of MHS) who say they admire William McKinley as a person, or even have any knowledge about the man's life and accomplishments. So I always thought was a bit ironic.... people wanting to honor a man they know relatively little about. This is in sharp contrast to Kamehameha Schools. Ask anyone who is a product of KS, and chances are, they'll tell you an earful about the school's namesake and his legacy in the islands.
                This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome.

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                • #9
                  Re: Re-name McKinley High School?

                  Originally posted by Frankie's Market View Post
                  But the recent passing of the school's most famous alumnus (Daniel K. Inouye) makes me wonder: Will there be a call for McKinley's name to be removed, in favor of the late senator?
                  How many of us (including me) didn't know he went grad McKinley?

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Re-name McKinley High School?

                    When graduates talk about tradition, they aren't talking about the tradition of honoring the former President. They're talking about an identity tied to that name, an identity that has nothing to do with the President but everything to do with how they think of that institution and their time there.

                    Have you been in the lobby of the front office building? There's a long line of photos of esteemed graduates on the wall. I suppose many schools have such a lineup of contributors to our state's culture and history, but I doubt few have a lineup that stretches the physical length of McKinley's. I think Serenity's response is understandable for these reasons.

                    But I would still be in favor of renaming the school if the school's community, including current student body, alumni association, and current administration, is in favor of it. It's their tradition; let them decide what to do with it.

                    My own alma mater went through a name change long ago (Hawaiian Baptist Academy to Hawaii Baptist Academy). Other local schools have gone through name changes: Academy of the Pacific used to be Honolulu Junior Academy. Lutheran High School used to be Our Redeemer Lutheran. Assets School used to be ASSETS (Armed Services Special Education and Training Society) School, and before that it was AFRCA (I'm not going to type what that used to stand for; but it's easily looked up). Hanalani used to be the King's School. Hawaiian Mission Academy (John Waihee's alma mater) was the Anglo-Chinese Academy in the 1800s. Iolani's roots go to schools that were named Saint Alban's and Luaehu. Le Jardin used to have a longer French name. And these are only private schools; I'm sure a bunch of the public schools have been renamed.
                    But I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I GOT IT ALL! (George Costanza)
                    GrouchyTeacher.com

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                    • #11
                      Re: Re-name McKinley High School?

                      Originally posted by scrivener View Post
                      I'm sure a bunch of the public schools have been renamed.
                      I found these, there's probably more:

                      In 1914 it started as a single-roomed school called Mokuleia School. In 1927 Andrew E. Cox donated 15-acre (61,000 m2) tracts of land for the school's campus. Renamed Andrew E. Cox Junior High School. In 1937 the school was enlarged to include a senior high school and was renamed Waialua High and Intermediate School.

                      In 1843 the Lahaina Seminary separated into 2 separate schools, one part of the campus was renamed Lahainaluna High School (Public Secondary School) and the other half was renamed the University of Hawaii.

                      McKinley High School was officially established in 1865, as the Fort Street English Day School by Maurice B. Beckwith. In November 1869, the English Day School moved from the basement of the old Fort Street Church to a new stone building on the corner of Fort and School Streets. The Fort Street School later moved to the Princess Ruth’s Palace in 1895 and was renamed the Honolulu High School.
                      In 1907, Honolulu High School moved to the corner of Beretania and Victoria Streets. The school’s name was then changed to President William McKinley High School, after President William McKinley, whose influence helped to bring about the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands to the United States.

                      Reverend Benjamin Parker School is located on a beautiful 10.81 acre site in Kaneohe, a suburban community eleven miles from Honolulu. Our school was originally called Kaneohe School and has been at its present location on land granted by the Benjamin Parker Estate, since 1927. The school was renamed in honor of its benefactor and is the oldest school in Kaneohe. In its early years Benjamin Parker educated students from K-12 and reverted to being an elementary school in 1951.

                      Pahala High & Elementary School was started in 1881 for students from the rural Pahala Sugar Community. The high school was established along with a middle school and an elementary school. The Original buildings on campus are still in use including the main high school building, two other high school buildings, the gymnasium, the elementary school buildings and cafeteria. The H building and the G building are the original school buildings, dating back to 1881. In 1940, the school was renamed Ka'u High and Pahala Elementary School due to the drop in enrollment at Naalehu, which once had a high school.
                      Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Re-name McKinley High School?

                        Originally posted by scrivener View Post
                        When graduates talk about tradition, they aren't talking about the tradition of honoring the former President. They're talking about an identity tied to that name, an identity that has nothing to do with the President but everything to do with how they think of that institution and their time there.
                        Attaching importance to a person's name (in this case, William McKinley) with little thought given to that person's life and accomplishments.... well, you might as well be describing something as trite as a designer brand name. Groups of people can also identify and feel pride by associating themselves with Calvin Klein and Gianni Versace. I would think that considerably greater thought and care would be given to a school's namesake. That the person who is so honored has, through his/her own life, left behind a legacy that students at the school can feel proud of.

                        But maybe that's just me.

                        Originally posted by scrivener View Post
                        Have you been in the lobby of the front office building? There's a long line of photos of esteemed graduates on the wall. I suppose many schools have such a lineup of contributors to our state's culture and history, but I doubt few have a lineup that stretches the physical length of McKinley's.
                        One of whom is the aforementioned Senator Inouye. Which is why I started this thread.

                        Yes, you could plaster Dan Inouye's name on top of any other school. But since Inouye attended MHS, picking this particular school would make it that much more meaningful.

                        Originally posted by scrivener View Post
                        But I would still be in favor of renaming the school if the school's community, including current student body, alumni association, and current administration, is in favor of it. It's their tradition; let them decide what to do with it.
                        It will probably come down to that.

                        I don't really have any strong feelings either way on the topic. But if this discussion accomplishes anything, I would hope that proponents of preserving the name of McKinley High School would stop and take the time to educate themselves more about McKinley, the man. Wouldn't it be sad if your children or grandchildren ask you about your high school's namesake and you can't say anything meaningful beyond the fact that he was the 25th president of the US.
                        This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Re-name McKinley High School?

                          Originally posted by Frankie's Market View Post
                          The idea of McKinley High School being re-named is nothing new. Activists who criticized the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy have long portrayed Pres. William McKinley as a historical antogonist for supporting the annexation of Hawaii.
                          When William McKinley was elected President, he supported the annexation. "We need Hawaii just as much and a great deal more that we did California. It's a manifest destiny," McKinley said in early 1898. In 1898, Congress approved the annexation of Hawaii.
                          I'm not sure the state government would do anything that would appear to NOT be supportive of McKinley, since without McKinley there might not even be a state.
                          Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Re-name McKinley High School?

                            Originally posted by Amati View Post
                            I'm not sure the state government would do anything that would appear to NOT be supportive of McKinley, since without McKinley there might not even be a state.
                            And yet, did not Congress pass the Apology Resolution in 1993, acknowledging the improper actions taken by US officials in having a hand in the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.

                            For all intents and purposes, the Apology Resolution has been largely symbolic. The sponsors of the resolution (Akaka & Inouye) certainly did not intend for it to be used as a pretense for Hawaii to secede from the Union. And in the 20 years since its passage, it hasn't successfully been used to leverage any legal claims for native Hawaiians.

                            Likewise, any re-naming of institutions like William McKinley High School and Sanford Dole Middle School would also be symbolic, in the sense that neither move would be an endorsement calling for an end to statehood and to have the monarchy restored.
                            Last edited by Frankie's Market; February 2, 2013, 12:08 PM.
                            This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Re-name McKinley High School?

                              This is one of the types of issues that makes for very interesting reading of testimony that is submitted to the legislature.
                              Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.

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