by Jeffrey Bingham Mead
Greenwich Time, Greenwich, Connecticut USA
March 12, 1995, Page B3
Do you know where the largest private school in America is? No, it's not here in New England but in Hawaii. It's Punahou School, founded by Congregationalist missionaries in 1841.
One of the school's first teachers -Charlotte Close Knapp Dole- came from Greenwich. She was the daughter of Gilbert and Sally Close of Round Hill.
Charlotte married Horton Owen Knapp, and both sailed together in December 1836 for Hawaii.
The year after Horton died in 1845, Charlotte married the Rev. Daniel Dole. One of her stepsons was Sanford Ballard Dole, first president of the Republic of Hawaii and its first appointed governor when Hawaii became a U.S. territory.
In a letter dated November 25, 1846 to her cousin, Sarah Mead of Greenwich, Charlotte described the setting of the school:
"We are about two miles from Honolulu, have a fine view of the sea, all the vessels which go into H. sail by us. We are a mile or more from the sea ...it is sufficiently contiguous to Honolulu to enjoy the benefits of society and some religious privileges."
"The building," she continues, "encloses two squares or courts or rather three sides of them - the side toward the sea being open."
A sense of purpose and duty is apparent in her words: "The education of the missionaries' children is an important object, and I cannot but feel that my husband needs much more wisdom in directing their minds... They will doubtless exert a great influence"
At the time, the school numbered 30 students.
"Studies pursued (are) the common English branches -algebra, philosophy, Greek and Latin," Charlotte wrote. Other subjects taught Punahou included drawing, writing singing and languages.
"At eleven, I go in and attend to some classes in geography and arithmetic," she wrote.
At the time of Charlotte's letter, all the schools borders were boys.
"They make their own beds, sweep the rooms but need looking after to see that it is properly done. On Saturday they wash their rooms and pick up leaves or whatever may have been scattered about."
Students and teachers alike in this Hawaiian locale had a keen interest in botany.
"We have a border about two feet wide next to the building for flowers, the middle covered with grass," she wrote. "The flower seeds you sent me gee, and I shall be very glad to receive more... it is for the good of our health and spirits to cultivate a few flowers, and it requires little time here. The boys, some of them, have quite a taste for plants, and I like to encourage it. We have now a lily, which has just bloomed four flowers on a stalk. They have watched it with much interest.
"I shall be happy to hear from you whenever you can write," she concluded. "Give my love to all inquiring friends."
Clearly Charlotte Close Knapp Dole was deeply committed to her mission work as an educator. She spent the remainder of her life in Hawaii where she died in 1874. The school where she taught and wrote about recently celebrated its 150th anniversary.
Jeffrey Mead is a freelance writer and direct descendant of one of the towns founding families he grew up in the country Greenwich and is a member of the historical Society of the town of Greenwich.
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