"Haasis' Report on the Abetifi Boarding School in 1891"

He presents the school as the answer to the bad influence of idleness in which he sees children passing their days, and says that though Ramseyer in his addresses is always stressing the usefulness of schooling in his contacts with people, and though the king of Kwahu agrees with him and is trying to increase the numbers of scholars, these efforts appear to have had little effect. The movement of numbers during the year: 4 boys and one girl entered the school in the first half year when their father became a catechumen. At the beginning of the new school year they received 4 pupils from Pepease, 2 from Mpraeso, 2 from Asakraka, 2 boys and 3 girls were sent up into the School from the small children's school in Abetifi, and 2 heathen relatives of Christians on the station came to school as well. 4 pupils left for Begoro, another left because he found learning too difficult - though he became a catechumen; one left with his heathen mother for the town. The result at the end of the calendar year was a school of 51, 37 boys in the boarding section, 5 day boys, 9 day girls. Discipline seems to have been most oonerned with the behaviour of the younger pupils - especially lying and not washing. There seems to have been a strong spirit of competition in learning, especially in the middle part of the school. One case is quoted of a boy running off into the town to avoid punishment for not having done some work (this happened fairly frequently apparently) and being strongly tempted by the idea of going fishing on the Afram. At least a large proportion of the school was going on the preaching trips, and one is described to Peteko where the Nankani yams they brought with them caused troubles because they were prohibited by the Afram priestess. The people wanted to refuse to lend them pots and mortars for making fufu, and only with great difficulty did they get some - and they refused to sell them fish. Next day they wanted £9, 9 sheep and 9 hens to appease the Afram, because of the danger that the fetish in his anger would withhold fish. Hassis later heard that the Obohene (Peteko is an Obo town) had paid the fine. Christmas was again celebrated with considerable ceremony.

25.02.1892

25.02.1892

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