Here are pictures from our historical collection:   2 - Reverend Shiro Sokabe wore a western-style suit when preaching or when he went to meetings in Hilo or at other churches. When at leisure on the campus, he changed into the traditional Japanese Yukata robe.  3 - The two-story dormitory (behind the tree) and other campus buildings. Notice that the two buildings in front are the same as the ones shown in Photo No. 1, above, taken before the 2-story building was constructed.  4 - Reverend Sokabe stands on the lanai of the dormitory building (in traditional white Yukata robe) with some students and parishioners.  5 - Reverend Sokabe chose to live in a small, very simple plantation worker cottage at the edge of the campus. Here, the covered ramp serves him as his "front porch" in a moment of leisure between official duties. Much later, a parsonage was built. That, too, had to be torn down, and was replaced in 2005 by the modern parsonage that our pastor enjoys today.  6 In later years, Reverend Sokabe (robed and seated in front row) with parishioners of his Honomu Christian Church.  7 - The school had sports teams, a band, and martial arts classes. Music programs and plays involved the students and were closely supported by enthusiastic neighbors and parents in the community.  8  9 - The school band  10 - Cast of a performance on stage in the old meeting hall that served as a chapel and auditorium. Drama was important for cultural expression and for Christian teaching. His student's presentation of the story of Noah and the Ark was remembered for decades: Special effects were provided with the expertise of plantation workers who, while reluctant to take to the stage, were experts in setting up a flume in no time at all. When the actors needed torrential rains and a great flood, it did just that, right there in the auditorium. Lots of audience and students' clothes were drying on the line in the yards around Honomu and at the school the day after the play. Noah made his point.  11 - Traditional Japanese art forms were significant in the culture of the school. Reverend Sokabe endorsed commitment by the parishioners to their employer and community, but saw the importance that honoring cultural roots had in keeping immigrant families grounded and to maintain self respect.  12 - Reverend Sokabe (standing) in his later years, near retirement. Note photo of his wife Shika on wall of the study, behind the seated gentlemen.  13 - Errands and meetings in Hilo, when travel by car was an option for Reverend Sokabe. In the challenging, early years of his mission work, Reverend Sokabe would walk the entire island with only his Waraji (straw sandals) on his feet, to talk to churches in Hilo, Kailua and other areas in order raise funds to feed the children in his care. His sandals, which forded streams, climbed rocky gullies, tramped cane roads, and protected him from knife-edge lava rock, are now on display in Honolulu at the Bishop Museum. Even as late as the 1940's, the car ride to Hilo took about 2 hours. Today, it's a 15 minute drive.  14 - The church gathered for a photo in front of the old meeting hall, once located on our present site, across the driveway from the new chapel building that we use today. A red cinder overflow parking area is in the place where the meeting hall stood. Termite damage eventually made the hall and the old parsonage too dangerous to keep. As the move out of the meeting hall was being completed, part of the roof collapsed, with no injury to people or property.  15  16   18 - All-church photo in front of the new chapel (mid-1990's). Our most recent photo can be found via the "Photo Gallery" link in the Navigation section of the left side bar of this page. Copyright Notice: All content of this web site, including photos and text, are the property of the owners, originators, authors, contributors and Hilo Coast United Church of Christ (2012). Used here with permission. All rights reserved. No use by other parties is granted without the express written permission of the owners and Hilo Coast United Church of Christ. |
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 Hilo Coast UCC - Planted 1894. Still bearing fruit. |
Photo History |