The political, economic, and public health events at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries shaped the history of Palama Settlement. Established after the Overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi in 1893 and prior to the United States annexation of Hawaiʻi in 1898, Palama Chapel was built in 1896 by P.C. Jones, a prominent businessman and politician. Through sales and donations, Central Union Church held the deeds on the corners of Liliha and King Streets. Palama Chapel’s first pastor and superintendent, Reverend John M. Lewis, organized religious meetings and faith teachings. Social activities were also offered with “the Sewing Circle, the Choral Society, the Junior Singing Classes, the Boys’ Clubs, monthly entertainments, and the Kindergarten.” In 1900, a public health crisis emerged with reported cases of the Bubonic Plague in Honolulu’s Chinatown district. By order of the Honolulu Board of Health, fires were set in Chinatown that accidently spread into adjacent neighborhoods and destroyed houses, leaving thousands of residents homeless. Palama Chapel became surrounded by crowded tenement housing for the displaced residents, many from Native Hawaiian, Chinese and Japanese populations. The resulting urban problems of sanitation and health care, as well as the rise of education and recreation needs inspired Palama Chapel to transition in 1906 into Palama Settlement, a social service agency. Incorporated in 1910, Palama Settlement strived to improve living conditions by offering public health services and social, educational, and recreational activities under the framework of the settlement movement in the United States during the Progressive Era of late 19th century and early 20th century industrialization.

Ambitious programs during the early years of Palama Settlement tackled housing and public health challenges. Palama Settlement leased cottages to accommodate families struggling to make ends meet. Health programs treated tuberculosis, remediated a high infant mortality rate, and provided dental care. Specialized outpatient clinics, including chest, dental, dermatological, obstetrical, orthopedic, and eye, ear, nose and throat services, were operating on campus. Palama Settlement implemented a membership program and organized community activities for boys and girls such as club meetings, swim meets, gym classes, story hours, hiking and camping trips, dramatics, sewing, playground games, and sports. Athletics included baseball, basketball, football, gymnastics, soccer, swimming, track and field, and volleyball. Parents were encouraged to participate, especially in the Fresh Air Camp in Waialua that offered a rural respite from their urban environment. Palama Settlement annually hosted a circus and parade, a lūʻau (Hawaiian feast), and holiday parties for the entire neighborhood.

Over the two decades since 1900, the population increased by over 110 percent in Honolulu, causing a higher demand for social services. In 1925, Palama Settlement moved from its old location on the corner of Liliha and King Streets to its present location on Vineyard Boulevard. Medical services increased by 57 percent. Recreation programs grew even more popular, often headlining the sports pages of the Honolulu daily newspapers. Tennis courts and high dive platforms for the outdoor swimming pool were built. A public library was built along with an auditorium, which was also used for moving picture shows, live concerts, theatrical performances, and lectures. Palama Settlement saw an average of 1,500 to 2,000 people per week. Participants in the Kalihi-Pālama neighborhood mainly consisted of Native Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, Portuguese, and Puerto Rican ethnic groups.

The global economic ramifications from the Great Depression in 1929 did not slow down the activities at Palama Settlement. The call for public health and social services resounded across the islands when the heads of households experienced unemployment. Social work became just as important as medical work for the individuals and families who sought treatment at the clinics. The social workers counseled and guided patients in financial need. By 1939, Palama Settlement tripled its services to the community since 1925. Recreational activities were offered to the older population, and training grounds were provided for athletes to practice boxing, martial arts, tumbling, weightlifting, and wrestling. The youth participants came to Palama Settlement right after school from the Downtown Honolulu, Kapālama, and Kalihi districts.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor and under martial law, the United States Army leased Palama Settlement’s gymnasium and the campgrounds at Waialua. The medical department functioned as a first-aid station and the athletic field was repurposed for community bomb shelters. Intermingled with military and civilian personnel, children and adults continued to participate in community programs for educational and recreational purposes. Homemaking and English language classes were conducted to “strengthen the family group which we feel is the basis for the American way of life.”

After World War II, Palama Settlement jump-started the neighborhood programs with year-round activities, including the inauguration of the music school in 1946. Palama Settlement in 1947 closed the medical clinics to focus on “recreation, education and family counseling” in the efforts to provide family health guidance through education and social work. Community relationships were fortified through the cooperation of the Kalihi-Pālama Community Council. Palama Settlement’s Group Work department actively encouraged club and recreation activities with extended hours into the evening for greater participation.

As public housing complexes were built in the Kalihi-Pālama neighborhood, Palama Settlement, in partnership with the Honolulu Council of Social Agencies, commissioned a study to review the organization and its programs and make recommendations with respect to community outreach and neighborhood development. The 1962 report followed the tenets as outlined by the National Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers and recommended that Palama Settlement design programs and services to provide community engagement in a safe and healthy environment, protect and strengthen family life especially during times of duress, and help individuals in the neighborhood through group services. Projected outcomes included responsible citizenship through active participation, personal enhancement through new and creative experiences, and prevention of personal or social dysfunction.

With the study in mind, Palama Settlement conducted joint conferencing with the community residents, staff, and Board of Trustees to develop neighborhood and youth programs designed to prevent delinquency and conserve and develop the human potential. For example, in 1965, Palama Settlement’s Community Organization Officer Mr. Vaiao Alaʻilima and his wife Fay Alaʻilima surveyed the residents from Samoa and organized the Samoan Neighborhood Council from their findings. Topics addressed acculturation difficulties such as intergenerational gap between the elders and youth, economic problems, and language barriers. Classes and activities were created under the auspices of the Samoan Neighborhood Council, such as English as a second language, auto mechanics, citizenship, home nursing, and cooking.

Palama Settlement continued to experiment and develop innovative programs reflective of the social movements in the United States from the 1960s through the 1970s. Palama Settlement launched the aggressive services program aimed specifically at socially dysfunctioning youth in the neighborhood to prevent or remediate school dropouts. In 1968, the Pākōlea Project connected education with sports, where youth who were at-risk of dropping out of school would most likely participate. Studies revealed that the youth in the Kalihi-Pālama area experienced poor school relationships, academic under-achievement, high incidence of antisocial behavior, and under-nourishment. The Pākōlea Project would integrate strategies to address the issues by providing balanced meals to the participants, encouraging parents interaction and communication, and training participants on team dynamics with football and basketball.

In 1970, the In-Community Treatment Project sought to change the behavior of 15 to 18 year-old teenagers who habitually violated the law. Family Court would refer and authorize the project to candidates as their last chance to avoid detention centers. Once enrolled in the program, participants engaged in guided group interactions at Palama Settlement’s Learning Center, a socially engineered environment where participants could build academic and social skills at their own rate, increasing their personal achievement. Both the Pākōlea and In-Community Treatment projects became successful programs that continued through 1980.