Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-23
Going to School in Japan.

From Harpcr's Bazaar.
AS marked as is the dissimilarity Of the
Japanese child to our own wee one, perhaps
there are no lights in which the former Is
shown that set off this dissimilitude like the
quaint rays of the educational sun which IL
lumines his path. Behold him, then, ap-
preaching the frail, one-story, half paper
and half wood schoolhouse he attends-re-
pairing thereto as one of picturesque
group Of three. four or five happy young
sters. armed with copy book. seroban, of
which more anon, huge paper umbrella and
rice jar, the last swinging from a round
little arm in gayly brocaded bag-the
avenue he is on and the schoolhouse and
surroundings all enveloped in an atmo-
sphere and hue of naive and antique quaint
ness In due time he is inside the tidy lit
tie school room. with it's snowy mating, its
bright futons-a square of wadded silk or
crepe upon which to rest the knees, chairs
being unknown luXuries to the un-Euro-
peanized Japanese-cast upon the floor at
regular intervals, one for each abecedarian
ana one Tor the teacher. and with it's many
odd little chests of drawers NINA ture chifr
onnlers, IN which are kept the books sero-
bans, India ink and brushes not in use The
prevailing polteness in this proverbially
well hammered archipelago goes methodic
ally along hand in hand with all concerns:
In fact the very gates of the day swing
asunder upon hinges Of etiqTet, the first
senooiroom rule demanding that the scholars
should all be assembled when their teacher
arrives, in order to bid him good morning
In body Familiar with the peculiar clash
or his wooden clog, the scholars range
themselves In straight line at the first
announcement of his approach, and at the
nrst glimpse caught of him, draw in their
breath with the long, Kissing sound that ha q
Deen described in previous chapter as ex-
pressing awed regard. This formality over
the dwarfish tutor is saluted with absurdIy
low BOWS and general CHEEKY clatter OF
words, In which will nearly always be dis
tlnguishable the eXclamations Of "Ohyor'
Good day! "lrrashai!'-Please deign to
enter-and "Oide nasar'-Be pleased to
make your honorable entrance,
Every act and word of the above greet
ing the recipient considers as an evidence
OF respectful affection; and he never fails
70 say so, nor to express the sincere hope
that all his little pupils are we'll
rms pretty prelude over, the schoolmas ter
sQuatting upon his futon-all the students
ii,n obeying his example by drop
ping noiselessly upon theirs-begins the long
days work by calling aloud the number or
its lesson in reading.
The art of serving tea at that most cere-
monlous or all social usages, the tea cere-
mony. is, among the upper classes through
out the country, considered to be an indis
pensable frill on the educational garment
or young girl. This stilted affair simply
bristleS with exacting codes. There are des
potlc rules as to tea bowls which, upon this
occasion oniy must be used instead of tea
pots; rules as to the tea itself which must
be powdered, and of one certain excellent
Quallty; rules as to bamboo whisks, which
are brought forward at a fixed moment. and
with which the fragrant beverage is beaten
until 1t foams; rules as to the peculiar vari-
ETY. ana amount of the charcoal over which
the water for the making of the tea is boil
ed; rules as to all the utensils used, which
must not only be antique, but rigidly chaste
ana pam IN style; and rules as to the cere-
monious, solemn performance of serving the
tea after its deliberately formal making
all OF which regulations are taught by pro-
ressed lnstructresses, most of whom are
gentIeWOmen In destitute circumstance