The morning call., 1893-06-16
SAD JAPANESE.
They Object to Going to the Chinese
Schools of This CITY.

The recent action of the Board of Edu-
cation in Withdrawing from Japanese
students the privilege Of attending the
public schools has caused a commOtion
among the Mikado'S subjects residing in
San Francisco second only to that of the
Chinese when the Supreme Court of the
United States decided the Geary law to be
co institutional.
It is not likely that Director Burke,
chairman of the Classification Committee.
seriously expected, when he introduced
his resolution, that the debarred japanese
would accept the alternative and enter the
Chinese school, for the relations between
the two races are far from friendly.
The japanese. at all events, do not in
tend to submit to this curtailment of their
educational advantages without a strug-
gle and ara now busying themselves in the
preparation of protest 10 be presented at
the next session OF the directors. 1t will
be siened by represe OF the Japan
ese Young Mems Christian Association.
the japanese Methodist Episcopal Mission.
the Japane,e Gospel Society, the japanese
Consul and number Of clergymen, edu-
| Gators and business men interested IN the
welfare of the resident japanese.
Il do not think" said Director Burke to
CALL reporter, "that the japanese are
| justly entitled to free tuition in our public
schools. They do not pay taxes, as the
! Chinese do, and besides the majority of
them in the grammar grades are way
| beyond the limit of the school age-a fact
which in many instances makes their asso-
! citation with white children OF the opposite
sex somewhat Objectionable. 1t is for
| these reasons that / offered my resolution
| at the last session of the board prohibiting
| their future aGmittance into any of the
public schools, with the exception of the
! Chinese school. Yes, the resolution de-
bars them from the high schools as well as
| from the primary and grammar schools.
am sorry for the japanese. No inyidious
distinction between them and the Chinese
Is intended, but if they are not satisfied to
attend the Chinese school on Clay street,
| and still desire an English education, they
must secure the services OF private teach-
ers. Since they do not pay any taxes into
the school fund, they cannot reasonably
expect that the city is under any oblisa-
tions 10 educate them"
The japanese side of the question is
stated by g. S. Ishikawa. the general Sec
retary of the japanese Young Mems
! Christian Association al 12l Haight street.
He says: Il do not see why the Japanese
should now be denied a privilege g hich
they have so long enjoyed. We do not
pay taxes, to be sure, but, then, there are
very few of us in this city in comparison
10 the Chinese. Our aims, too. are essen
TALLY different from theirs. The Chinese
! are here 10 make money; we are here to
' acquire an English education and to study
American customs and civilization. For
the treatment we have received in the past
from the school authorities We are very
grateful. We have always tried to deserve
it, and it seems unjust at this late day. and
in the absence of any sufficient reason, to
be suddenly denied the privilege OF attend
ing the public schools and TO be placed
/ upon par with the Chinese"