The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-09-01
jAPAN'S CHEF F0R(
So Col, CockerilI Describes H,
Educational System,
o-education Feature of the Sys,e
All Must Attend School Up to ihc
Age of Fourteen. The Sub
ject Taught. Teachers
Qualifications.

The common school system OF Japan
is i'll my opinion the chief support q
the empire and tho promise Of tho fu
ture. There are only two grades q:
schools-the ordinary and the highcg
Children of both sexes, between IL,
ages of 6 and 10, attend tho formo,
Children between tho ages of / and II
are eligible TO tho higher grade schools
Every municipality, township, village,
town and city is required to build
schoolhouso or schoolhouscs, aocordiny
to the census returns of children Of
school age The houses are constructed
according to tho capacity Nnd require
Inents of the school division In III,
cities the school buildings are quite
commodious and prctemsions, though AL
are seemingly overcrowded. In tho
country many of them are poor woodc,
structures. It is obligatory for all chill
drcn between and ii years of age t.
attend a common school until tho course
is finished The law is not rigidly eli
forced because of the poverty of the
country and the absolute necessity fer
children to aid their paronts by some
kind of labor. But why're children are
trouble about the attendance There is
no such thing in Japan as schoolboy
Creeping like snail unwiliugly to
school. " They so trotting to school
with happy faces They all wear n black
or white cap with leather visor, and
they carry their books in leather
satchci. Tho majority of them arc stu
dious and fond of books. Children Of
VIGOROUSLY bad character or who are
conStiiutionally disqualified for receiv-
ing-instructiou are not admitted to the
schools.
In tho ordinary or lower grade school
the subjects taught arc reading, com
position, caligraphy. arithmetic and
gymnastics Tho latter is optional, &C
cording to the character of the locality
One or more of the following subjects
arc also taught in addition to the above:
Japanese geography, japanese history,
drawing, singing and handiwork. For
girls sewing may DO added In the high
err grade school the curriculum embraces
moral lessons, reading, composition,
cailgraphy, arithmetic, Japanese geog-
raphy, Japanese history, foreign gcog-
raphy, science, drawing, singing and
gymnastics. For girls sewing may be
added. Foreign geography and singing
may be eliminated Ono or more of the
following subjects may DO added, nc
cording TO requirement: Elements of
geometry, u foreign language, lessons in
agriculture, commerce and manual
training. In all the schools great stress
Is laid on essay writing. Every class is
trained III cnisthcnics. Where singing
IS taught, the children enter into il with
great zeal, and they make themselves
heard for considerable distance. In
the common schools the summer yaca
ton lasts from two To six weeks and
the winter vacation from one to five
weeks. The number of holidays shall
not exceed 80 i'll any ono year. IN
schools OF the ordinary grade military
drill IS left optional. In the higher
grade the military training Of tho male
pupils Is obligatory. To this branch
great attention is given and every boy
who leaves school at tho age of l6 has
In him all the clements of tho soldier,
save perhaps efficiency III the manual
and use OF arms, They are made fanaii-
lar with the highest forms of discipiiue.
Teachers in the schools must have due
qualifications. They are selected and an
pointed by the governor of the prefec-
ture or the city in which thoy are 10
teach. These teachers are regarded rs
government officials, and a small pen
sion is provided for them when they are
1ncapacitated by age or permanent i'll
hess Their salaries are small. ranging
from 10 yen to % yen per month. Text
books are chosen from those authorized
by the minister of education, and are
relected by the governor of the district
upon the report of II committee selected
by him. Last year japan expended on
common schools the sum of 9,055, $50
yen. The government maintains mum
Der of high grade schools, and the coun-
try is well supplied with excellent pri-
vate schools and colleges, which are
maintained by tuition fees, and in some
cases by government contributions TO
cover deficits. Last year the number Of
children educated in Japan at public
expense was $3.50. 452, and the average
daily attendance was 2,4e9, 657 pupils.
John A. Cockerill in New York Her
nd.
BngEing Material For Cotton.