Evening star., 1895-08-28
EDUCATION IN JAPAN.
Japan's Claim to Be Considered One OF
the Orient Civllixers.

EDUCATION IN JAPAN.
Japan's Claim to Be Considered One OF
the Orient Civilizers.
John A. Cockerin in New York Herald.
The common school system of Japan Is,
in my opinion, the chief support of the
empire and the promise of the future.
There are only two grades of schools-the
ordinary and the higher. Children of both
sexes, between the ages Of six and ten.
attend the former. Children between the
ages Of eleven and fourteen are eligible to
the higher grade schools. Every municf-
pality-township village, town and city-is
required to build school house, or school
houses. according to the census returns of
children of school age. These houses are
constructed according to the capacity and
requirements of the school division In
the cities the school buildings are quite
oommodious and pretentious, though all
are seemingly overcrowded. In the country
many OF them are poor wooden structures.
1t is obligatory for all children between six
and fourteen years Of age to attend a conn
mon school until the course is finished
The law is not rigidly enforced because Of
the poverty of the country and the absolute
necessity for children to aid their parents
by some kind Of labor. But where children
are permitted to attend school there is no
trouble about the attendance. There is no
such thing In Japan as a schoolboy creep
ing, like SNAIL unwillingly to school" They
go trotting to school with happy faces.
Ihey all wear black or white cap, with
leather visor, and they carry their books
in leather satchel. The majority of them
are studious and fond of books Children
of notoriously bad character or who are
oonstitutionally disqualified for receiving
instruction are not admitted to the schools
What is Taught fn Japan.
In the ordinary or lower grade school the
subjects taught are: Reading, composition,
caligraphy, arithmetic and gymnastics.
The latter is optional, according to tho
character of the locality. One or more Of
the following subjects are also taught in
addition to the above: Japanese geography,
Japanese history, drawing, singing and
handiwork For girls sewing may be
added. In the higher grade school the cur
riculum embraces: Moral lessons, reading,
composition, caligraphy, arithmetic, Japan
ese geography, Japanese history, foreign
geography, science, drawing, singing and
gymnastics. For girls sewing may be added.
Foreign geography and singing may he
eliminated. One or more of the following
subjects may be added, according to re-
quirement: Elements of geometry, a for
eign language, lessons In agriculture, COM
merce and manual training. In all the
schools great stress is laid on essay writ
ing. Every class is trained in calisthenics.
Where singing is taught the children enter
into 1t with great ZEAL and they make
themselves heard for a considerable dis
tance In the common schools the summer
vacation lasts from two to six weeks, and
the winter vacation from one to five weeks.
The number Of holidays shall not exceed
ninety in any one year. In schools of the
ordinary grade military drill is left OPP
tionaL In the higher grade the military
training of the male pupils is obligatory.
To this branch great atte ation is given,
and every boy who leaves school at the age
Of sixteen has in him all the elements Of
the soldier, save, perhaps, efficiency in the
manual and use of arms They are made
70 mil yxyifh fhn fUh afd yof-
pline.
Qualifications of Teachers.
Teachers N the schools must have due
qualifications. They are selected and ap-
pointed by the governor Of the prefecture
or the city in which they are to teach.
These teachers are regarded as govern
ment officials, and a small pension is pro-
vided for them when they are incapaci-
tated by age or permanent illness. Their
salaries are small, ranging from ten yen to
twenty-five yen per month. Text books
are chosen from those authorized by the
minister Of education, and are selected by
the governor of the district upon the re-
port Of committee selected by him. Last
year Japan expended on common schools
the sum of 9,055,9SO yen. The government
maintains a number of high grade schools,
and the country is well supplied with ex-
cellent private schools and colleges, which
are maintained by tuition fees, and in some
cases by government contributions to cover
denc1tS. Last year the number OF children
educated in Japan at public expense WAS
3,2sO, 49,, and the average daily attendance
was 2,4S9,657 pupils. 1t is estimated that at
least four-tenths of the children of Japan
are not receiving education at present, but
this is largely due, as explained, to poverty
and the apparent necessity for child labor,
which exists here to a large degree. But
the demand for school facilities is steadily
increasing. All teachers in the common
schools must have a normal school train
ing, and they must pass examination at
the hands of special committee appointed
by the governors of procedures and mu-
inequalities. They are strictly required to
be of good moral character. Religion is not
taught In the common schools. but atten-
tion is given to moral teaching. 1t is an
nounced that the new minister of educa-
tion, the Marquis Saionji. is making decided
changes in the educational policy of Japan.
He has some new ideas about moral educa-
tion, which he has formulated and placed
before the premier, and which will be sub.
mitted at an early day to the cabinet