New-York tribune., 1901-04-14
SCHOOLBOYS STUDY HARD.
CHINESE CLASSICS MAKE MANY A YOUNG JAP's
HEAD ACHE.

HEAD ACHE
The small schoolboy in Japan generally behaves
himself better and studies harder than do the
Caucasian schoohoys at the other side Of the world.
While the school system in Japan has gradually
become more and more like ours the conditions of
life in Japan dissimilar that II is carried out
in A different way. and an American boy would
open his eyes wide If he paid visit to a Japanese
public school
Most Of the buildings OF the elementary and
middle schools of native architecture; that
is. built very lightly of wood and plaster. with
often nothing thicker than paper for window panes
No Japanese house is more than two stories high.
and the schoorooms on both floors, the second
floor being reached by exceedingly steep and
slippery flight OF wooden stairs running from the
lower hall to the upper, one side quite open to the
air in the daytime. and closed with wooden panels
at night. in the lower hall wooden shelves and
these neatly placed rows OF wooden clogs.
"geta,' which IS the japanese shoe for street
In the house they simply wear their little
white blue 'tabi.' "mitten socks called
because they have place FOR the big toe just
a mitten does for the thumb. These have double
sole Some OF the boys have no socks at all. and
when they leave their 'geta" below go about school
barefoot, but their feet are always clean.
NO STEAM HEAT FOR THEM.
The temperature of Japanese schoorooms in cold
weather would cause Western boys real hardship,
though the Japanese boys do not mind It at all
because they have the same thing in their own
IioHtS SCIt people iisiSiLe blidt Japan - wal Al
all the year round AS matter OF fact the cold in
winter, though the thermometer never goes very
low, is harder to bear than in climates which have
the reputation of being much severe. There is
always deal of moisture in the air. and this
makes the cold extremely penetrating. Yet In mid
winter few of these public schools have any arti-
fetal heat except such a faint degree Of warmth
as may emanate from small bronze brazier in the
centre OF the room, containing two or three tiny
one of the most interesting things concerning the
national classics are entirely different from
and Latin we're the classic studies of the world
but they are such for only small proportion OF It.
productions OF, China that take exactly the same
Cesar do with US American schooiboys think Greek
and Latin dreadful tasks. What would they think
which airIv well edueated Japamese can get along
for nearly all these characters are in daily use in
his, ms own langqage, IN all japanese writings and
classic studies specially he must learn thousands
more.
ONLY a BEGINNING MADE.
Though Japanese student may have learned
ten thousand ideosraphs. he is no more able to
speak Chinese than you or J. The pronunciation
in Japan for all these characters is entirely different
from the Chinese pronuncia ton. and even that
differs very largely in different parts of China A
separate Of study in pronunciation is there
fore necessary for the student who wishes to
acquire a practical knowledge of Chinese. These
all the difficulties in which classic study
involves the poor Japanese student for the writing
of the ideographs, the script is very different from
the printing of them, and just necessary for a
well educated japanese boy girl learn.
The beautiful free strokes in the flowing writing
is important that the people very critical of
it, and a who is proficient IN it becomes
famous. Not merely proficient in the facility with
which he writes. but in the artistic beauty OF each
stroke and Of the writing "A whole These writ
ings often adorn the walls Of Japanese dwellings
being placed on ''kakemono' scrolls Just like a
painting
School is not all work and no play for the Japa-
nese boy. At certain seasons OF the year when the
climate is especially propitous they allowed
TO take long excursions and tramps to interesting
points in the country. Several of their teachers
go with them, and it is not unusual sight the
streets of Toxic to see long procession of school
boys covered with mud and dust and with KNAPP
sack shoulder, trampng sturdily along behind
three OF their men teachers. They have