Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-04
JAPAN's EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
II is Composite of Those Of European
Nations.
From Education.

From Educa ton.
The main features of the Japanese sys-
tenn of public education have been bor-
rowed from western nations-from Ger
many. from the United States, and partic-
ularIy from France-but in combining
these detached parts the government has
shown the same genius for organization
and direction as in the creation and con-
troll of it's army and navy Thus. the SUI
perior council of education, which plays
an important part In the administration
of that interest. is modelled on the French
superior council; but, unlike the latter
it's membership includes the chiefs of
other administrative bureaus, so that edu-
cation is directed in full view of the in
terests of the commerce. of the agricul-
ture and the internal economy OF the
kingdom. So also in respect to manual
training. which has great recognition In
Japan; though the general idea and meth
cd are copied from the west, there is no
servile imitation in respect either to the
tools employed or the exercises followed
Only that is taken which can be skillfully
adapted to native conditions and de-
mands. The system of education is thor
oughly organized and carefully super
vised. The minister makes frequent in
spection tours for the purpose of seeing
for himself the manner in which the edu-
cation laws are carried out. and specialists
from the Toxic University, the higher
normal schools. &c, are from time to time
sent out to report upon the manner in
which their special subjects are taught
and to suggest improvements in the meth
DDS of standards. These tours are quite
Independent of the regular inspection
service. which Is intrusted to men of APP
proved qualification and distinguished
rank. who are held to strict account for
the discharge Of their duties.
Education is compulsory for children
between the ages of six and fourteen
years. until prescribed course of
study is completed, which may be done in
four years Following this limited course
of the ordinary elementary school,"
which includes morals, the Japanese lam
guage arithmetic and gymnastics, with
choice OF one or more subjects-dra wing
singing. manual work tfor girls, sewing)
according to local conditions. there is
higher elementary school course extend
Ing over two or three or four years The
total number Of elementary schools re-
ported for 1902 was 27,O10, the number of
teachers employed in them To-, 700 and
the number of pupils enrolled 4.9SO.6O4
AS the total number of children Of legal
school age was 1.4OS.179, it will be seen
that the enrolment was equivalent to 81
per cent of the school population For the
training of teachers for the elementary
scnoois the government maintains "a
normal schools, having in 1902 1O32
teachers and 1882 students. and two
higher normal schools having lIS teach
ers and $50 students
While the government has been thus
education. 1t has made liberal provision
Tor higher education. including under
that term the very ample provision for
general culture and research in two i'm.
perial universities. and in special schools
intended to prepare experts for the sery.
Ice or the state. There are eight of these
schools supported by the government and
under the charge of the minister of puh-
nc instruction, of which five are schools
OF medicine, and the remainder as fol-
Lows, Inc Tokyo Foreign Language
sshooi, the tokyo Fine Arts School and
the Iokyo Academy of Music. Besides
the government special schools there Owe
lour puDilc and forty-fiye private schools
oi similar character. The University of
Aokyo Includes all the facilities recoo
hiAeu IN western universities except tho
oiosy The College of Science ana I'm
siheering has ample equipment for in
struction In chemistry. pure and apnIied.
IN mining and metallurgy, in civil me.
cHdhicai and electrical engineering The
nii,e technicai schools supported by the
cultural School the higher eoumarc;a,
schooi and three institutes for the train.
ing OF technical teachers
IS worthy or note that whereas twep
1--we years ago Japan depended aJmost
ntrey upon foreign countries for its
supply or professors and teachers u 90
now able TO recruit the teaching ser,,;ca
from native scholars. The number NJ for
easn instructors reported In government
senools IN 1902 was sixty-six, of WHOM,
tae = ited states furnished twelve. Eng
1nu niteen' france five. Germany TWEEN
ty-two and Russia two The acfuaI em
penditure by the government for ad,,oa
1888, 1000. 10" 'aoout 3d.