The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-27
Are Eager to Learn and Show.
Great Interest in Our Edit
cational System.
sELF.RELIANCE AND INDUSTRY
Display Remarkable Heroism
and Devotion to Duty-Japan's
Educational Advantages.
By rulius b. Dreher.

BY JuliuS -. Oreher.
1t was during our Centennial EXPOSE
ton In Philadelphia, in 1876, that first
came into personal contact Will, Japan
csc General Tsukumichi saigo, president
OF the Japanese Centennial Commission,
who brought with him q letter OF introduce
ton to President Bittle, Of Roanoke Col.
lcge. As It was understood that General
Saigo wished to see as much OF our country
us possible, Or. Bittlc, remnrking That
Salem was q part OF America, sent an IN
vItatIon to this distinguished Japanese
gentleman to attend tho commencement
exercises Of the college In June. This IN.
vltatIon was accepted. and It then pc.
came my pleasant duty as secretary OK
the faculty to cali upon General saigo
and his secretary, Lieutenant giro
uidaka, who was able to speak English.
In my correspondence with the secretary,
after my call in Philadelphia. was au-
sthorizcd 10 invite General Snigo to make
an address at tho commandment. In nls
reply Secretary Hidaka said, General
Saigo bcgs to be excused OF making any
speech; he wishes to be very simply
present on that occasion.
That little slip in the use OF English
reminds me OF the Korean student nj
Roanoke who said that pronunciation was
the great hard and OF a ChoctaW who
to moving greeting replied that ne
felt mighty first rate. But General
Saigos being very simple present
added All unsual feature Of interest 70
the commencement After leaving Pnll-
sadelphia. General saigo. finding two
salems on his map of Virginia (the one
In Fauquier county, Is now called Mar,
sbalD. stopped over in washington ana
went TO the Arlington Hotel, where he s.
certalned that he should go to Salem in
Roanoke county. Having been thus de-
layed General saigo and Lieutenant
Hidaka did not arrive in Salem until the
commencement exercises had been begun;
and when they had bean seated on the
platform, by a happy coincidence the
very next graduating address on the
progra nar1e was on THE Centennial"
on his return to Japan. General saigo
sent collection OF articles to the nv u-
scum OF the college among which Is a
suit OF ancient Japanese armor. Whlcn
serves 10 remind visitors. especially &C
the present time, how far the Japan OF
today Is removed from that Of the dis
could afford any protection to her prlEml-
tant past when such inoftensive arh'or
I tive warriors.
The First Japanese Student.
5'S 1rT the summer OF 1888 received a
letter from a Japanese in Baltimore, ask
Ing for information concerning RoanoSe
College. AS was about to make a Trip
to New York, I arranged to have an IN.
tervIew with this gentleman in Baltimore,
Instead OF meeting a man VINO "is.leu
Information about educational 1nstltu-
lions In America. found lad OF eigm 81,
a In the fall.
Later he decided to enter Roanoke. ana
there 1T happened that the name Hfdei
Fukuoka was the first from Japan to
appear in the Roanoke catalogue. He
had been in Salem only a few days when
he had an attack OF illness, which lasted
several weeks. Surprising that this BOY.
so far from home and native land. would
feel lonesome and depressed. dropped
In for few minutes every day to en-. or
him SO far as ! could. During brlel
call about the eighth day OF his conflne.
ment to his bed, said to him: "t'ukuoka.
i am sorry there are no other japanese
in Salem; / fear that you feel quite lone
some during your illness among strang-
ers.'
TO this remark lie promptly replied:
ut makes no difference to me whe her
there are any other Jaranese IN Salem
or not am quite happy here.
~ could not help admiring the self
reliance and manlness of boy OF eigln-
teen, who IN such circumstances. could
make a remark like that. What Amerl-
can boy, similarly placed at q foreign
school, even in England among people OF
his own race and speaking his own Ian.
guage. would. after lying on slok-bed
for eight days. feel like saying: II am
quite happy hcre?" 5s Isl.
In the middle Of his second year at
Roanoke, young Fukuoka announced his
OF leaving the college 10 study
law at Washington and Lee University.
No persuasion by the professors Of the
college or tho lawyers Of Salem. all Of
whom advised him that 1t would be
better to begin the study Of law at the
opening OF. the next session. could shake
his determination to enter upon the law
course In February, 1880. In adherlng 70
his decision in this case he Illustrated
m Oriental characteristic. which have
observed also In Korean students. and
that is, when one makes UP his mind to
do anything, no amount OF persuasion or
argument can change him. Fukuoka re-
manned at Washington and Lee only ono