Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-02-18
TIE JAPANESE "GOzOs."
Apprentice Boys Who work Less
n Hard, Bat Are Kindly
Treated and Happy.

The ancient system Of apprentices
ship, still in force In Europe, has
parallel In Jspan-like so many othsi
western customs. In Japan. too, II haI
been handed down for centuries, ant
1t remains to-day p Of the mos'
picturesque and l~ittle-known ele
ments OF Japanese civilization, and
Of interest to all who have q soft
spot In their hearts for small boys
says the st. Louis Republic.
The little Japanese apprentice ID
called q "kozo," and he belongs to q
poor or middle class family who can
not undertake the burden OF his sup.
port and education In the home. To
apprentice a boy to some useful trade
means a good provision for his future,
and the japanese idea seems to be
that the sooner this arrangement ID
made, the better. When the parents
have decided upon what calling the
son shall enter, or have found a good
opening for him, perhaps in the bust
ness Of a friend, he leaves home With
his parents, and Ia bound over to his
new master with a long career be.
fore him as "kozo" before he can as.
pire to be a workman with wages,
and finally a master himself II he de-
velops any ability in his trade.
The firstlborn son in an oriental
family is Of SO much importance that
in Japan he rarely becomes a "kozo,"
unless his parents are too poverty
stricken to support him; but that
does not often happen in a country
where living Is SO cheap that small
ones can be reared at the cost Of o
few "sens' q day. II ecoAomizing
must be done, 1t is the unfortunate
younger sons who suffer by 1t and
are generally ~apprenticed.
Most Of the "kozos" in a Japanese
city are country boys, SO that when
they leave their homes they may not
return again for many years. It 10
not uncommon for a child to become
q "kozo" at the age Of five or six
years. II the master considers the
boys bright and strong, and likely to
do we'll in the trade, he pays the
parents a good sum of money, and
agrees to give the boy a home, food
and clothing until he is is, when the
apprenticeship is over. The name, by
the way, means "little priest" In
curry does not develop the reason
why this term is applied to them.
Some say that 1t is because the "ko-
COS" shave their heads; still their
hair is allowed to grow out again and
not kept shaved like that of the
priests.
The "kozo" leads a busy life, TO be
sure; one that is filled with work
from early in the morning till late
at night, but he rarely receives N
kind words or neglect, or suffers
hardship, according to the Japanese
conception. Probably a small Amer
lean boy Of any class would object
to working as hard as the average
japanese apprentice. The Japanese
are a race uniformly gentle in their
relations with each other, and harsh
words are rearely heard, SO the "kozo"
Is sure Of a home where he not only
has all the rice that is good for him
10 eat, but Is free from the nagging
which people are 10 apt to give other
peoples children.
The "kozos" are to be seen every
where in the streets in Japan, and in
all the stores. II they are ~apprenticed
to a "tabi" maker 1.-THE "tabi" are
the white cotton socks with a sep
arate place for the big toe) he sits
all day on the little platform within
the door OF the shop, stitching away
on the white socks, and deftly fitting
in the ivory fastenings. Generally |
there are four or five at work at
once, and the eldest is put in charge.
He checks all unseemly mirth in the
presence Of a customer, and inter-
feres when conversation becomes too
loud and turns into squabbling, for
small boys are much the same the
world over.
In the streets "kozos" with their
masters name printed on the front
or back Of their blue cotton frocks,
which, with skin-tight trousers Of the
same color, make their costume,
trundle carts with lumber and car
penters' tools. or charcoal. or some
kind OF grain. Generally the marks
Of their avocations are so smeared
over their round c~ountenances that
It 10 superfiuous to look at the cart
to see what they are doing, They al
ways seem good natured and happy,
and have a glow Of health on their
brown cheeks which anybody might
snv?.