Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-07-08
SCHOOLS II JAPAN
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM comr0s.
TIE OF EUROPEAN SYSTEMS.
Thoroughly Organized and Carefully
Supervised by Heads Of De-
partments-Wonderful
Progress.

4 44
The main features of the japanese
system of public education have been
borrowed from western nations-from
Germany, from the United States, and
particularly from France-but in COM
bining these detached parts the govern
ment has shown the same genius for or
ganization and direction as in the crea-
ton and control of its army and navy.
Thus. says Education, the superior
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,
its membership includes the chiefs Of
other administrative bureaus, so that
education is directed in full viewaof the
interests CT the commerce, O. theiagrp
culture and the internal economy of the
kingdom. So also in respect to ifmnaab
training, which has great recognitioniHi
Japan; though the general idea and
method are copied from the west. there,
Is no servile imitation in respect either,
to the tools employed or the EXERCISES
followed. Only that = taken which Can
be skillfuily adapted to native conditions
and demands. The syNem of education
is thoroughly organized and carefully
supervised. The minister makes FREE
quent inspection tours for the purpose
OF seeing for himself the manner in
whi.h the education laws are carried out,
ant specialists from the Toxic univer-
sity, the higher normal schools, etc, are
from time to time sent out to report
upon the manner in which their special
subjects are taught, and to suggest inn
provements in the methods or standards.
These tours are quite independent of the
regular inspection service, which is in
trusted to men of approved 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 6 and IA years, or I'M
til a prescribed course of study is COM
pleted, which may be done in four years.
Following this limited course of the
ordinary elementary school" which in
cludes morals, the Japanese language,
arithmetic and gymnastics, with O
choice of one or more sub1ects-drawipg
singing, manual work. uor girls, sew
ing)-according to local conditions,
there is a higher elementary school
course extending over two or three or
four years. The total number of ele-
mentary schools reported for 1902 was
27.010, the number of teachers employed
In them 1902 700, and the number of pupils
enrolled 4,9S0,G0A. AS the total number
of children of legal school age was
7,40S, 40, it will be seen that the enroll
ment was equivalent tt 81 per cent. OF
the school population. For the training
of teachers for the elementary schools
the government maintains 81 normal
schools, having in 1902 1,0S2 teachers
and 1882 students. and two higher nor
NAL schools, having 118 teachers and 500
| students.
While the government has been thus
steadily extending the means of popular
education, 1t has made liberal provision
for higher education, including urder
that term the very ample provision for
general culture n research in two i'm
perial universities, and in special schools
intended to prepare experts for the serv-
ice of the state. There are eight of these
schools supported by the government
and under the charge of the minister OF
public instruction of which five are
schools of medicine, and the remainder
as follows: The Toxic foreign lam
guage school. the Toxic fine arts school
and the Toxic academy of music. Ie-
sides the government special schools
there are four public and ass private
schools of similar character. The Uni
versity of Toxic includes all the facll- |
tiles recognized in western universities
except theology. The college of science
and engineering has ample equipment
for instruction in chemistry, pure and
applied: in mining and metallurgy, In
civil, mechanical and electrical en-
cheering. The nine technical schools
supported by the government include
the Sapphoro agricultural school, tho
Ehigher commercial school and three in.
s~titutes for the training Of technical
teachers.
1t Is worthy Of note that whereas Is
years ago Japan depended almost en-
tirely upon foreign countries for Its sup
ply of professors and teachers, 1t is now
able to recruit the teaching service from
native scholars. The number Of foreign
instructors reported in government
schools in 1902 was C6, of whom the
United States furnished 10, England Il.
France s. Germany 20 and Russia 2. The
actual expenditure by the government
for education in 1902 was 6,22S,0Oo yen
(about So. 7S3, 00O).