The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-01-05
THE WOMEN
READ PAPERS
rrom wednesday,s Advertiser,

The Women's Board OF Central Union
church held n very interesting session
yesterday afternoon beginning at 1880
Numerous papers were read, and Miss
Olive NJ. Blunt, a w. c. T. U. worker
and the representative of other wo-
mems missionary and allied interests,
addressed the meeting for some time
very entertainingly.
Miss Blunt understands the Japanese
language, having been a missionary to
that Empire seven years. She speaks
very highly of the part that the Japa-
nese women played in the late war
She says that they were like the Spar
tan matrons of old. They told their
husbands, fathers or sweethearts. as
the case might be, to return with their
shields or on them.
No greater self sacrifice was ever ex-
hibited by women in time of war than
ny the little brown maidens and ma
irons. Miss Blunt spoke also OF the
feeling that the Japanese had that the
Christian Americans were of a little
different kind than they. She related
n story of little Japanese girl who
called her and her Bible reader by the
aries and how she finally, after deal
Of persuasion, induced the little girl to
put her hand over Miss Blunt's heart
10 see If it beat like her own. Miss
Blunt had told her that while her
clothes and body were American, her
heart was japanese, beating for the
Japanese and their needs. This simple
physical exhibition of the fact that the
missionaries were really Of the same
flesh and blood as the Japanese mere
ly showed one of the many methods
by which the missionaries were win
ming the Japanese women to their
faith.
Miss Blunt, after the meeting was
over. spoke animatedly of her short
visit to Honolulu. Like every one
else she was delighted with the place
and hopes before she goes to take
series of pictures which will be used
in stereopticon lectures which Miss
Blunt gives in different parts of the
world as a partial means of defraying
her expenses. She leaves on the last
of the month for japan.
Mrs. Edgar Wood and Miss Frances
Lawrence read papers on Women Mis-
xionaries" and THE Home Life of Wo--
men in Japan" respectively. Miss
Ziegler read the following paper:
THE EDUCATION OF JAPANESE
WOMEN.
In order that we may understand
modern education in Japan, let us re-
view briefly few of the circumstances
that led up to and helped to evolve II.
h,lI a
9Th to the 10th century was powerful
eivilizing factor; during this period
all the people were brought into obedi-
ence to the Mikado, whereas before
they had existed as many little sepa-
rate tribes This change was effected
by the soldiers, and was decided step
in advance. Feudalism naturally fol
lowed, and under it selfmastery OF
body and mind chivalry and politeness
called Bushido or the Knightly Way
grew up and developed amazingly, not
only in one or two small districts, but
throughout the Empire. After the de
cay of feudalism, when the country was
divided up into hostile sections and the
common people were little better than
serfs, and famine and pestilence
roigned, and Buddhism had deterior.
ated and its fall was imminent, some
Jesuit missionaries reached Japan
They held sway from 1542-l637. But
the Christianity they brought was emil
itary, oppressive and POLITICAL; these
Jesuits persuaded the feudal lords to
command the people under them to be
come Christians, so, of course, the
real lives of the people were little af
ieeted.
In 1906, the ruler of the country pro
hibited Christianity and little later
abe country was closed to all foreign in
tercourse. From the opening of the 18th
century to the middle of the 10th, Con
fucianism predominated.
After coming in closer contact with
ether nations, from the middle of the
18th century, Chinese learning became
discredited and the japanese recognized
the superiority of western teachers and
advisers and statesmen, and now Chris
1ianity is proving a powerful factor in
snlightening and uplifting the Japa
nese people. Thus, step by step, there
Aas been n steady movement forward
Early education, first Buddhist, then
Confueian, was confined to the military
class and was in the Chinese and Japa.
MCSc ldHSudSes OnlN, anu CoHlpTlstu
mainly literature and history. Later
than this, but before schools for girls
were established, Japanese girls and
women of the higher classes were con
sidered worthy of certain amount OF
education. They were taught to reaC
and write, were given some musical nc
eomplishment, were taught etiquett
and flower arrangement, and to maxi
1he ceremonial tea, and some were wei
yersed in the Chinese classics. A Jap
anese woman, however, is not expecte,
10 do much with Chinese. She learns
few of the most common characters
ouch as are used in letter-writing, bu
usually depends upon the japanese LET
tiers, which are printed in books an
newspapers, by the side of the Chimes
characters, for the common people.
Education has done much TO intensi
fly in both men and women, the ma
fional traits of faithfulness, tilial piet
and valor.
Tue ordinary, modern schools o
Japan are, just rs they are here, unde
\ department of education, and are o
several kinds primary, normal, middl
and higher girls schools. Aside frol
these there are private schools. Tn