The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-06-06
JAPANESE AS PUPILS
How Young Japan Is Educated at Home,
Militant Patriotism and Bushido.

4 Two small turtles in the yard OF our
slittle Japanese house were responsible
s1or our first acquaintance with the
lsmall boys OF our nefghborhoOd. At
ITracted by the turtles. about ten boys,
from nine TO twelve years Of age, call
rcd upon us one evening. extending
s1heir greetings through our maid, who
could speak a little English.
The following evening they called
fasain. and feeling like old friends by
that time. we asked the boys TO sing
Their national anthem. Now, the fond
test of us must admit that 20 make
iEroup OF American boys Of the same age
ksing America under similar Circum-
sstances. without actual cOmpulsion,
would be an impossibility; and We al
fSnost gasped at the readiness with which
cur young guests compiled.
'Ichi-ni-san'' (one-two-three) they be
gan, and started to roar the anthem at
1.-THE top of their voices, yet with a pc
FcuIiar tenderness on the lingering notes.
Delighted, we asked for more. The boys,
with an utter lack Of self-consciOusncss,
sang school songs for an hour
If ] should speak of young Japanese
boys as being intensely human 1 would
be understood by those who are near
10 small boys as saying that they We're
all in a minute. But even very young
students are earnest in their studies 20
a degree that would amaze any student
kor teacher in America, and ambitious for
fIhe future. always with the idea Of be-
ling valuable 10 their nation. to the
point of planning years ahead, and APP
plying themselves to their studies with
"a determination not often excelled.
Desperately hard are their studies, too,
tTequiTing long hours of application. This
5diligence, as displayed in learning Eng
ilish, sometimes expresses Itself most
tCOmically. Again and again. as we rode
kJhrOuEh the parks of Tokyo when we
tStopped we were accOsted by young
hschoolpoys with = volley of irrelevant
Tuestions for the sheer joy of the prac-
tiice.
One boy. more ingenious than the
t1cst, came mp to our rickshaws one day
land said that if we would talk TO him
tGOr a while il would be good practice"
for his lesson So for an hour we Gag
kerly discussed the qualities of one rose.
khis vocabulary not being sufficient to
9cNnand over a broader subject
IL was once my pleasure and privi-
flcge TO talk to a japanese gentleman,
who IN mis- day had been a famous
fSamurai or knight concerning these
EChanEeS Of the last half century. Al
F1hough ne was giving devoted service 10
Fthe present government. the new ideas
FWerc personally very grievous TO him.
e. H.
tEhould De required to sign document
Tor paper. as though his word were not
t1rTcVOCahly binding. was a keen hui
tmiliation' and that when the old system
kWdS abolished many Of the Samurai
tCnfit for cOmmeTcalism or professional
Wife. met with sad revcrses, hurt him
7 % his hearts core.
The venerable gentleman, who had
ttraveled extensively in this country
tspOkc humOrOusly OF the Americanism
or his children-so far Americanized. me
tEaid, as 10 assume authority over their
parents Then. with "a merry twinkle
tin his eyes and strange little note i'm
his voice. he added:
Il have lived i'm an unfortunate time
y have not known liberty. When I was
a young man / oheyed my lord. in my
: old age | must obey my children"
The athletic training OF the boys and
EyOunE men is an intensely interesting
Feature OF their education. Young
( schoOiboys are active i'm running and
Jumping games and exercises appa-
ratus work and military drills. AS they
T grow older they become skilled in Jap
anese swordplay and in jiu-jitsu. the
/ marvellous system OF wrestling
Tokyo is a city Of schools. Besides
4 countless government schools. the
Peers College and the Imperial Uni
versity. Waseda University and other
hschOOls and colleges. are naval military
and athletic schools. schools of lam
T guages and manual training.
T Thousands of students throng the city
In the school season After school hours
one may see boys by scores with their
Z books i'm kuapsacks or neatly tied in the
square cloth OF piece OF silk which.
neatly folded and lnotted is the general
receptacle for small articles
tt is enlighteniug to note that their
carneStneSS and application make them
sufficiently respected as a body 10 be
able TO insist on the removal of a teach
or if he docs not meet with their ap-
prOval. OF all the new and interesting
observations that one may make in the
boys public schools this is the most
striking: That any sign Of anger or the
slightest lack of self-contrpl Is sufficient
have him removed from his position.
Even in old feudal days the teachers
vocation was held in highest esteem:
and today as then. when he shows
himself worthy by the eXactinE but not
unreasonable requirement or the student
body the teacher is regarded with high
est respect and consideration. and &C
cOrding to his ability and personality,
genuine love. Corporal punishment
in a public school is unknown; the very
thought Of ii to the japanese mind Sig
nifies barbarous vulgarity and piteous
lack Of self-cOntrOl on the part OF teach
er and pupil. mainly that of the teacher
The state Of affairs in the schOolrOOm
IS tho logical result OF the early training
In the home. Lessons not as Spartan
as those taught the young Samurai but
as eXacting are learned in childhood.
The ambition Of every small boy IS 70
be a general. His toys are soldier boys,
his make up games are soldier games,
and MS often as his parents can be per
suadcd his clothes arc soldier clothes.
In the school life the patriotic spirit
IS Intensified. The schOOlboy with his
books in q knapsaCk on his back, the