The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-07-22
EAST AND WEST
COMMINGLE
Ccontinued from Page One).

1 lCOnTllGeQ from rage CIGJs
! in black frock coats. The women Of
the teaching profession all wore the
scholastic skirt over their kimonos
while one or two of the japanese
women were in fauItless European COS
tune.
! Although it was the graduating ex
ercises OF a japanese school, in which
every word spoken and most Of the
ceremonial were japanese, but one, OF
the over three hundred pupils, was in
japanese costume. That was a dainty
little chrysanthemum miss Of about
seven summers, who wore a maroon
colored scholastic skirt over her kimono
of gorgeous purple, on the breast fold
of which was hung a chatelaire watch.
while open-work stockings and canvas
shoes took the place of sandals. The
one hundred and fifty other girls, rang
ing in age from six or seven to thir-
teen or fourteen, were nearly all in
the white frocks OF girls of their own
age Of European lineage. \ few, espe-
ciaIly among the younger ones, Wore
dresses of figured muslins and lawns,
but nearly all were in white, some
/ of them with elbow sleeves and rib
bons. All wore colored ribbons in their
hair. There was not a sandal nor a
clog in the foot-gear worn, but plenty
of patent leather shoes,
The boys were no less American in
dress, though not so uniformly dressed
nor so uniformly well-dressed. Some
were in waists and knee pants and
bare-footed. Most, however, were in
jackets and knee pants with shoes and
stockings.
Surrounding the seats occupied by
the school children was fringe of
parents and interested friends, among
whom were many in kimonos.
The children were formed according
to classes in the school yard, and then
marched, in excellent order and time,
to the music of an American reed or
gan, to their places under the spread
of canvas, and took their seats stimuli
taneously at a signal.
Mr.. Takamura of the school then |
made a brief statement of why they
were gathered. and then the children,
all standing, sang the japanese national
anthem.
On a table in front of the audience,
from quite time before the exercises
began, there had been erected an OBJ
long japanese box tied with a purple
ribbon. Reverently Mr.. Takamura
opened the box and took from it a I
scroll covered with japanese charac-
tiers. 1t was a copy of the Emperor's
celebrated admOnition to his people
concerning the object and purpose of
education, which had been sent to this
school by the Emperor's order, as a
copy in a similar box, similarly tied
with a purple ribbon, has been sent to
every other Japanese school in the
world. In solemn tone and manner
Mr.. Takamura read the Emperor's
words, the entire gathering standing
the while with bowed heads. At the
close of the reading the school sang
an anthem or hymn answering and re-
sponsive to the Emperor's words, while
the scroll itself was as reverently re-
placed in it's casket as it had been
taken from it.
The award of certificates and prizes
was now made. OF these there were
more than a hundred. AS the names
of the boys and girls entitled to GER
tificate or prize We're called, each came
forward singly and, stopping a few
PAGES in front of Mr.. Takamura, bowed
low, and then, stepping forward, re-
ceived from Mr.. Takamura the certifi-
cate Of progress in the school. Then,
raising this in front of the face, and
bowling again, the child stepped back
three or four PAGES, bowed again and
then stepped forward TO another table,
where each was presented with a prize
"a book, or writing paper, or some-
thing of that soTt-bOwed again and
took a seat.
This ceremonial, Oriental in its elab-
was most interesting. No
one of the pupils was permitted to
slight any part of it. Admonition was
given if a bow We're omitted and the I
bow was made before the certificate
or prize was placed in the recipients
hands. The girls, with scarcely an
exception, were punc6lious in the cere- !
monial. Some of the boys American
lied il in places. For instance, in
back the three or four PAGES
after receiving the certificate from Mr..
hands, some of the boys, ,
instead of stepping backward in formal
and ceremonious way, without turning }
their faces, got back as they would !
get back to first if the pitcher threw
to catch them off the base.
After the presentation of the certifi- !
Gates and prizes. DR.. Haida, principal {
Of the school, made a short address, =
and was followed by Mr.. :. Nagasawa. 9
the japanese Consulate; 6
by NIr. :. Akai of the Yokohama Specie .
Bank, and by the Rev. Y. Imamura. +
priest in charge of the Buddhist Tenn
nile They were listened IN abOrt as