The Washington herald., 1908-04-28

responding to the American eighth grade
is reached the pupils are required to
begin the study Of English From that
time on the course in school is quite Ike
that OF American schools. except that
English is substituted for Latin, and
later on other modern languages for
Greek
The japanese schools care for the ply
steal as well as the mental wel-being
/ of their pupils While the system Of
gymnastic instruction and medical ex-
animation is not as thorough as in New
/ York City or some other great American
cities. it must be remembered that the
! japanese system extends all over the
empire and reaches the most remote rural
/ community Thus the japanese depart
ment OF education is able 10 tell now
many children are in school In the en-
/ pire. how many are robust, medium, or
weak. how many have defective eyesight,
lana what diseases are the most prevalent
at different ages of school life The de
partment can also tell how many chill
/ dren in school AT the age of fifteen years
were I50 centimeters tail, how many
/ weighed 30 Kilograms, and how many
/ had chest measurement Of z cent?
meters II can also tell the averages Of
all these statistics and the percentages OF
robust boys or tat girls.
The education of both boys and girls is
practical in essentials from the beginning,
! the boys being taught business methods,
and the girls housekeeping from the low
! est grades 10 the highest The higher ed
Iucation OF girls is something entirely for
eign to the ancient japanese notion OF
/ the sphere of woman. but under the fos-
Itering care Of American missionaries sew
erul large schools have been built Up.
/ The government recognized the good work
/ done by these Institutions and estab
lished imperial schools on the same order
/ The visitor In a japanese city like To
/ kyo is apt to think that all the people are
going to school The smaller boys in
their sober uniform kimonos of blue cot
ton with white dots are never out OF
sight in the streets. Their elder brothers
in the glory OF their wide trousers. are
also ubiquitous These wide trousers
really a flowing bifurcated skirt, are cere-
monial and correspond in the japanese
/ code of polite dressing with the frock
I coat of Western countries. The respect
paid 10 education is indicated by the fact
that all higher school students wear eos
tune To school.
The japanese schoolgirl IS the only Jap
anese woman who wears a skirt. Thf
skirt is usually Of red although some
times OF purple cloth. Il is tied loosely
about the waist and the strings are OF
the outside BY the sign Of the red oi
purple skirt one may know the japanese
I schoolgirl anywhere She is dainty
little creature and is always happy, be
ing, as some one has said, the twin sistel
of the Muse of laughter.
As has been said. Japan believes in -edu
cation. II has accomplished much in th'
F eighteen years since the Emperor founded
the present system By his oft-qU0ted re
script But now the leaders in the wOTl
see the money Of the people going to buy
guns and battle ships, and, despite theil
intense loyalty. they are sad IN heart. foi
the schools are all too poor.
tcogTight. Isos. By Frederic J. Hssktn.l
To-morrow-Chinese Students IN
/ Tokyo.