The Washington herald., 1908-04-28


every grade from the kindergarten 10 the
technical college for postgraduate work
for university students. The system is
lnodeled upon that prevailing in the
United States, and the expense Is borne
partly by the nation partly by the pre-
lecture. and partly by the municipality or
district But tho entire japanese school
system costs only $25000,0OO a year, less
than the annual public-school appropria-
tlOn for the city Of New York.
Nevertheless, II is q fact that % per cent
Of all the children Of school age in Japan
are actually receiving instruction in the
schools, a record which cannot be ap-
preached in America. and which VIII be
equaled in very few individual states or
cities. Japan has over 100000 children
IN school, and not quite 100000 out Of
school. Even these must give "a good ex-
cuse for the intensely paternal japanese
government requires its subjects to be
educated, and the compulsory education
law is enforced with great rigor.
It is utterly unfair to judge the Japa-
nese schools by the amount of money
spent on them, because, as IN almost
everything else, the great difference in
cost of living comes in again. A japanese
schO0l-teacheT will work asWhole year for
a salary OF so and feel all right about it.
This scale ofswages seems pitifully par
simonious when compared with that in
America. yet every one knows that teach
ers in the United States are underpald.
It is a commentary. however, upon Amer
lean standards that the S40-a-year teacher
is not left TO starve in old age or sick
ness; bis salary goes on under 81 teachers
pension arrangement when he becomes
incaDacitated for work
Again. it is possible for a young man
to study two years in a preparatory
school and then take a fun four years
course in a university for $3.50, or s60 a
year. Not only IS it possible, bat
thousands of young men are doing it,
One great private university IN Tokyo
has 5000 students and the whole body
does not spend as much In year FOR
board, tuition. books and incidental cX-
penses as an equal number OF Ameri-
can university students viii spend each
year on the Yale-Harvard football game.
The government has estimated the eX-
pcnses of education TO "a nicely, and il
assures parents that they can educate
their children from the elementary course
10 the highest degree for a total cost Of
Sl,5N This includes tuition board medi-
cal attendance, and books for six years
in the elementary stage. I'VE years iu The
intermediate stage, and FIVE years in the
university
In the higher institutions of learning
care is taken that the estimate Of cost
is not exceeded. At the central uniyersi-
ties each prefecture maintains its own
dormitory, in which are housed the
students from that prefecture. The par
ents pay a lump sum TO the manager
which is u include every expense. If
the expense exceeds the estimate. the
dcicit is paid by the pTefectUral treasury
IN the form of a subsidy. AT one OF
these dOrnitOries hundred boys will
live in quarters which would not sufflCe
ten Americans and the expense Will
rarely be greater than $3.50 month for
each boaTder. The food is rice and ftsh.
OF course. except that the cheaper millet
and beans are sometimes substituted for
the rieo.
The only weak point about the Japa-
nese school system. so far as the Japa-
nese are concerned. is that the higher
institutions can by no means acCommO-
date the students who apply for admis-
sion. The Higher Commercial School OF
Tokyo is q school comparable to The
large business colleges of the United
States. The annual tuition is $3.50. Last
year there We're 1,SC0 applications for ad
mission. but the buildings are so small
and the appropriation so limited thai
only $40 could be admitted. There is
Ihree-year course and the total enroll
ment is 200 although the plant was de
signed 10 accommodate but 800. The same
condition obtains In every higher schoo
in the country. although the greater mum
Der OF applicants are turned down by In,
technical schools. Five hundred appli
cauts desired to enroll themselves a.
students in the School of Electricity, bu
only 100 could be received. These tech
niCal schools embrace every branch o.
Industrial and engineering study, an,
every one is fun TO overlooking. Th'
agricultural and forestry colleges SHOW
the same inability 10 take care Of thos
WHO come TO study.
The Tokyo Fine Arts School has classe
in japanese painting European paint
ing designing. sculpture. engraving Of
metals. and lacquer work. and in thi
institution but few more than hal
the applicants were admitted las
year Then there is the Academy o
Music. o school which seems strangeI
out Of place in the government edu
catiOnal system of a country which, &
Occidental ears, knows nothing what
ever OF music or melody But the fig
ures show that the japanese boys an
girls are willing 10 learn, for there wer
600 new pupils knocking at the doc
CT the freshman class last year, Onl
ZG being admitted Il is partly fror
this school that the japanese bands ar
l--
grammes played by these bands th
most popular kind of Occidental musi
is what Americans call 'rag-time
That there is an essential difference be
tween this institution and many Ameri
can 'consegvatovies" is proved by the fac
that of a class of go, only fifteen passe
the examination and We're graduated.
The intensely paternal government O
Japan has attempted TO supply ever
seeker for education general or specia
with the school to meet his needs. Tha
it has failed in this has been due t
the lack Of money for school building
cost money, and teachers salaries, eve
those In Japan, amount up. Therefor
the imperial department Of education
encouraging the establishment of privat
schools. There are already many pTlvat
colleges for teaching special professions
courses, and a great number Of theOlogI
cal schools. Christian and Buddhist Tw
private universities rank well up wit
the Imperial Universities of Tokyo an
Ky0to They are the keiOgiiuku Uni
versity, founded by the 1aIe Tukuzawa
the Gladstone OF Japan" and the Wa
seda University, founded by Coun
Okuma. the Jefferson of Japan"
How thorough these various school
may be in their work ana how neaTl
they approach Western standards, is nc
easy 70 determine Much of the ele