The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1909-03-26
CHILDREN OF JAPAN |
YOUNGSTERS HAVE HAPPY TIME
N THAT COUNTRY.
email Subjects Of the Mikado Invarl-
ably We'll Treated and Scientific
ally Brought Up-Are Never
Struck in Anger.

The school age Of the Japanese
thlld of well.to.do families usually be-
gins at six years of age, and up until
this period the little Japs are under
the care of their nurses and mothers.
Few nurses, however, in Japan are al
lowed To- exercise any discipline over
their little charges. as the child in
Japan is considered of great impor-
tance. Any Japanese mother who
would venture to turn her children
over to a hired nurse. as is frequently
done by wealthy American mothers,
would promptly be admonished. not
only by her husband. but by all her
male relatives on both sides of the
family.
So the Japanese children, before six
years OF age, are punished by their
mothers. but this amounts to little. To
slap a child is deemed not only a
sign of intense vulgarity and ignorance,
but Is considered grave orense
against the child. To strike a child
on the head or face is thought cruel
and unnatural, and apt to injure the
child's health and intelligence. The
| japanese child is seldom punished eX.
cept for doing things apt to irjure the
Child or some other person.
The principle used by the Japs in
| disciplining children Is to guard them
| against wrong actions r;ore than to
| cons,rain them through fear of pun
ishmcnt Prevent wrong actions IS
| ihgt,. nj ra4 o, t,tt,Ft " thA
! child. Children are always admonisEcl
| but seldom compelled.
When n Jap child Is to be punished
! due notice is given the culprit. for
| parents or teachers or guardians are
never supposed TO lose their tempers
or TO punish in so-called hot blood. BY
| an ancient and amusing custom all the
household including the servants, are
allowed to try and beg the little of
fender off from his punishment. His
or her little brothers and sisters usual
| ly offer to take the punishment on
themselves. Angry looks and shout.
ing or harsh expressions are always
deprecated by the Japanese lea ned
men when furnishing children.
At school, In the younger grades,
the teacher always attempts to guide
his pupils by personal friendship
rather than fear. The children in each
class are taught TO try to keep order
| among themselves. and the class can
tain, or kyuucho, is always allowed to
call of the punishments. In high
schools and institutions for graduate
students the sentiment of each rules
its conduct. and offenders are handled
entirely by their fellow-students. This
is extremely effective, and Japanese
students have many times committed
suicide rather than face their angry
| fellow classmen after serious breaches
of class etiquette.
The offenders are ignored by their
classmen, and are never spoken to, in
or out (, of the classrooms. A public
apology by naughty Japanese stu
dent Is needed. and this apology must
be made not to the professors OF the
institutions, but to the members OF his
class. Then when the public apology
has been made a vote Is taken and II
majority are in favor Of pardoning
the offending student he Is received
| back by his classmates.