Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-05-02
U. S. FIRST in
JAPANESE School
SYSTEM DECIDED
HongWanji Buddhists Make
Formal Announcement of
Radical Changes

That the Japanese. schools in Ha-
wall must recognize the superior au-
thority OF the territorial school au-
thorities and must devote their ener-
gies to training pupils for American,
not JAPANESE citizenship. is the sab
stance of an emphatic statement made
by the new consulgeneral, Hon. Re-
kuro Moroi, in an interview with a
representative OF the Star-BUlletin.
The interview was given after the
consHl-generaI had inspected all the
Japanese schools in Honolulu, duty
to which he addressed himself imme-
diately upon taking his post here.
simultaneously there comes an an
nouncement : from the HOngwanji
Buddhists, japanese teachers, that
they have decided upon a radical re-
organization of their private school
system. They will drop the terms
high school" and grammar school"
will materially restrict their present
educational system, and will try to
make it subordinate 10 the American
school system instead of, as in the
past. often quite as important as the
public school wGTl; CO Hawai-
The entire movement; regarded by
the Japanese as one of the most strik-
ing developments in years, is an
nounced as strong effort to fit the
Japanese children, for full citizenship
duty in Hawaii in the future.
Consul Moroi's Views.
Speaking of his investigations of the
school situation, Consul-seneraI Mo-
roi said: >*.~....
1T may be a matter of pride for
the japanese to have their own
schools here, but it may have a diff
ferent aspect for americans. Suppose
we change our position and imagine
that Americans resident in Japan
should establish CHER own schools
and educate their children, born there,
as our schools hefEs5night be edfrat-
ing Japanese children or the lines
of Japanese national education. ]
hardly think JafanS would welcome
such action. ~ r
Americans are indeed a broad
minded people they perhaps would
not interfere in this at present, but /
believe the time has come when the
question of the present japanese
schools must be raised. T..
Therefore say that the attitude of
the present Japanese schools must
be strictly clear en- the subject of
American authority. At the same time
future development of the schools
must be aimed attracting the Japa-
nese language only as a language for
future: American scitiZens, not as a
part Of the Japanese national educa4
ton. -.
ITO this the japanese schools must
have the same spirit as the American
public schools, and by so doing the
Japanese will avoid misunderstanding
and prove that friendship may exist
between the two nations
Buddhist Teachers Announcement.
The: announcement of the Hong
wanji (Buddhist1 educators says that
the old order of things here is chang
ing, that Japanese residing in Ha-
wall have become firmly determined
to live here and bring up their chill
dren here instead of returning to
Japan, and that IL is plain the Japa-
nese schools are being filled with
youths who are entitled to citizenship
and expect to become American citi.
gems. The announcement goes on to
say that the Hongwanji leaders have
decided to abandon their old educa-
tional system, to give instruction for
a short time morning and evening
only, and then in nothing much but
the Japanese language, and to make
the schools more of homes for ethi-
cal and economic teaching than insti-
tutions for education. In fact, the
school names will be abandoned and
the name "Hongwanji Educational
Home" has already been adopted.
Under the superintendent of Bish-
op Y. Imamura the Hongwanji mission
has more than 80 schools in the terri
tory a-e =