Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-01-01
PRINT JAPANESE
SCHOOL BOOKS IN
ROMAN LETTERS
important Change is Decided
Upon for Tuition Of Young
NipponeSe in Honolulu

One OF the most important changes
made in local japanese customs vii
be instituted at the beginning OF the
school year In Honolulu, when four OF
the classes in the Japanese primary
schools will study Japanese textbooks
published in Roman characters.
Inside of so years Japan will be
using the Roman character entirely.
said prominent Japanese today when
the subject OF the revolutionary change
inFthe character was preached. The
substitution of the Roman character
for the present system will do more
TO bring Japan to the front among the
nations than any other one thing, and
] am pleased to hear that Honolulu
Japanese have taken up the move
ment"
About three months ago a commit
tee OF prominent Japanese consisting
of Consul H. Arita, Rev. T. Okamura,
S. Moriyama, principal of the Nuuanu
Japanese School, and 2. Hanzyo, prin-
cipal Of the japanese high school were
appointed by the Honolulu Japanese
Teachers Association to formulate
plans for the changing Of the Japa-
nese characters in the primary grades.
The conference of the committee
resulted in the adoption of the Roman
character system in the Japanese
schools Of the city, and textbooks are
now being printed in Roman charac.
tiers. The plan at first suggested was
to have the change made in the first
grades, but inasmuch as the younger
students have not as yet learned the
English system it was thought that
for the time being better results could
be obtained with a gradual change.
Kinney Boasts Charge.
The report of the committee was
forwarded to Superintendent Kinney
some time ago. and Mr.. Kinney readily.
cooperated with the committee. As
soon as the plan can be worked out,
the lower grades and those in the high
school will be given instruction in the
Roman characters.
To Dr. M. Ueda goes the credit for
the work that has been done in pro-
noting the Roman character for the
Japanese language. Eight years ago,
says X. Fuwa, editor OF the Japanese
Home Journal OF Honolulu, s'Dr. Ueda
puDllSNeQ the UTSL ulCllOlidIy III Jdpo
nese with the Roman characters.
Since that time the movement has
grown until now there are $4,000 MEM
bers in the Roman Character Associa'
ton Of Japan.
"One magazine In Japan is publish.
ed in Roman charaotorss -Japanese stu, !
dents have taken up the movement
and courses of study in Japanese with
Roman characters are now given in
Waseda and Keio universities The
high schools of Japan have the same
course, and it is the belief among
many of the educated Japanese in. that
country, that in another generation |
Japan viii cast aside the present char.
acters.
.The movement in Hawaii Is the
of the campaign that has
been made in Japan. and leading citi.
zens of Honolulu predict that when
the change in character becomes uni |
yersal that thousands of Americans
will begin the study Of the Japanese
Language. The only objection has |
come from the older men who believe
in the retention of the present char
acters, but the time is coming when
the present characters used in Japa-
nese literature win be abandoned en-
tirely," concluded Mr.. Fuwa-