The Denver star., 1918-09-14
WORKING IN UNITY
Japan and the United States Ex-
change Ideas.
Island Empire Owes Its Systems Of
Technical Education to an Ameri-
can, and in Return Has
Taught Us Much.

The arrival here sometime ago of a
mission of eight officers of rank and
distinguished record from Japan is
proof OF ut least two things. 1t wit
nesses to the steadfastness OF the ma
tional character, in seeking progress
siveness rs well as progress: and to
Japans purpose to keep in the fore
ground of invention and achievement,
remarks New York Sun. No oth.r
nation realizes more kcenly that in the
rivalry of civilization the old must per-
petually be renewed. There can be no
standing still.
From the dawn of history Japan has
eNcelled in fine and dainty work. Her
museums illustrate the fact that her
craftsmen invented and adapted. \ lit
tie more than Il real, not poetical,
"cycle of Cathuy," that is, sixty years
ago, according TO oriental reckoning,
The hermit nation suddenly found her
self in the market place of the world.
Though at first dazcd. resources of
mind and material were not lacking.
Age-oid taste skill, experience and
reserve armies of trained craftsmen
We're mt hand. Foreign teachers con-
ferred no gift of brains or secrets of
cunning. They simply pointed out the
new paths and taught the modern
methods of meeting the nations needs.
AS early as 1SGl-G:;, after three years
labor, our own Raphael Punpclly, still
among us in vigor. revolutionized min
ing methods in Japan. When, in 1868,
the intense inward political struggles
between the old and the new We're over
and japan had truly national govern
mcnt, the alcrtness Of her people to the
new situation supplied n striking fea-
turc in the history Of modern educa-
ton.
At Il date when in Europe manual
and technical training was still new,
and among us the Rensselaer, Polytech-
mic school at Troy was n lonely vet
cran, Yale and Harvard We're mt be-
GiEuings in this form of education, ond
even the Massachusetts Institute OF
Technology Il baby, Japan had started
in the race. Even before the depart
ment Of education had been created
the necessity of Japan's training her
own engineers. chemists and masters OF
important government. The newly
elaborated scheme dividing the empire
into eight great educational districts
was, with the curricula, submitted to
an American for criticism. He noted
the serious defect of no provision for
technical education. A long letter out
lining courses of technical education
and addressed to the Dai 10 Kuan. the
supreme council, fell as spark upon
powder. The department of education
was created and n chronological school
started simultaneously in Tokyo. The
system has ever since that time had a
henlthful development.
In addition to the eight universities
and 37,S10 lower schools of all sorts,
there are now in operation under the
government eighteen technical schools
OF the higher order, requiring four
years course after graduation from the
middle schools, while those under To-
cal or private auspices number many
more. II was settled Mt court, by the
United States minister in Yeddo, in the
case Of Raphael Pumpelly, that an en-
ginecr, civil, mining, or mechanical,
was II gentleman and eligible to audi
ence OF both the president of the Unit
ed States and the emperor of Japan.
Ever since. the official and social status
of man trained to use his hands and
brain in unity has been secure in the
miliado's empire. AT least two score
of Americans have received imperial
decorations for promoting technical
science in japan.
Nothing but good can come OF mu-
tual exchange of ideas. What the Jap
anese have borrowed from US Is in the
limelight. and we boast of 1t; Whit
hundreds of American inventors and
seekers for knowledge have found In
Japan and taken as loan Is cryptic and
untrumpeted. Yet our debt is none the
less real. IT is well for the two civili-
cations to enrich Zach other. IL, in ad-
miring legend. King Solomon set the
mechanic on the throne to signify the
basis of his realms wealth, none the
less should both republic and empire
honor the technician who unites power
of brain and the discipline of education
to dexterIty of manipulation. Honor
| to the technical workers of Japan and
America