The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-08-16
W0RkKli IN UNITY
japan and the United States Ex-
change Ideas. .uI
Island Empire Owes lts Systems cf
Technical Education TO an Ameri.
can, and In Return Has
Taught Va Much, ,xsev

;.N
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. Ii wit
nesses to the steudfastness of the ma.
tional character, in seeking progress
siveness as web as progress; and to
JRpans purpose to keep ia the fore
ground of invention and achievement,
remarks New York sun. No other
nation realizes more keenly that In the
rivalry Of civilization the old must per-
petually be renewed. There can be 10
standing still.
From the dawn Of history Japan has
excelled In fine and dainty work. Her
museums illustrate the fact that her
craftsmen invented and adapted. A lit
tie more than n real, not poetical,
"cycle OF Cathay," that is, sixty years
ago, according 10 oriental reckoning,
the hermit nation suddenly found her
self in the market place of the world.
Though ut first dazed, resources of
mind and material were not lacking.
Age-old taste, skill. experience and
reserve armies OF trained craftsmen
were at 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 1SG1-G3, after three years
labor, our own Raphael Pumpelly, still
among us In vigOr, revolutiCnized min.
ing methods in Japan. When, in 1868,
the intense inward political struggles
between the old and the new were over,
and Japan had a truly national govern
ment, the alertness of her people to the
new situation supplied striking fea-
ture In the history of modern educa-
tiOn.
At a date when in Europe manual
and technical training was still new,
and among us the Rensselaer, Polytech-
mic school ut Troy was a lonely vet
ernn, Yale and Harvard were ut be-
ginnings in this form of education, and
even the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology 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 Gf technical education
and addressed to the Dai 10 Kuan, the
supreme council, fell as spark upon
powder. The department of education
was created and a chronological school
started simultaneously in Tokyo. The
system has ever since that time had a
healthful development.
In addition to the eight universities
and 1880 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. 1t was settled at court, by the
United States minister in Yeddo, in the
case of Raphael Pumpelly, that an en-
gineer, civil, mining, or mechanical,
waa gentleman and eligible to audi
ence of both the president of the Unit
cd States and the emperor of Japan.
Ever since, the official and social status
OF q man trained to use his hands and
brain in unity has been secure in the
| mikadO'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
iimeIight and we boast OF it; what
hundreds of American Inventors and
seekers for knowledge have found In
japan and taken as loan iu cryptic and
untr1mpeted. Yet our debt Is none the
less PEAL. 1t is we'll for the two civili-
zatiO,ls to enrich each Othes. If, In ad-
niriIg legend, King SolOlnon set the
mechanic on the throne to signify the
| basis of his realms wealth, none the
ess ehould both republic and empire
nOnor the technician who Inites power
| pf brain and the discipline of education
20 dexterity Of manipulation. Honor
| % tho technical workers OF Japan and
America!