Milford chronicle., 1932-05-06
::::::: ::::::$:::7 MILFORD SCHOOL NEWS
TEA SERVED BY
SIXTH GRADERS
DIR. G. Layton Grier Enter
tains Children With Ac-
count Of Japan.

SNNAAAo III w ~
count Of Japan.
Mrs. DerricksOn's section of the
sixth grade has been studying Ja-
pan in geography. In their room
they have a small Japanese garden
and a number of things in connec-
ton with their project Last Friday
afternoon the members of this sec
tion entertained the other two sec
tiOns of the sixth grade and some of
the parents and teachers at a Jap
anese tea which was given in the
cafeteria. They seem to be doing a
number of interesting things lately.
The purpose of this last affair was
to hear from DR.. G. Layton Grier
and his daughter, Miss Ann Grier,
about their trip to Japan. There
were other features besides this one.
Japanese music was played until the
guests had arrived. A number of pu-
pills were dressed attractiVely in the
Japanese costume with flowers in
their hair. The room was made more
inviting with flowers.
Donnan HOlzmueller presided.
First a number of the pupils who
were dressed in the costumes talked
on different subjects concerning the
Japanese. They were as follow:
Barbara Marshall, History and
Growth of Japan Compared with
China.
Marjory Faix, Location.
Jack Burris, Boat Life.
Jean Mulholland, Home Life.
Wilmer Lankford, Religion.
ROsella Collins, Exports.
Dr. Grier talked very Interestingly
about their trip. They left VancOuV-
er on the immense ship, "The EN-
press of Japan" After fourteen days
they came to Yokohama, the Japan
ese port. BY means of train they
went to the beautiful reconstructed
city of Tokyo. Having arrived in ia
pan, they stayed at the Imperial
Hoter which was supposed to have
been planned by an insane man. We
were told that it must be true for
it seemed an impOssibility that a
sane person could think of such
strange ways of having it built.
Since the population is so great,
it is essential for the Japanese to be
absolutely clean and healthy. They
are more strict in this than the av-
erage American, for their cleanli- |
ness is under the control of the gov
ernment and is a sort of law to
them. Each child takes at least one |
bath a day. Therefore they surpass |
many American children. They play |
a great deal in order to develop their |
health. Baseball is a faYorite sport. |
Tennis is another. Their games also
are under the direction of the gov
ernment. They find it necessary to |
teach every child how to play. There |
are practically none who are not |
physically fit to take the prescribed |
exercise.
Etiquette of the Japanese is very |
strange. They do not sit in chairs
at tables to eat. Instead, they sit on |
cushions on the floor with their feet
drawn up in a tiresome position.
The food is placed beside them on
what probably resembles our foot
stools. They have no spoons or the
like, but use chop sticks. The dishes
they raise near their mouths and, al
though it does not sound pleasant,
they literally shovel the food with
the chop sticks. During the soup
course they make great amount of
noise. 1t is significant of enjoying
it. If no noise is made, the hostess
feels that the soup was not good.
dfffaRnraf |
The dress of the school children is
very attractive. All of the girls dress
in the same general way. That is in
pearl gray with neat collars and
cuffs. The boys too dress alike. They
do not make use of a variety of col
ors as we do.
Miss Grier talked to us for awhile.
So that she might show us what a
Japanese girl wears at her wedding, 1
she wore one of the beautiful cos
Lumes. This was a lovely black pair
lf pajamas with elaborate work on !
hem. A young girl there wears
black at only one time-when she is
being married. There is a part of the ,
lttire that is more like a sash than
anything else. This they tie in differ
mt ways to mean different things
about the bride. She showed us
small ivory model of a Japanese {
ride. She also showed pictures as a |
of the Japanese art. {
Now the time came for the tea. [
Iirls brought it in on trays from the !
afeteria. There was more Japanese
music during this. AS a special sur |
rise the geisha girls told stories TO {
ntertain as is the custom in that /
latiVe land. f,
1t is really surprising how much
lOre enjoyable it makes things to 8
ave a sort of outstanding occasion (,
f it than to study it all from books. h
Ill of the program was success n
nd was enjoyed greatly. I
Helen Coffin "a