Evening star., 1937-01-02

with their flowers" and those who do.
have studied the japanese flower ar
rangement in the formal schools or in
the modern ones. For japanese women,
and men, too, for that matter. arrange
flowers as portraits Of living plants.
Each arrangement expresses the artists
philosophy of life and his daily mood.
with which he. regardless OF the
crowded hours, finds sometime during
the day to sit in humble contemplation.
Even though Washingtonians live in
vortex of social, political and eco
nomic currents, it will be of more than
passing interest to know that Gustl
Gruner Greger, wife OF Herbert S.
Greger, internationally known metal
lurgist and chemist, has opened the
first school of japanese flower arrange
ment in Washington, the Ikko Greger
School of Flower Arrangement. There
will be diplomas given for competition
of each grade as we'll as rewards OF
prizes for creative ability shown in
unique and original flower arrange
ments by the students to be exhibited
yearly.
Mrs. Greger said 1t all had begun
in Akita. Japan. where she went to
live right after her marriage IL
ar-distant Czechoslovakia. Her hus-
band, an expert in fuel technology.
came to Akita to open a fuel research
institute along the lines of the one in
Freiberg. They expected to remain
three years in Akita. Instead they
we're there nine years, as Mr.. Greger
was persuaded to continue his research
in Akita after he had successfully
established the Fuel Research Institute.
IRON the first, Mrs. Greger was en-
chanted with Japan. There was
so much to see and to admire. She
noted, for one thing. that all japanese
women bought flowers. generally in
very small quantities. and always car
ried them with their flowers turned
earthward instead of heads up," as
women in the West do. Then, too,
she found that poet or peasant, prince
or pauper, had flower niche. 1t may
be in hovel or palace, or in wee
paper hut by the side of road. but
a flower niche seems as vital as air
The containers in the niche hold
grasses or weeds from field or stream,
leaves, berries or fruit from vegetable
gardens and orchards, but regardless
Of the source of supply, the flower
niche is where the japanese sits in
silent joy and contemplation. drinking
in the beauty of the flowers and the
message that particular arrangement
gives.
One day not so very long after her
arrival in Akita Mrs. Greger was in
hotel where the flower arrangement
was exquisitely lovely. She noticed
that each container had q dominant
tone. that each color was massed, with
the darker colors placed low and near
the center. that there was balance
without symmetry and that flowers
and containers complemented each
other.
Being interested, she asked one oi
the maids who had done" the flowers
The maid modestly replied that she
an Inakajin Japanese peasant), hac
arranged all the flowers. buds and
stems, and that. although she had
very little schooling. she had manged
to pay for a course in flower arrange
ment.
Afterward Mrs. Greger learned that
in Japan 1t is almost mandatory that
any person decently brought up should
study flower arrangement. Every girl
who desires to marry registers for such
course. as, in the West, she studies
home economics.
X
IT WAS right after this talk with
the Inakajin that Mrs. Greger be-
gan to question all her friends in
Akita about the fine art of flower
arrangement. The outcome was that
she studied three years under an in
structor OF the ancient formal style.
My teacher was II years old, and
his methods were quite set," said Mrs.
Greger. Il lacked entirely the back
ground which every Japanese pupil
instinctively brings to his lessons. At
times I was desperate, since I did not
make any progress. My mind was not
prepared to receive the teachers
knowledge. Wisdom must come from
the heart. and it is conveyed from the
teacher to the pupil mostly by a mere
glance or smile. Slowly found my
way. and during my study with the
old master contacted the whole uni.
verse through few carefully bent
branches.
Three years later a teacher of the
O'Hara School" CMrs. Gregor' posi-
lively affirms that O'Hara is Japa-
nese, without any Irish connection
whatsoeveD settled down in Akita,
and a group of Japanese friends asked
me to join their class. The wife of
the governor of this northern district
offered her spacious house for the
class room, and through several years
eight Of us met there weekly to spend
the afternoon arranging flowers under
the young teachers guidance.
soon 7 found that my old master,
who had retired. had given me such
a thorough foundation that was pro-
crossing splendidly in the O'Hara
School"
Mrs. Taira Ichio. the outstanding
graduate of the O'Hara School. sug-
gested that Mrs. Greger enter the
O'Hara School in Toxic. IA hours
away by fast train from Akita, and
work toward q diploma.
Mrs. Greger continued: MY teacher
thought I might thus be able to in
troduce her school in the West and
make it we'll known. So I became a
pupil Of her great master in Toxic
and finished about a year before I
left Japan. At the time received my
diploma got my new name as teacher
of the school-Ikko, which means