Evening star., 1950-02-24
WOn1en's
Clubs
Japanese Women
Enjoying Freedom
In Education Field

l,
Japanese women are enjoying new
freedom in the field of education,
according to three leaders of the
japanese Federation of University
Women.
Before the war, they said at a
press conference here yesterday,
women's educational opportunities
in Japan were far below those
provided for men. Men and women
students were segregated in sepa-
rate schools, the women had in
ferior textbooks and even the
qualifications for their teachers
were lower.
Now, they reported, women are
admitted to mems colleges for
professional training, although no
living accommodations are pro-
vided. And inequalities in the
standards for teachers and text
books also are being remedied
through educational reforms.
The three japanese visitors met
the press at a conference held at
the national headquarters of the
American Association of Univer-
sity Women.
Members of a group of 25 Japa-
nese leaders brought to this
country to observe educational
methods in the United States, they
are: Miss Al Hoshino, president of
Tsuda College for women in
Tokyo; Mrs Yuriko Moriya, SUI
pervisor of Women's Education in
the Japanese Ministry Of Educa-
tion, and DR.. Takeko Yoshida,
professor of chemistry in the
Ochanomizu University for Wom-
en- in Tokyo. Their visit is being
sponsored by the United States
Office of Education.
Miss Hoshimo hailed the re-
forms accomplished by the Japa-
nese Educational Reform Council,
of which she is a member. In ad-
dition to working toward breaking
down segregation, she said it had
succeeded in adding three years
to the six years of compulsory Sec
ondary education required.
Miss Hoshimo and Mrs. Moriya
stated that along with the edu-
cational reforms, women'S junior
college movement has spread
through Japan. Mrs. Moriya re-
ported that of the 181 applications
her Office received last year, 60
to 10 per cent were requests for
entrance to junior colleges.
Miss Hoshimo revealed that the
study of English takes the lead as
the most popular subject in her
college, but that there is growing
interest in such studies as, eco
nonics, the sciences and mathe-
matics.
She also pointed out that the
educational reforms have made it
possible for women to enter mems
colleges for professional training
in such fields as medicine, phar-
macy and law.
Miss Hoshimo expressed the
women educators interest in dis
covering how American women's
colleges "co-operate" with each
other. "Our colleges are all Sepa-
rate and independent of each
other" she said. 1--WE would like
to take back with us your ideas
Of professor exchange between
colleges and college entrance
board examinations"
Mrs. Moriya said the group
expects to see about 20 American
educational institutions in as
many fields and of as many va
rieties as their time will allow.
Both Mrs. Moriya and DR..
Yoshida are particularly inter-
ested in establishing student
guidance and deanshipS in Japa-
nese colleges. While here, DR..
Yoshida will take a month of
special training in guidance at
Syracuse University under a
short term study grant awarded
her by the AAUW. Mrs. Moriya
also plans to take the course.
A graduate of the University of
British Columbia in Vancouver,
Mrs. Moriya has been in close
touch with the progress of educa-
ton for women in Japan since
equal rights were accorded to
women by the United States Mill
tary Government.
All three women are leaders in
the japanese Federation of Uni
versity Women, organized three
years ago, with a membership now
of 5000. Mrs. Moriya is vice presi-
dent of the organization and DR..
Yoshida heads the Membership
Committee.
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