MRS KATSUDA'S PLANS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2668, 3 May 1905, Page 72

MRS KATSUDA'S PLANS.

— To Adapt American Technical School

Met Lcds to Japan. —

A wonderful light (says a writer in a San Francisco paper) is thrown upon the sourc?s of Japanese military strength by a talk with Mrs Kei Katsuda, of Tokio, who is rcw the guest of Mrs Kenji Imanishi at No. 2 West 94th street, and who has come to America to get ideas for a school which she proposes to establish in Tokio for Japanese girls orphaned by the war. A frail little body/ looking as if a puff of wind would blow her away, with her kimono and obi and little straw shoes, Mrs Ivatsuda neveitheless embodies in her small pei son the spirit of that remarkable country which has brought the pride of Russia down to the dust.

Mrs Katsuda knows exactly wthy Port Arthur fell, and the glow on her dark little face as she talks in musical Japanese — which Mrs Imanishi translates with equally musical English — about the victories of Japan carries conviction to all who heai her.

"You must go to the women of Jaj>au," sh-e- say &, "to learn the secret of her strength. We are very proud of what our soldiers have done upon the battlefield, but we aie proud, too, of what the women have done at home. It is because the women are so strong that the men have been, sc brave. When a Japanese soldier goes to the front he goes free from care as regards his family, for he knows that his wife can fight the battle of life without him. It is no wonder that he is brave and counts his life as nothing.^"The women would go to the front and fight, too, if it were necessary, and they are proud and glad to have their sons and husbands go. They are always cheering and encouraging the men. "There are no tears when a Japanese soldier goes to join the army. It is an occasion for rejoicing, and the whole village turns out to see him off. When my brother left, 800 people accompanied him to the station.

"And when they are gone we worry only about the danger of illness. We do not fear death for them, for that is a privilege and an honour.

"This has always been the spirit of the Japanese women. Perhaps you think in America that our women are weak and helpless- creatures, or that they have been, so up to the present time, but if you read our history you will see the Japanese women have always possessed great influence and power. Our empresses and princesses have gone into war at the head of their armies, and some of our most celeb:ated literary productions are the work of women. Our women have larger opportunities now than they once had, but their spirit is the same, and will always remain the same. No amount of modern civilisation or education will eradicate it.

"We are very proud of what the women have done during the present war, and it is beautiful to see liow they are all animated by the same spirit, from the Empress down to the poorest peasant woman. Yes, it is perfectly true about their committinsr suicide in order that tljeir sons and husbands might be free to serve their country. To you that seems terrible, but to us death is nothing. No Japanese woman, fears death. She is ready to give up her life, not only willingly, but gladly, for the honour of family and her country.

"I know one case of an aged mother with an only son who was her sole support. When the war broke out the son. showed/ signs of not wishing to go. To the mother tLis was disloyalty, and in of3er not to stand in his way she committed suicide.

"It is true, too, that the women have given up having tbfcir hair dressed in order to feavie mor;ey for patriotic work, and the hairdressers have willingly resigned their patronage and found other ways of earning a living. "It is this spirit which I hope to encourage in the school which I am trying to .establish. The girls will be trained for self-support, ahd I think every woman should know how to earn her own living, but the main thing will he to prepare tbeim for home life and to make them worthy helpmates to the men of the future, as their mothers have bee' to tbe men. of to-day.

"I Vant to get the very best ideas for this school, and that is why I have come to America. I want to see how your philanthropic institutions are carried on, for I could find no model in Japan for the kind of school I want to establish. It is true that the girls of Japan now ttave every educational advantage that you have in America, from the kindergarten to the university. We even have trade schools for them, but none of them are free, and we have not so much need for philanthropic restitutions as you have, for we have not so many very poor people. "I have been very much impressed with the amount of time and personal attention which wealthy men and women give to philanthropic work in America, and' it ■will be a great inspiration for me to carry home. 1 have been particularly interested in the Manhattan Trade School and the Hebrew Technical School, and I expect to use the Technical School as a model to a. certain extent, but, of course, it will have to be adapted to Japanese conditions, and there are not so many avenues of selfsupport open to women there as there are here. Even stenography and typewriting has not come to be a woman's occupation yet, but girls are beginning to go into it, and the school will probably teach it after a while, but not at first. We will begin with embroidery, sewing, and cooking, with perhaps bookkeeping, and those who wish to prepare for teaching will have an opportunity to do so." Mrs Katsuda requires only 5000dol for her school — not a large amount, according to American standards, but sufficient she says. In the first place, there will not be as many girls to be provided for, for the

' Jap.ir.cse, contrary to the American custom, are in the habit of looking after their own relatives. Then the school is to be part of the Seike School, at Tokio, and there will be no teaching staff to provide. I* will only be nccessaiy to erect an addifon to the school and provide for tha maintenance of the girls. With characteristic Japanese pride, Mrs t Katsuda will not ask any assistance from foreigners, but it has been voluntarily offered to the extent of over 1600dol, and site is rnoft grateful for such assistance, for little Japan has a great deal to do at present. " The Red Cross, the Ladies' Patriotic Society, and many other organisations are constantly investigating and relieving cases of need caused by tho war, but there is still much that they have not been able to do. "I shall never forget," J\lrs Kytsuda said) earnestly, "the sympathy and disinterested kindness of the American ladies, and I have no doubt that the same spirit which fills the hearts and souls of the women of Japan ' also animates the women of America."