A TRAVELLER IN THE FAR EAST.

Otago Witness, Issue 3101, 20 August 1913, Page 80

A TRAVELLER IN THE FAR EAST.

THE YOUNG ORIENT AT SCHOOL,

By the Rev. William Hay,

While national evolution depends upon education, education is an inherent part of such evolution. Education of this nature, however, is not an element that is coercive or obtrusive, but one for which there is in the nation the preceding element of desire. To-day nothing is more characteristic of the evolution of the Orient than the demand and provision for such modern education as is deemed most suitable.

Henry Ward Beecher said : “All creation is on the march to unheard music and to unseen banners.- When it shall encamp and hang out the banners of victory is'knowir only to Him to Whom one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” Whatever the rest of the world is doing the Orient is certainly “on the march,” and no thoughtful person who x’ealises it can fail to wonder and ouestion “whither?” An answer to the question will be found in many things ; but an exceedingly important and determining answer will be found in its education. If it were true that the battle of Waterloo was really won on the play-grounds of Eton College, what victories or failures in various spheres of individual and national life and activity will evolve from the class-rooms of the schools and colleges and universities of the Orient! The nature of the education received will be the great determining factor. Professor Peabody, of Harvard University, lecturing the other day at the Imperial University of Tokio, referred very forcefully to the perils of culture. -The University Don or Fellow,” he said, might he an erudite, painstaking, brilliant scholar, but he might even come to he a cynical indifferentist monk looking down from the turrets of Amalfi, io cultivate a field was not enough ; a field cultivated but not sown became rich in the most noxious weeds.” Japan today is essentially utilitarian; buU as grows in wealth and her sons in that individualism that is already spreading too rapidly for the comfort of her seers and statesmen and ruling sire, the weakness of English erudition, referred to by Professor Peabody, may Hud a more fertile soil in the enervating atmosphere of the East. The warning is not inopportune at this stage of educational advancement in the Far East. The ideal of education in both China and Japan will be all important. The system and type in the Philippines -s, of course, American, and these have influenced very largely the system and tvns in Japan, and, in a considerable measure, in China, through the educational intercourse that has proceeded across the Pacific. Korea and Formosa are now under the Japanese regime. Manchuria is, nominally at least, undei Chinese authority, although in a militaij and commercial sense Southern Manchuria is under the strong influence of Japan. So that, omitting the Philippines, China and Japan together will make the educational system and atmosphere of the bar East, though it will bear upon it all the very definite impress of Great Britain and America. There will undoubtedly be in China, as there have been in Japan, such modifications of Western systems as native wisdom considers expedient, and it is probable that in course of time such wisdom and expedience will give rise in China, as they are doing to-day in Japan, to new problems that will require very serious and earnest thought to solve. 1 he Japanese have proved and done what Professor Peabody indicated when he said that “each nation, each national and social environment, with the distinctions of temperament gave to University ideals a new aspect and a new form ; and it became most interesting as one traversed the world to compare the types of ideals which persuaded, solicited, and lifted the minds of University men.” EDUCATION IN JAPAN. The discovery by the makers of young Japan, about forty years ago, of the fact that Japan was centuries behind the Western world in all kinds of material development and progress, and that the essential need was reformed education of a Western tvpo, resulted in the establishment of a system that has developed into the present advanced and effective training of the sons and daughters of the Empire in modern

learning—so advanced and effective now as to draw students from other eastern lands, and to produce Japanese scholars in modern literary, scientific, and philosophical learning who command the respect of the West, even though the best learning of the East is considerably behind the best learning of the West, a fact which cannot provoke surprise. Higher scholarship is still sought abroad, and is likely to be for a long time to come. China was in earlier days the schoolmistress of Japan,, very largely through the medium of Korea. Now Chinese students go to Tokio for learning; though with reform in China during the last few 'years there will be, as soon as peace and unification and consolidation can be attained, colleges and universities in China giving as modern and effective an education as those in Japan. Japan’s strength and progress and success as a natioji are just now the main reason for the presence of students from the other Eastern countries at the Universities in Tokio. Students feel that there is something more to learn in Japan than mathematics and literature and philosophy. There must be about 30,000 Japanese students at the Universities in Tokio and their affiliated high schools; but, in addition to these, there are about 10,000 Chinese students, the secretary of the Y.M.C.A. in the citv assured me that their institution has 3000 student members. Student reckoning is, therefore, on a big scale in Tokio. But 1 okio can take them all, for it, is a great city with a population of about two millions.

It may be a surprise to some, although when one thinks about it, it is only what one might expect, that Indian students have come to the metropolis of Japan. There are not many; but India lias heard of Japan’s marvellous success, and some of her sons have gone to receive of Japan’s utilitarianism, mainly in technical education, but also, of course, to learn the secret of her advancement. One wonders whether these may be the pathfinders for young India, just as Ito and Inanye and others were the pathfinders for young Japan that has grown to such muscular and aggressive manhood.

UNIVERSITY REGIME AND IDEALS

The Imperial University is the leading State ’ institution of learning, and consequently has the principal prestige. Being a Governpient institution, the teachers in the various faculties while called “ professors ” are really civil officers of the State, and wear the civil officer’s uniform. It is also compulsory for the students to wear uniform, as it is also in the Government high schools, which is a*part of the officialism that prevails throughout Japan, and suggests a Very close relation between civil officialism and the military regime. As long as “ bushido ” is predominant in Japan, the civil and military form a patriotic unit. Degree Day at the Imperial University is a great occasion. Court officials, Cabinet Ministers, and other persons of distinction are present, because the Emperor has been accustomed to honour Degree Day with his presence. He is received, not with acclamation and boisterousness, so much 'in evidence at Western universities, but with reverent silence and bowed heads. Western students would regard it as a deadly affair —no jokes, no puns, no humorous sports at the faculty, no bouquets of turnips and carrots, no sounds but the voices of the dignitaries—it is a wonder that anyone goes to it. But they do! It is a Government ceremony, and an Imperial affair.

Waseda. University is an intensely interesting institution for many reasons, but mainly because ’ it stands as a protest against this State officialdom, and because of its marvellous success in spite of the disadvantages of its independence. “At the Government institution it is easy to get the higher degree,” said the President’s secretary, when conducting me over the university, “but only 15 among the 10,000 alumni of Waseda have received it. Not many try, because the Government makes it as'difficult as possible for our men to get this degree. The only method open to our men is by the vote of the hoard, consisting of all who have taken the higher degree.” great majority of these are “Imperial” men, the chances are greatly ggainst Waseda. The Government has no control, and no connection —indeed, it is unsympathetic and opposed to it, because it does not like a private institution to succeed so well, nor does it like the strength of the democratic spirit. Its success is marvellous, considering its disadvantages. It is the largest university in Japan, and has the largest number of students. There are about 5000 in university grade, 2000 in the intermediate grade—that is, between the graduation grade and the high school, —and about 5009 in its affiliated high schools —making about 10,000 in all. Its buildings are not so fine as the Imperial, there is less style about it, and less prestige, but- it is the popular university. Its motto is—“ First, independence of learning; second, every student to be practical ; third, to aim at making good personality, character, and citizenship.’ Its ideal is to form a “ National Reform party.” This is an indication of a new spirit in Japan, and, naturally, the Government, which is trying to strengthen tho spirit of “old Japan, is uiisynipathetic and opposed. The Government fears democracy. At present, Waseda men onlv make up 10 per cent, of the members’ of Parliament, but they are to aim at attaining a majority in Parliament, and then —better days for \\ aseda, and especially for national reform. The ideal and aim are full of the greatest significance. Just as 40 years there was a “ young Japan,” whose aims and ideals became predominant, so there is another “ young Japan ” to-day. This institution and its whole work as a democratic university has been founded and fostered by Count Okuma, who is generally referred to as the “ Sage of Waseda.’ Athletics have a large place in student life. The old Japanese pastimes of fencing, wrestling, and jiu-jitsu are in practice, but not quite to the extent they used

to be. Provision is made at every school for instruction in fencing and wrestling, "but baseball and lawn tennis axe played everywhere, and all the larger institutions in Tokio have their boat clubs. Athleticism, however, is now allowed to predominate in a student’s interests. The school, or university, is distinctly a place for study, and that is seriously impressed upon the student. ELEMENTARY EDUCATION. The needs of elementary education are systematically provided for. Every village has its elementary school which every child has to attend; every county or town has its higher elementary school for those who have' gone through the rudiments of learning, but are not old enough to enter the next grade of school—the middle school —of which each prefecture or town has at least one when the middle school course is finished the boy may go into business (if he is a labourer he goes to work at the end of the elementary course), or into one of the higher special schools, as the schools of commerce, technology, or navigation, or into one of the non-official universities. If he wishes to enter the State University he first takes a course at the Government High School, and thence goes to the Imperial University at Tokio or Kioto. At either of these Imperial universities he may become “ yotosei”• graduate, which is equivalent to the senior in the Tripos at Cambridge. A DEMOCRATIC REACTION. In Korea the Japanese authorities are seeking to formulate their educational system and curricula in harmony with the Imperialistic ideals of the Government schools in Japan. Count Teranchi, the Governor-genqral of Korea, invited recently to his official residence some 60, newly-appointed principals of common schools in Korea, and impressed upon them the necessity of conducting their educational work in accordance with the principle embodied in the “Rescript for Chosen (Korea)” by his late Majesty, the 1 object in view being “to. make loyal subjects of the Empire. ’ This seems to be the principal aim of the Government thoughout the Empire, but whether this aim will prove to be the best in the long run for Japan', and whether it will produce the beat citizens and patriots is questionable. The increasing insistence upon it by the authorities is perhaps an indication that their system is not working out to their satisfaction, and that the democratic reaction in Japan; as well as the national sentiment in Korea, is giving them some anxiety. The fear on the part of the authorities of encouraging anything savouring of individualism in the young hopefuls of Japan, and their desire to establish a sort of subjective uniformity are leading more enlightened Japanese educationalists, such as Count Gkuma and others, to seek a national remedy. Any sign of originality is welcome. The latest is an institution, established as recently as April of last year, more particularly for poor children, and for training them to live simply, and developing the powers of the individual. The system adopted includes the promotion of pupils at any time on the ground that it is prejudicial to the intellectual development of the scholar for him to continue studying among comrades greatly his inferiors in school work. There are two very special features about the system that must be regarded as novel. The first is that it is a school without a vacation. A very high Russian authority is cited in vindication of the system. Professor J. A. Sikorsky, in his “ Psychological Bases of Education, ’’ contends that psychological and psychometric investigation into the processes of intellectual work have shown that uninterrupted labour constantly improves the nervous mechanism and facilitates and accelerates the labour itself. Each preceding day of work lightens and accelerates the work of the succeeding day, whereas every intermission reduces the ’working capacity. The higher mental form, according to this authority, is the fruit of sustained, unremitting intellectual exertion; but the potential is lost after 60 to 70 hours’ suspension of work, whereas anv intermission of between 20 and 40 hours will not destroy the results attained. The other special feature is what is called gyonenho. The pupils, for half an hour before the lessons, •assemble in a room, and there squat, stripped to the waist, in a meditative attitude, by degrees, they accustom themselves to rivet their attention upon some one point. It is claimed that during the exercise the pupils feel neither heat nor cold, and become bold and enterprising. The pupils of this school have grown stronger, and have put on weight. If experimenting in this svstem is desired in New Zealand I would suggest that it begin—say in Dunr-din—about the time this article arrives.