JAPANESE CULTURE

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19638, 26 July 1935, Page 9

JAPANESE CULTURE

EDUCATION SYSTEM. NEW ZEALANDER’S INQUIRIES. QUALITY OF INTELLIGENCE. Education as one of the two .greatest forces in modern Japan particularly attracted the attention of a New Zealand visitor, Major J. R. Kirk, on his recent tour of the East. In an Interview on his return to Wellington by the Marama via Sydney, he said tliat the Japanese are “hungering and thirsting after knowledge.” Major Kirk was a member of the New Zealand Royal Commission on Education of 1912, member of the Counoil of Education for some years, and the first Director of Education to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. “Probably the greatest dynamic forces in Japan are Bushido (the ethical basis of the nation’s outlook) ■and education,” he said. "So far as the latter is concerned the fact is everywhere apparent. Remember that ■if, has been only since' 18G8 that Western ideas have been applied in Japan, and/H will be seen how swift has been the'advance made. Remember,' also, when •comparisons are being drawn, that their code of free and compulsory education was initiated in 1872, eight years before the similar moasuro was adopted in England.

Combating Ignorance. "Indeed,” Major Kirk continued, “when one reads the words of the Emperor Meiji on the subject one Imagines that be must, immediately before uttering them, have been reading of a speech on education toy John Knox, who declared that in every village -in Scotland there must be a school. Here are the Emperor’s words: ‘Henceforth education shall he so diffused that there may be not a village with an ignorant family, nor a family with an ignorant -member.’ In the carrying out of the national policy—enlightenment and progress’—the words of-the wise Emperor are being followed: ‘Knowledge and .learning shall be sought after thorughout the whole world, and thus the foundations of tho Empire shall toe extended.’ “Wherever one went in Japan—to a sacred mountain, a famous shrine or temple, even to a modest steamship—one met hundreds of sohool children, In charge of teachers. They would be anxious to do reverence at the shrine, to extend their knowledge, of the inspiring deeds of the'famous dead, to acquire all that could toe learned .from modern art, buildings and machinery, and to glory in the beauties of their countryside. On the ships, travelling to all parts of the world, educated Japanese are seeking further enlightenment on the modern methods of other nations. The Government encourages children to travel and grants substantial rebates for the purpose.

Lack of Accommodation. “To watch, as I did, children of the elementary- commencing their school day at’’B' a.’m.- and sometimes 7 a.m.," Major Kirk said, “and to see such large numbers of them, short littlo boys and girls together, running to get there in time, was to think in terms of human bees or two-legged ants. So fast is the population growing—about 1,000,000 a year—that the authorities are hard put to it to provide accommodation, and- there is great competition for entry, especially into the higher grade schools and universities.

“Those I feel sorry for in Japan are the ambitious young men of not more than average talents. Competition decides who shall have their entry to the higher halls of learning, and, as only one out of ten can be accommodated, their chances are negligible. ... I saw some examination papers in Japan and was glad my examination days were over I But education is not all obtained from schools, and I was impressed with the number of young people always crowding second-hand book stores and booksellers’ shops, of which there are very many. ' , “In the centuries-old system of memory education in Japan the children had to memorise a tremendous number of Chinese ideographs and idiomatic expressions, the former alone running up to 50,000. They have to memorise 5000 to GOOO characters, and (lvis is regarded as prejudicial to students in the development of judgment. The Japanese language is printed in Chinese characters, and newspapers, of which 1009 are published daily in Japan, have had to keep at least 9000 of these 'Chinese characters, hut they are gradually reducing the number and are now using 2000. Press in Japan.

' “The spread of universal education enables all classes —even coolies and ricksha men —to read the big papers, some of which have enormous circulations and influence. For instance, the Osaka Dlainiohi and the Osaka Asahi, which .are rivals, each claims over 1,000,000 daily. Their reporters, men and women, are as keen and alert as (hose in any oilier part of the world. Advertising rates are relatively higher than in other countries, I was told. “ ‘Though thou shouldst heap up a thousand pieces of 'gold, these would not be so precious as one day of study’ is a Japanese proverb, and if this if being acted upon (and it seems that it is) it k is not surprising, with Hie influence of Bushido, that to-day travellers cannot fail to he rtnpressed with tho Japanese quality of intelligence, with their steady, patient work, with minute attention to detail, their thrift, and, what is so valuable, I lie recognition of a common in terest in I lie work, business or enterprise in which they are engaged. These are all factors helping to account for the remarkable progress Japan is making, not only in the realm of letters but decidedly in industry." ‘

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