'70 BULLETIN OF THE 



(abstkact.) 



He first described the ancient system of education which existed 

 before the recent I'evolution. It was introduced from China, 

 which in matters of learning and literature holds to Japan the 

 -position of mother country. The territorial Dairaios in many 

 instances took great pride in the maintenance of institutions of 

 learning for the benefit of their immediate retainers. In these 

 institutions the elements of learning, as well as the higher depart- 

 ments of history and political philosophy, were taught with great 

 thoroughness. Chinese philosophy, in the works of Confucius, 

 Mencius, and others, was taught by professors who gave their 

 lives to the study and elucidation of tliese great masters. 



Along with this literary and philosophical training the Japan- 

 ese 3^outh were also regularly trained in athletic and military 

 exei'cises. Such institutions were maintained usually at the ex- 

 pense of the Daimios, and were restricted to those who were 

 subsequently to enter the service of their masters. 



Schools for the education of the mercantile, agricultural, and 

 laboring classes were very common, but were not maintained at the 

 government expense. Each district or neighborhood sustained 

 its own school, and it speaks well for their appreciation of learn- 

 ing that under this voluntary system almost the entire population 

 were able to read and write. 



In 187 2, after the consummation of the revolution which re- 

 established the unity of the empire, a department of education 

 was organized for tlie administration of all matters pertaining to 

 schools and colleges throughout the empire. Under this depart- 

 ment the following classes of institutions of learning have been 

 established : — 



1. Elementary Schools. — These are conducted in the Japanese 

 language, and the prescribed schedule of studies for them corre- 

 sponds nearly with that of American elementary schools. 



2. Normal Schools. — To provide competent teachers for the 

 elementary schools, government normal schools have been estab- 

 lished, the graduates from which have been employed in the dif- 

 ferent provinces to reorganize schools and instruct the teachers 

 in the performance of their duties. 



3. Foreign Language Schools. — In order to raise up a class 

 of men able to ti'ansraute foreign learning into the Japanese 

 tongue, schools for teaching English and other foreign languages 

 have been provided by the government. English thus becomes 

 to Japan its learned language, as Latin was the learned language 

 to Europe in the Midd.le Ages. 



4. Colleges aad Technical Schools. — To provide for the higher 

 departments of learning, colleges conducted in a foreign language 

 liave been organized and are now in successful operation. In 

 this way excellent instruction may now be obtained in Law and 

 Government, in Engineering, in Chemical Technology, in Naval 



