Press translations [Japan]. Editorial Series 0152, 1945-12-24.

Full Translation:

A coference for the purpose of discussing new education was hold for two days recently at NAGA 0-Shi. The conference was composed of teachers in primary technical and middle schools in this ken. It was a remarkable concentration of all the voices of the representative teachers in the ken. With August 1945 as a turning point, it was decided that, militarism and totalitarianism were to be discarded for pacifism and democracy. However, education cannot, anymore than anything else, be patterned literally after the American or English types. The opinions presented in the conference should be deeply appreciated as reflecting the teachers in their discussions and investigations concerning this problem of revisim. Though we are amateurs, we wish here to present some questions from the conference for our readers to mull over.

The first is an earnest desire to unify politics end education. It is only natural that our education, now released from a situation, in which only militarism was tolerated, should take positive outlook towards society. Teachers must send their representatives to the Diet in order to reflect their ideals straight forwardly and powerfully on politics. The function of their political representatives is bound to be limited. They will only serve in a mennu similar to the representative of farmers and merchants. Hence, what we can expect from this is not "social justice" aimed at by teachers but merely collateral conditions, such as reform of educational institutions.

Of course, our educational system stands in a daner of being neglected by politicians even in a democratic administration. No only that, this tendency may be furthered by urgent social conditions. It may be necessary to select teachers political representatives, but if they think of it as a means of putting their ideals into effect, it will be nothing but an illusion. It would be safe to say that such would be the defeat of education. The situation will be clarified when we find whether the so-called justice, which is proper among the educational circles, is permitted to exist as such in an actual administration. This is an analytical quest on of our education.

The second is the problem of maintenance of our national polity, which is a [illegible]ssenntial question of our education. It is needless to say that the relation of education and national polity has been absolutely in-separable since the NEIJI Era, and even more especially so during recent years. However, to try to find a way to democratize our education, with a starting point in the maintenance of national polity as in the past, will nothing more than an idle discussion.

EDITORIAL SERIES: 152 (Continued)

ITEM 1 (Continued)

It might even be called "a brain with enlightened philosophy and feet with feudalism" as in the words of one of the members of the conference. We are not talking about the maintenance of national polity itself. We wish to indicate that at present, if a man stresses the maintenance of national polity it shows only his political status. To speak in plain language, maintenance of national polity is one thing and maintenance of the state is another. The fundamental democratization of on[illegible]education should be shaped far more broad-mindedly, having "the perfection of the individual" as its starting point. We must appreciate the suggestion that "stabilization of Japanese democracy is nothing but the maintenance of national polity.

The third is the fact that the investigation for the democratization of our education is likely to be carried out with disregard for the war responsibility, which our education should assume. We do not mean here the responsibility of teachers, but the part which our education played in the war, together with the responsibility thus reflected. The frank confession of a teacher. A great many of whose pupils went to the front, came home to us. The fact and the reason that our education was coerced and crooked because of the militarists is not investigated at all.

Now, self-criticism concerning our education is made by the individual teachers, generally and abstractly, in an extremely vague manner. We can but feel that they lack boldness to examine their own troubles. In defiance of such a state of things, to grasp at democracy the moment it is presented and to deal with it easily is a matter which should be carefully considered.

Besides the opinions on revisions of technical school education, farming production, educational institutions and treatment of teachers, other specific, questions were set forth.

While, the recent Allied directive for separation of SHIFTO from our nation is bound to affect the fundamental idea of our education, its influence will be that of a revolution without bloodshed. Such being the case, opinions on the above questions set forth by the teachers must be thoroughly considered.

Summary:

This is an answer to Mr. HANI, Goro's letter of 5 December concerning the success of school management by students.

I object to this idea because it is not right for the students to have a direct connection with the school administration. Students who are interested in educational plans and administration should, of course submit their constructive opinions. I do not see any harm in this. Students, however, are still on the path of learning. No matter how democratic a world we may be living in, we cannot deny the distinction between the duties of educations and those of students. Disputes between teachers and students should be settled more amicably by love and respect.

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EDITORIAL SERIES: 152 (Continued)

ITEM 2 (Continued)

School authorities must listen to the student's desires, and, in turn, the students the students themselves must understand the actual meaning of freedom and and do their work.

(Letter from [illegible], Education Minister)

To an Evacuated Child's Parents.

Having rec[illegible]d your letter in an 18 December Tokyo Newspaper, I would like to say a few things in answer to the abuse which you laid on all the teachers of evacuated students. Your are not well acquainted with the facts. You do not know how many desperate efforts the majority of teachers made in behalf of the children. In the school which I attended at MAGANO Ken, TAKAI Gun, the teachers knew that growing children could not possibly satisfy their appetites with only 2 go 2 Shak per day, so they went out into the country to get more. Often we had to beg for food and came back very late at night.

When a child was sick we walked great distances to get the doctor. In fetching the children's baggage, it was always the teacher who carried them back along the mountain paths. You have forgotten to look at things in the proper perspective. You said that the teachers exchanged a charcoal and apples when coming back to TOKYO, but that the NAGANO electric railway had stopped hauling luggage. WE wanted to let the children take as much food as possible in their baggage. If we had spare rice, all we desired was to let the children have it. At any rate, I want you to control your personal malice and look upon this situation in the proper persfective.

(Letter from FUJIMOTO, Ichire)

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