In the section of a higher school which instructs candidates for the
Law and Literature Colleges of the University, the subjects taught are
Morals, Japanese and Chinese languages, Foreign languages, History of
Logic and Psychology, the elements of Law, the elements of Political
Economy and Gymnastics. The foreign languages are English, German, and
French, of which two have to be selected.
“Surely,” remark the gentlemen who prepared the article on University
Education in Japan, “a professional man who aims at a high position
could never be satisfied with one language. Certainly it would be
impossible for any one to keep up with the rapid progress of the world
which takes place in all the higher branches of education with only
one European language at his command.”
It is pathetic to think how blind are the rulers of secondary
education in this country to a truth so self-evident.
Before proceeding to a special school preparing candidates for the
University, a Japanese boy must have been at a Secondary School, which
is an institution similar to one of our great Public Schools. Here,
again, the Japanese lay far more stress on essentials.
At how many of our great Public Schools, if any, are the elements of
Law (which may be defined as the rules of the club to which every
British citizen belongs) a subject of instruction? The elements of
Law are a regular feature in the Secondary Schools of Japan. Sooner or
later every Englishman or Japanese is brought in contact with the law
of his land. For what conceivable reason is Law excluded from our
Public School course of education?
Once more, in a Japanese Secondary School, boys are taught the
elements of Political Economy. What proportion of Etonians,
Harrovians, and Wykehamists have opened a book on Political Economy
before they have left school? Yet ought not every member of the
community who intends to exercise his right of voting at a General
Election to be cognizant of the main arguments, for instance, that may
be adduced on behalf of Free Trade or Protection?
The appended table will help any Public School boy or his parents to
estimate the vast difference between the Japanese and the English
conceptions of a liberal education.
IN JAPAN. IN ENGLAND.
Secondary School (from 12 years Public School (from 12 years and
to 17 years of age). later to 19 years of age).
_Subjects taught_-- _Subjects taught_--
(1) Morals. (1) Religious instruction.
(2) Japanese language. (2) English language.
(3) (_a_) English, French or (3) French, Latin, Greek.
German.
(_b_) Chinese Classics.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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