PAM: 
 
 JAPAN 
 
 
 “lUnjo Jo #afefeo” 
 #oltien Castle #trls’ ikljool 
 
 Jtagopa, Sapatt 
 
 =§!§? 
 
 Miss Charlotte Thompson, principal 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES 
 
 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN MISSIONS 
 NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 
 
 Educational Department 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2017 with funding from 
 Columbia University Libraries 
 
 https://archive.org/details/kinjojogakkogoldOOthom 
 
“Kinjo Jo Gakko” 
 Golden Castle Girls’ School 
 
 NAGOYA, JAPAN 
 
 BY MISS CHARLOTTE THOMPSON, PRINCIPAL 
 
 Historical Record 
 
 The school was established in September, 1888, and govern- 
 ment license received September, 1889. Mrs. Randolph, 
 the first principal, began the school with three girls, in a house 
 having two small rooms, with one window in each room. There 
 were two departments in the school, a preparatory course of 
 three years and a high school course of four years. Any graduate 
 from the government primary school was eligible to enter the 
 first class of the high school course. In addition to the regular 
 school work, any pupil who desired could be taught music. 
 
 At this time girls’ education in Japan was on a very low plane, 
 much lower than for boys. In fact, there were no government 
 schools for girls in the Empire. In Nagoya there was only 
 one small mission school which had been started by the Northern 
 Methodist Church. The education of girls in Japan was com- 
 menced by missionaries, and our mission felt strongly the need 
 of a school in connection with their work here in the stronghold 
 of Buddhism. 
 
 Gradually the attendance increased, and in July, 1S91, a 
 new school was built. In November of the following year Mrs. 
 Randolph gave up her work here and returned to America, and 
 Miss Ona Patterson became the principal. In March, 1892, Miss 
 Patterson was married to the Rev. C. K. Cumming, and Miss 
 Ella R. Houston became principal, and for twenty years devoted 
 herself to the best development of the school, instilling into the 
 minds and hearts of these Japanese girls the teachings of Christ, 
 and sending them forth into the world with a desire to perpetuate 
 these high ideals and principles of right living. In May, 1912, 
 Miss Houston became ill and after a short illness, died in the 
 hospital here. According to her wishes her body was laid to 
 rest in the little Christian cemetery here, overlooking the city. 
 Her death, and burial in Japan, have made a great impression on 
 her Japanese friends, even on those who are not yet Christians. 
 
 Miss Charlotte Thompson, who had been assisting Miss 
 Houston in the school work for three years, was then installed 
 as principal, and is still in charge of the school. 
 
 In 1894 the first pupil was graduated from the school. 
 
 3 
 
As Christianity and Christian education began gradually 
 to spread in Nagoya, our school was found to be too small for 
 its students, so in 1901 , we moved to our present site, and rebuilt. 
 In March, 1904, a new two-story building w r as erected, the lower 
 floor being divided into three parts and used as a chapel, study- 
 hall and class-rooms, the upstairs being used as a dormitory. 
 
 At this time eighteen girls, two teachers and a matron 
 could be comfortably accommodated. Later the number of pu- 
 pils increased, so that in October, 1908, our present chapel, -with 
 three class-rooms above, was built, the former chapel being made 
 into class-rooms. 
 
 Until within the last ten years no public schools for girls were 
 established in Japan, so that mission schools were founded and 
 run on strictly individual lines. Since the establishment of 
 government schools many laws regulating them have been 
 made, and private schools have been more or less obliged to 
 conform to these rules, in order to obtain government recogni- 
 tion. 
 
 As the education of Japanese girls had advanced very greatly, 
 and as in the City of Nagoya alone there were four high schools 
 for girls and many sewing schools, we felt that the curriculum 
 and equipment of this school was deficient and should be brought 
 up to the standard demanded in the regular high schools, and we 
 therefore changed the catalogue and classified the school anew. 
 The curriculum, the buildings and outside surroundings are all 
 prescribed by the government. 
 
 This new school of ours was built in accordance with these 
 rules, and in January, 1914, we made application to the Minister 
 of Education that our school be recognized as complying with all 
 the rules laid down in the educational law, and that our pupils be 
 admitted to higher government schools without examination. 
 This is in connection with the regular high school course. In 
 due course the application was granted and the school received 
 full Government recognition. 
 
 We also asked permission to give with the regular course a 
 three-year course in sewing. This was granted and has been 
 in effect since April, 1914. 
 
 Students of these two courses are allowed to study instru- 
 mental music if they wish. Instruction is also given in instru- 
 mental music to outside pupils when desired, and this is entirely 
 separate from any other course. 
 
 In March, 1913, the old buildings, with the exception of the 
 chapel, were torn down, and neat, substantial and attractive 
 buildings erected. 
 
 The right to operate a street car line on the street to the north 
 of the school was granted a company, and in order to make the 
 street wdde enough for this purpose, a strip of land was condemn- 
 ed, which cut off from our property twenty-eight hundred and 
 eighty square feet, on which was a beautiful old pine tree three 
 
 4 
 
hundred years old. There were seven of these old trees in the 
 city, which were planted in the sixteenth century by Hideyoshi, 
 the great warrior, and it was with great regret that we consented 
 to part with a tree so much prized for its beauty as well as his- 
 torical association. Although this tree was over three hundred 
 years old, it was found to be in perfect condition. Two sections 
 of the trunk were cut into planks of five inches each, and these 
 alone brought over three hundred dollars to the purchaser of 
 the tree. 
 
 We tried to buy a strip of land to the east of our property 
 on which to erect a gymnasium, but the owners of the electric 
 street railway company refused to part with this, as they felt 
 it was necessary to have this for their own buildings. It is 
 a custom in this school to assign to each class a plot of ground for 
 a small garden, and entire freedom is given the pupils regarding 
 its cultivation. This work is used in connection with their study 
 of botany and for experimental purposes. We will be obliged now 
 to use the land formerly used for the school flower beds on which 
 to erect our gymnasium. 
 
 The motto for this year was selected by the girls. Each 
 girl and teacher was asked to select one or two verses of scripture 
 that would be desirable for the school motto for the coming year. 
 From the verses submitted, we selected the ten most appropriate 
 and had the girls vote on them. The one which was selected is 
 “In everything give thanks.” This has been written, framed 
 and hung over the rostrum in the chapel. We are all trying 
 to practice this every minute of the day. 
 
 During the twenty-seven years of this school’s existence, 
 we have had trials, persecutions and misunderstandings, but with 
 patience and perseverance we believe we have succeeded in 
 placing our school on a solid foundation, and that it will live for 
 many years to come and do a great work. 
 
 Buildings 
 
 Our school is divided into three parts: The main school 
 building with a small house adjoining for domestic science 
 training, the dormitory, and the foreign teachers’ home. All 
 these buildings are in foreign style, and are painted buff with 
 golden brown trimmings. 
 
 Main Building 
 
 The school building comprises one large assembly hall, four 
 ordinary class rooms, one science room, one especially equipped 
 room for history, geography, drawing and Japanese writing, one 
 music room, one large Japanese room for sewing, two rooms for 
 Japanese etiquette, two rooms for domestic science, seven small 
 individual organ practice rooms, a library, the principal’s office, 
 a small business office, a teacher’s room, a reception room, a 
 rest room for girls, and a luncheon room for the day pupils. 
 
Particular attention has been given the matter of acoustics 
 in the assembly hall and class-rooms, and every precaution taken 
 to insure perfect ventilation, and an abundance of light and 
 sunshine in all rooms. In fact, one of the government regula- 
 tions in Japan is that class rooms shall have a southern exposure, 
 and we have complied fully with this requirement. 
 
 Dormitory 
 
 The dormitory comprises the matron’s room, three rooms 
 for teachers, twelve rooms for pupils (each room can accommo- 
 date three to five girls), two reception rooms, an assembly hall 
 (which if necessary can be converted into two sleeping rooms), 
 toilets, bath, laundry, hospital room, dispensary, a large dining 
 room and kitchen, with two servants’ rooms adjoining. 
 
 The teachers’ rooms are the same as those of the girls, except- 
 ing that the matting is of an especially good quality and that 
 each room has a large “tokonoma.” A “tokonoma” is a sort 
 of little alcove, raised above the floor about one foot. A flower 
 vase on a small stand is usually placed here, and a long panel 
 picture (which is changed with each season of the year) is hung 
 on the wall. A “tokonoma” is considered a very important 
 part of a Japanese room and the guest of honor is always asked 
 to sit in front of it or near it. This honor is always declined at 
 first, but after much pressing the guest accepts with seeming 
 reluctance. 
 
 There is no furniture used in these rooms. The “futon” 
 (much the same as our comforters) which are used for the beds, 
 are taken out of a cupboard every night and placed on the matted 
 floor, and “zabuton” (cushions) placed on the floor are used for 
 seats. Nothing further is considered necessary in the way of 
 furnishings. The dormitory is lighted with electricity — the 
 lights in the girls' rooms being turned off at 9:30, and the teach- 
 ers use their own discretion in the matter. 
 
 The greatest care has been taken to insure proper ventilation 
 and the best hygienic conditions, and it is gratifying to report 
 that in every respect the dormitory passes the most rigid inspec- 
 tion. 
 
 There is a large platform built on top of the servants’ quar- 
 ters where clothing may be hung to dry, bedding, etc., aired. 
 Practically all the cleaning in the dormitory is done by the pu- 
 pils. The floors are rubbed up every morning and now they 
 shine so that you can almost see your face in them. No shoes 
 are ever worn in the house by Japanese, so the floors and matting 
 are not marked or scratched as would otherwise be the case. 
 
 Two servants are employed, one as cook and the other acts 
 as “errand boy,” and together they receive five dollars a month 
 and their food. 
 
 6 
 
There are domiciled in the dormitory at present twenty-three 
 pupils, one matron and one assistant matron. In summer they 
 rise at 5:30, exercise 6:30 to 7:00, breakfast at 7:00, and from 
 7:30 to 7:45 is spent in Bible reading and silent prayer. School 
 work commences with prayer at eight. In the winter months 
 the program is changed slightly, as we then rise at six and exer- 
 cise later in the day. 
 
 Between four and five o’clock every afternoon the dormitory 
 girls exercise on the playground. Between the administration 
 building and the dormitory there is a space of about a quarter 
 of an acre which we use as a playground. In this we have a 
 tennis court, tether ball poles, ping pong tables and many other 
 things to induce the girls to exercise regularly. They are fond 
 of basket, captain, and volley ball, and in fact all the games 
 that American girls like. Around the buildings and along the 
 fences we have flower beds which are in care of the girls. In 
 these we are planning to have plants that bloom in the different 
 seasons, and hope to have flowers every month in the year. 
 
 Foreign Teachers’ House 
 
 This is a frame house, the same as the other buildings, and 
 painted the same colors, with a veranda about four feet wide 
 on the south side. This is enclosed with glass and in winter we 
 keep our plants here. On the first floor there is a sitting room, 
 dining room and kitchen, hall and a small study opening off of it. 
 Upstairs there are four bedrooms (including the servants’ room) 
 and a small bath room. The sun pours into all the rooms, and 
 it is a bright, comfortable and pretty place The garden is not 
 very large — about the size of a small pocket handkerchief, but 
 we are trying to have every kind of flower in it and get as many 
 of the home flowers to grow as we can. 
 
 Curriculum 
 
 At present we have the following departments: A girls’ high 
 school course, a one year’s post-graduate course, a course in 
 sewing and a course in vocal and instrumental music. 
 
 The high school course is the same as the government high 
 school for girls, with the exception of two hours a week for 
 Bible study. 
 
 The post-graduates take those studies which will better 
 prepare them for the work of higher institutions and the home 
 life. In this class we give much time to music, English, sewing 
 and cooking. 
 
 The sewing course requires three years and includes all 
 branches of the regular high school course, except English. 
 The extra hours are spent on sewing, which is one of the most 
 important of all studies for girls. 
 
 7 
 
Student Body 
 
10 
 
The music course has in view the training of girls for organ 
 playing in schools and churches, and the teaching of sight- 
 singing in the primary schools. 
 
 This school makes a specialty of music and has some excellent 
 results to show from the work. We have several small individual 
 organ practice rooms, each room about four by six feet. The 
 pupils are each given instruction of twenty-five minutes twice 
 every week. 
 
 The rules governing etiquette are very strict in Japan, and 
 every girl (even though not of a high social position) is expected 
 to be familiar with them. The exact way in which a lady should 
 enter and leave a room, how to sit on cushion on floor, how to rise, 
 how to serve tea and cake, the art of bowing — all are matters of 
 definite and distinct rules, and each girl must master the art or 
 be considered very rude and ill-bred. Even the matter of how 
 the hands should be folded in the lap (the left hand over the 
 right) is one which requires special and careful training, and it 
 is a very necessary part of a Japanese girl’s education to know 
 how to comport herself properly on every social occasion. 
 
 The arrangement of flowers and the ceremonial tea service 
 are taught, and they require a life time to master thoroughly. 
 This course was commenced in September, 1914, and it is optional 
 with the pupils whether they take it or not. 
 
 Foreign etiquette is also taught, as it is desirable that pupils 
 should know how to act in a foreign home. They must be 
 taught how to handle their knives and forks, how to eat fruit, 
 and the various other foods and dishes used by foreigners. They 
 have usually not the slightest idea of how to act at a foreign 
 table, or what to do with the things placed before them. It is 
 now customary for wealthy Japanese to have foreign rooms in 
 their homes, and it is necessary for girls to know how to act when 
 invited to such places. 
 
 The girls receive instruction in both foreign and Japanese 
 cooking, the same utensils, dishes, stoves, etc., being used in 
 both branches. There is a “shichi rin” (a clay box with char- 
 qoal on a grate) on top of which a tin oven is used when we desire 
 to bake anything. 
 
 In the domestic science building the girls are also taught 
 washing, dyeing, pasting, etc. All such things are absolutely 
 necessary in a Japanese home and it is our aim to prepare the 
 girls for homes, schools, or any other station they are called 
 upon to fill. 
 
 Doubtless you will wonder why it is necessary to receive in- 
 struction in pasting, but this is quite an essential branch of a 
 Japanese girl’s education. The doors and windows in Japanese 
 homes are latticed frame work covered with thin white paper. 
 Several times a year it is necessary to recover entirely these 
 “fusuma” and “shogi,” and at frequent intervals to repair 
 damage, and it must be done with care and skill. 
 
Ethics and the Bible are taught in all classes three times a 
 week and every morning we have twenty minutes for prayers, 
 which are led by the Christian teachers in turn. On Monday of 
 each week the prayer service is in English. 
 
 Every Wednesday afternoon each class holds a prayer meet- 
 ing separately, at which the teachers are present. The pupils 
 lead these meetings and take all responsibility. Frequently 
 we have special speakers for these Wednesday afternoons and 
 every year we have special evangelistic meetings from which 
 much benefit is received. The ministers come often to lecture 
 to the teachers and pupils. 
 
 On Sunday morning all teachers and girls attend Sunday- 
 school and church. The teachers and fourth year pupils have 
 regular Sunday-school classes, and the other girls attend Bible 
 class or the highest class in the Sunday-school. We have a 
 normal Sunday-school class held once a week to prepare girls to 
 take these classes on Sunday. On Sunday afternoons we have 
 a song service for an hour and a dormitory prayer meeting in 
 the evening. The teachers lead these meetings and the girls 
 sometimes take part. 
 
 As we have school on Saturday as well as every other day in 
 the week but Sunday, we find our time is well occupied. 
 
 Apparatus 
 
 In the science room we have over One Thousand Yen’s worth 
 of apparatus. In Japan the government requires a certain amount 
 of apparatus before a school will be recognized as doing high 
 school work. The apparatus required by our schools in America 
 can not compare with the amount deemed necessary in this coun- 
 try. We have specimens of all kinds of flowers and fruit which 
 cost about five dollars. Many paper charts are necessary. 
 For instance, we have a chart of a chicken and by lifting a bunch 
 of his breast feathers the workings of his craw can be distinctly 
 seen. Everything must be seen to be understood. 
 
 In the history and geography room we have relief maps, globes 
 and many charts, also many maps drawn by our pupils, which 
 are really excellent, for Japanese are quite efficient in map 
 drawing. We have charts depicting every age of Japanese 
 customs and dress, also showing the plan of the ancient battles 
 of Japan; the growth of cereals and the process through which 
 they are put to prepare them for food. 
 
 We have also a small post card cabinet which contains over 
 a hundred yen’s worth of post cards; most of these were given 
 us by a friend of our head teacher’s. This young man had been 
 ill with tuberculosis in a hospital here, and our head teacher 
 visited him frequently and our Japanese music teacher went 
 every Sunday afternoon to sing gospel hymns to him. He be- 
 
 12 
 
came an earnest Christian before he died, and asked that his 
 col'ection of post cards should be given to our school. This 
 collection contains pictures of almost every noted place in Japan 
 and many other towns and villages, as well as depicting almost 
 every phase of life, work and product in the country. We also 
 have cards from many other countries. 
 
 The alumnae have started a museum to which the girls 
 contribute samples of the product of their villages, pictures, etc. 
 We have exhibits not only from Japan but also from China, 
 Korea, Formosa, Hawaii, and America. 
 
 We have at present seven small organs and the alumnae 
 are planning to give us a one hundred and fifty dollar organ 
 in memory of Miss Houston. We still need three or four more 
 organs. We also have one splendid piano, which we bought 
 in Germany seven years ago, for two hundred and fifty dollars. 
 
 Society 
 
 The school society is composed of teachers and pupils. 
 The meetings are held on the last Thursday of each month, 
 and punctuality, system and order is insisted upon. Each 
 person is obliged to contribute her share to the entertainment — 
 either music, recitation, original composition or reading — at 
 some of the meetings, and the work of the pupils is criticized 
 by the teachers. The object of the society is to give the girls 
 confidence in themselves and to influence towards wisdom, 
 purity, kindliness, and general development, religious and social. 
 
 Y. W. C. A. 
 
 Two years ago we organized a Y. W. C. A. The membership 
 includes practically all the teachers and girls. Every Thursday 
 afternoon we have a sewing meeting for about an hour, the 
 product of our work being sold and the money given to various 
 causes. Last year we sent old clothing and over five dollars 
 worth of new things to the famine district, and last autumn 
 we sent comfort bags to the Japanese soldiers. We have had 
 four or five letters from the soldiers who received these bags 
 and Bibles, and they were very appreciative of what we had done 
 for them. Before Thanksgiving Day the girls in the dormitory 
 denied themselves dessert for two Sundays, the outside pupils 
 also contributed, and the money was used to buy potatoes for 
 the poor of the Salvation Army. We sent them about enough 
 to fill a one-horse wagon, and afterwards we heard how the things 
 were distributed and appreciated. We sell our waste paper, etc., 
 and give the money to the poor. 
 
 Personnel 
 
 There are 13 teachers (11 Japanese and Miss Thompson and 
 Miss Kirtland), one matron, one secretary, one doctor for con- 
 
 13 
 
sultation when required, 53 pupils (of which 18 take organ and 
 piano), and 136 alumnae. Of the alumnae 41 have married 
 Christians, and have now splendid Christian homes; 23 have 
 entered higher institutions; 33 are still in their homes; 7 have 
 died; and 32 are teachers in primary schools, kindergartens, 
 girls’ high schools, and evangelistic work. The occupations 
 are different but they are all witnessing for Jesus, and are endeav- 
 oring to elevate the standard of women in Japan. The 11 Japa- 
 nese teachers are as follows: one for geography and history, 
 one for science find mathematics, two for the Japanese language, 
 one for English translation, one for music, two for sewing, one 
 for gymnasium and physical culture, one for drawing, one for 
 flower arrangement and Japanese etiquette. The last three 
 come in only once each week to give special instruction. 
 
 In addition to her duties as principal, Miss Thompson has 
 to look after the health and proper running of the dormitory 
 and school, takes charge of the school bookkeeping, correspon- 
 dence, etc., and teaches Bible, English, and cooking. 
 
 Miss Kirtland has charge of the music department, also 
 teaches Bible and English and directs the “Myojo Yochien” 
 (Morning Star Kindergarten). 
 
 Financial 
 
 A day pupil requires an average of one dollar a month to 
 meet all school expenses, and a boarder requires less than four 
 dollars. Evangelist’s daughters receive free tuition. The mis- 
 sion appropriates each year the sum of three hundred dollars 
 in gold to be used as scholarships for deserving girls. 
 
 Our school plant is worth at present $42,748.00; the value of 
 the land is $20,047, the value of the buildings $20,000, furniture 
 $2,701.00. 
 
 The tuition and music fees amount to approximately $300.00 
 a year, and the mission appropriates for the running expenses 
 three thousand dollars. 
 
 The question may arise as to whether the cost entailed jus- 
 tifies the continuation of these mission schools. A close study of 
 the matter, however, shows that the results more than compen- 
 sate for the time and money expended. Very frequently the 
 graduates from our schools are the only Christians in towns 
 and villages far removed from the cities and towns where Chris- 
 tianity is taught, and these girls gather the little ones about 
 them and tell them of the Master’s love, and very frequently 
 reach the older ones through the children. These girls have an 
 exceptional opportunity for disseminating the Gospel and 
 usually with less opposition than a foreigner. And while it is 
 hard to trace actual results, it is in reality paving the way for 
 more definite work later on. 
 
 14 
 
We have been requested again and again by a neighboring 
 village to send one of our graduates there to teach in a primary 
 school. One of our girls taught there some years ago and her 
 work was so effective that they desire others from our school 
 to help them. In mission schools about ninety per cent of the 
 girls become Christians and it is hard to estimate the cumulative 
 results of the work they do after leaving school. Many of our 
 graduates become successful Bible women and kindergartners. 
 
 It is quite impossible to get in touch with the girls in the gov- 
 ernment high schools, for as soon as it becomes known that a girl 
 is attending Christian meetings her “home work” is increased 
 to such an extent that it is impossible for her to give any further 
 time to religious work. We must teach the youth of the land 
 or the result of the work is lessened very greatly. In the writer’s 
 opinion, there is no form of evangelistic work that is more prom- 
 ising or that gives really better returns than that done through 
 the mission schools. 
 
 Nagoya, Japax 
 March 3rd, 1915. 
 
 15 
 
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