Page:Japan by the Japanese (1904).djvu/295

to normal schools) were: Boys, 705,238; girls, 230,955; total, 936,193.

Those belonging to private schools were: Boys, 4,268; girls, 3,437; total, 7,705. Thus, the total number of pupils in the higher course were: Boys, 709,506; girls, 234,392; total, 943,898.

The percentage of boys receiving instruction for 1901–02 was 93.78 of the whole eligible school population. The percentage of girls was 81.80.

I may here also mention that in populous towns there are many kindergartens established, and their benefit is so universally admitted that there is a great tendency to increase in their number. In these, children, both boys and girls, aged from three years up to the age of admission to ordinary elementary schools are taken. The subjects of training are games, singing, conversation, and handicrafts.

There were in the year under our consideration 182 public and 72 private kindergartens—a total of 254; and the number of infants attending those public kindergartens was: Boys, 10,327; girls, 8,972; total, 19,299. That of the private ones was: Boys, 2,235; girls, 2,137; total, 4,372. Aggregate total, 23,671.

After the elementary schools the education of the boys and girls take separate courses. There are higher schools for girls, and there are also higher normal schools for girls. There are many private schools for their higher education.

The relative percentage of the girls attending these schools is much less when compared with that of the boys, partly from the very nature of women’s position, and partly on account of insufficient provision for admission of applicants. The courses and methods of their study also are not uniform. It would be tedious to enter upon a minute description of each. But I will try to give the general outline of them.

‘The course of study in the higher schools for women,’ to quote part of the annual report of the Minister of Education, ‘extends over four years, but may be extended or curtailed by one year, according to local circumstances. In addition to general courses, supplementary courses not exceeding two years may be provided for the benefit of those desiring to study such arts as are necessary for women; special art courses, extending over not less than two and not more than four years, may be established, in addition to general courses. Special courses of two or three years may also be so instituted, for the benefit of those graduates who are desirous to pursue some special branches of study.’

The qualifications of applicants for admission are: age, twelve years and upwards; possession of attainments at least equivalent to those who have completed the second year’s