The textbooks are chosen by the director among the works approved by the Minister of higher grade. Besides they are entitled to get the governor's sanction before he can adopt one. If the director deems it desirable to use a book which has not yet received the approval of the Minister, the governor may, sanction its use pro visionally if the Minister gives the permission.
The pupils, while they are in the school, arc exempted from military service, and when they graduate they may join the army as one-year volunteers. The middle schools not established by either government or local bodies have not these rights, unless they are so approved by the Minister of Education. Graduates from any middle school have the qualifications to be ap pointed underofficials. Graduates of any mid dle school may also apply for admittance to any special school of a higher grade. Besides they are entitled to get a license without exam ination to become elementary school teachers. This middle school or liberal education is re cognized as the indispensable basis for entrance to all higher national institutions of learning.
High Schools for Girls.— The general edu cation of women, as already stated, began with the Restoration. It is true Japan has produced many distinguished women scholars who have left immortal names in the field of literature, as well as in other spheres of life, but as a rule under the old regime among the common classes women's education was looked upon as a matter of no great moment. In the early stages of the new system, girls were compara tively few who followed the prescribed course of education in the elementary schools, in spite of the effort of the department. To encourage women's education the department founded girls' schools in Tokio and also sent girls abroad for study; but in consequence of the conflict between the old and the new ideas the education of girls did not receive such hearty response from the public as in the case of boys. Recently, however, public feeling toward the education of women has radically changed, the people have come to attach almost, if not equal, importance to the education of their daughters to that of their sons. The daily attendance of girls at elementary schools is 97 per cent, while that of boys is 98 per cent of those of school age. The middle classes now consider it indispens able to send their daughters to the high schools.
At first, the provision for girls' schools was included in the Ordinance relating to middle schools, but in 1895, they were made the subject of special regulation, and in 1899 the Ordinance for High Schools for Girls now in operation was issued. The aim of the girls' schools, cor
responding to the middle school for boys, is to give the pupils an advanced grade of general education; the aim in the education of women is primarily to make good wives and wise moth ers. In 1910, an important revision was made in the ordinance and by this revision it is permit ted to provide a course in which the chief sub jects taught are those relating to household management. A school in which only such a course is instituted is called a Domestic High School for Girls.
The course of study, which extends over four years, may be prolonged by one year. In addition to the regular course, however, a sup plementary course not exceeding two years may be provided, so that the girls may study during seven years where the i longest course is open. The course of study in the domestic course ex tends over four years for the graduates from ordinary elementary schools, over three years for those who completed the first-year course of higher elementary schools, over two or three years for those who completed the second year of higher elementary schools. The subjects of study are morals, Japanese history, mathemat ics, science and domestic science, sewing, draw ing, singing, industry and gymnastics. Singing and industry may be omitted, and industry may be made optional. Those who take two years' course of study are taught only morals, Japan ese, mathematics, domestic science, sewing, in dustry and gymnastics. The regular course consists of morals, Japanese language, foreign language, history, geography, mathematics, sci ences, drawing, domestic science, sewing, music and gymnastics. Foreign language, which may be either English or French, may be omitted,.or may be made optional. Musk may also be omitted for those who have no aptitude for it. Drawing may be omitted. The subjects taught in the supplementary course may be chosen from those taught in the regular course. The special course for the graduates extends over two or three years. Graduates may receive cer tain favorable treatment when they apply for the qualification of elementary school teachers. regulations. are similar to those of the middle schools and the provisions in the Regula tions for Carrying Opt the Ordinances for Mid dle Schools are generally adopted for use here also.