Philanthropy in the World's Traditions by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Philanthropy & Charity
ISBN: 9780253112927
Google: svPQhT1tGYsC
Publisher: Indiana University Press
Published: 1998-09-22T05:27:13+00:00

SUMMARY OF THE SHIZUTANI GAKKO’S CONTRIBUTIONS

The Shizutani gakko is clearly an important example of the first public school for commoners established in Japan. Recognizing the need for educated commoners to carry on local affairs, Mitsumasa launched one of the most ambitious public school efforts in Japanese history by setting up over one hundred local schools. While this was short-lived due to financial difficulties in maintaining the schools, it became a model for other provinces in setting up regional public schools.

From this large plan of Mitsumasa the Shizutani gakko was born. Enduring from the seventeenth down to the twentieth century, it provided a Confucian-based education for those who were not traditionally destined to be educated, as samurai children were. Various classes, including commoners, thus benefited in terms of receiving basic literary, moral teachings, and practical learning which would allow them to participate in the growing cultural and intellectual life of Tokugawa Japan. In terms of both its longevity and the population it served, the Shizutani gakko achieved a place of distinction in Japanese educational history. More research needs to be done on this and other local schools in Tokugawa Japan as we recognize increasingly the importance of education as a basis for creating civil societies. The Shizutani gakko is an example of Confucian public philanthropy bringing together the initiative of a local governor, the commitment of Confucian teachers, and the financial support of farmers and government. It is a useful indication of some of the limits and possibilities of philanthropic efforts in a Confucian-based society as complex and intricately linked as Japan. We will highlight some of these limits and possibilities in the final section, which will provide a brief overview of the principle currents of philanthropy in Japan both historically and at present.

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