The Concept and Development of the Farm Village Public Hall during the Pre-war Period

Abstract

  This paper examines the concept and development of the farm village public hall during the pre-war period by focusing primarily on the policies of social education and social work as well as the courses of action for building institutions within farm villages.

  After the Russo-Japanese War, the idea of the farm village public hall was conceived in order to prevent post-war class struggle. This institution provided social and civic education to farmers in the village and functioned as public facilities for the rural community.

  During the 1930s, the concept of the farm village public hall was re-organized on a national scale and The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry established the Noumin-Dojo during the village economic revival movement (Nousangyoson-Keizai-Kousei-Undou). Subsequently, government officials from the Ministry of Education and renowned scholars created a way to apply this type of institution for social education. However, this plan by the Ministry of Education did not come to fruition and instead, the Ministry of Health and Welfare created a successful development policy that helped establish such institutions in farm villages throughout the country.