A STUDY OF THE DEVELOPING PROCESS OF SOME CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL INSTRUMENTS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND TEACHER TRAINING SCHOOLS IN THE MEIJI ERA

Abstract

Since the "gakusei," which gave the total educational law and regulations as a modern nation, was promulgated in 1872 till the "shougakkorei" (the educational law and regulations for elementary school) was promulgated in 1886, the science education was no better than a reading lesson. But there were some people who argued for their way of the science education and recognized a necessity to introduce some experiments into lessons. The annual report of Hiroshima National Teacher Training School (Hiroshima Shihan Gakko) in 1874 gave an account of the necessity to introduce some experiments into lessons for future teachers. On the other hand, the educational affairs section of Tokyo Prefecture inquired of the Bureau of Educational Management (Tokugakukyoku) in the Ministry of Education about the importation of a set of physical instruments in 1876. Next year, Tokyo Prefecture bought a home-manufactured physical instrument set, but borrowed some physical instruments from Tokyo National Women's Teachers' School (Tokyo Joshi Shihan Gakko). It was suggested to be considered that introducing some experiments into lessons is important and urgent. The Ministry of Education decided to abolish some national teachers' schools for budgetary cutbacks in 1877. At this time, it was planned that some physical and chemical instruments were transplanted from a national school to a prefectural school. Furthermore, due to the increase of the duty of a prefectural school for training teachers the Ministry of Education delivered a set of physical instruments at each prefectural school all over the country as assistance. On the other hand, the Ministry of Education granted a subsidy for teacher training schools. But when educational law and regulation (Kyouiku Rei) was revised totally in 1880, the subsidy was abolished. The Ministry of Education that was apprehensive about the decline of local education established a regulation of the encouragement goods (Gakuji-shoureihin) as assistance of local education in 1882 and granted some chemical and physical instruments as the encouragement goods over a period of two years (1883 and 1884).