Representation of Body in "Shuyo" of Women Teachers :

Shizuka Goto's "Kibo-sha" movement

Abstract

  Shizuka Goto（1884-1969）was one of the most important leaders who worked on "shuyo"（cultivation）of women teachers in the early twentieth century. He had tried to solve their problems by "shuyo" and to transmit his thought to women teachers through the "Kibo-sha"（Association of Hope）movement. He adopted two strategies：delivering lectures through the country and publishing a magazine called "Kibo"（hope）. The way the magazine was sold was characteristic；they were not sold at bookstores but ordered directly from the association by those who were impressed by his thought. This method was very successful, bringing the magazine eighty thousand subscribers.

  His view of "shuyo" was formed by both Japanese traditional "shuyo" taught by his grandmother and the "Shuyo-Dan"（Cultivation Society）movement. After the "Teikoku Kyoikukai"（Imperial Association of Teachers）published its report titled "The Women Teachers' Problems", Goto began to express his views on it. The report raised the question of the proportion of women teachers, because they were increasing at a faster rate than male teachers. Goto, by contrast, focused more on overcoming their faults, proposing "shuyo" and building up their health. His "shuyo" had two main aspects："Katei Taiso"（home excercise）centered on the method of breathing；and keeping a diary named "Ichinichi Ichizen Nisshi"（diary of the good deed for the day）. However, this masculinized women bodies, depriving them of femininity and casting them in a maternal role. As a result, the image of their bodies inculcated in women teachers was related with nationalism. This situation was produced by three background factors: World War I；the health care method boom；and fitness boom.