2008 Volume 17 Pages 83-93
The aim of this paper is to describe the measures taken for the purpose of giving special training to secondary school teachers of domestic science during and before World War Ⅱ. There were several schools that served this purpose, particularly the 6th Special Institute for the Training of Teachers（SITT）attached to the Higher Normal School for Women of Tokyo（HNSWT）and the Entrusted Schools（ET）, to which students were entrusted under the “system of entrusting students to designated schools”（Entrusting System）.
The SITT system existed from 1902 to 1949 and each school opened or closed its SITT according to the supply and demand balance of teachers. SITTs for teachers of domestic science existed throughout this period except 1939-40. In addition, due to the shortage of schools for domestic science throughout the period, students wishing to teach domestic science were entrusted to public and private schools under the Entrusting System, while SITTs at that time were only permitted to be opened at government schools that were directly under the control of the Ministry of Education.
The 6th SITT and its mother body, the HNSWT, were very much involved in the governmental policy relating to special training of secondary school teachers of domestic science. They proposed the introduction of the Entrusting System to the government, and were involved in its actual practice and operation too.
This paper illustrates the character of the governmental policy and institutions for training secondary school teachers and higher normal education for women in Japan during and before World War Ⅱ.
