The Role of KIDO Mantaro in Formative Process of Learning Through Working on the Seicho Special School for Mentally Handicapped Children : From the Perspective of Study on Practical History of Technology Education

Abstract

At the special school for mentally handicapped chileren, particularly in lower and upper secondary department, learning through working have been playing an important part in curriculum for the postwar period. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the role of KIDO Mantaro in formative process of learning through working on the Seicho special school for mentally handicapped children by compare with MIKI Yasumasa, KOSUGI Chouhei, and SUGITA Yutaka in their theory of education. The forerunner of Seicho special school for mentally handicapped children was branch school of Ohsaki lower secondary school which established in 1947 for the experemental school of the Edudationl Training Institute, Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. The branch school was transferred from Shinagawa ward to the metropolis of Tokyo in 1950, and changed to Seicho lower secondary school. In 1957, Seicho lower secondary school changed to Seicho special school for mentally handicapped children. KIDO considered children with mentally handicapped to have capability daily living and working ability in a community. It is not that mentally handicapped children to adapt themselves to society individually, but they cultivate daily living and working ability, and have accomplished self-realization for productive person by receive an education and training with support in life cooperative. On the other hand, MIKI, KOSUGI, and SUGITA considered ability of the mentally handicapped children to a certain negative figure. Although they intended for the mentally handicapped children to become independent in society, it means that the mentally handicapped children adapt themselves to society individually. Therefore, they subordinated productive activity to the mentally handicapped children adapt themselves to society individually. Educational practice was besed on learning about subject from 1947 to 1950 though gradually increasing weight of working activities. On the contrary, ecucational practice was based on learning through working from 1951. MIKI, KOSUGI, and SUGITA had an effect on a ecucational practice from 1951. The main results of this study are as follows: 1) KIDO had an effect on a course of education that directly connected with daily living and production, which indicated guidelines for educational practice in the branch school of Ohsaki lower secondary school. 2) KIDO's theory was different from that of MIKI, KOSUGI, and SUGITA as to basic tone. 3) Educationl practice in Seicho lower secondary school was based on the theory of MIKI, KOSGI, and SUGITA, which unconnected to KIDO's theory.