田中義廉編『小学読本』冒頭教材の出典について : 「五人種」の図像とその意味

抄録

The Shougaku Tokuhon (Primary School Reader) edited by Tanaka Yoshikado is considered the first Kokugo (Japanese National Language) textbook in Japan. The book opens with an image of Gojinshu (five races) coupled with text. The source of this teaching material was hitherto unknown. I was the first to identify the first edition of Cornell's Grammar School Geography, an American textbook, as the source of the Shougaku Tokuhon. I also proved that this American textbook was introduced to Japan at the beginning of the Meiji period and that many English scholars used the book to write translated enlightenment books. The reason that the opening portion of Shogaku Tokuhon became so popular was that it was considered to symbolize the Japanese nationalism and internationalism of the time.