In the modern political sysem of Japan, increasing in educational people and rising the level of education were very important policies. By the late Meiji era, the percentage of elementary school attendance had grew, but its regional differentials had exsisted. In order to develop the educational institutes in a local society, inhabitants and leaders of local soceity had to support it econamically and ideologically. To make clear the process of modernization in local society, the author has to study the process of the foudation of elementary schools.
This paper examines the process of sprending elementary schools in Nishinasuno-machi, where is located in the alluvial fan of Nasunogahara, Tochigi Prefecuture. The central portion of this alluvial fan, where was scare of water supply and low productivity owing to the asid soil, had been common lands of the surround villages untill the beginning of the Meiji era. Due to the government policy of the disposal of the common land, thirty reclaimed farms have been established scince 1880. The most farm managers started to introduce western agricultural system, including western farming implements and stock farming. A few farms started the tenancy of paddy feilds or foresty from the beginning. Not only the environmental restricts but also the will of farming managers have influed the agricultural system, and resulted in the introduction of innovation. The managemental planing included a land use plan and the establishment of infrastructure, and public offices, such as schools, temples, shrines, hospitals, police offices.
Nishinasuno-machi consisted of two distinctive villages; One was Nishinasuno village created by Nasukaikonsha united with Kajiyakaikon; the other one was Karino village created by Mishima-farm united with ten old villages in 1898. Initially, the Tsukinukisawa elementary school was founded in the old village. By the end of the Meiji era, three schools in Nishinasuno village, two schools in Karino village were founded.
In Nishinasuno village, Nasukaikonsha was organaized by some local leaders and it was supported economically by Takeshi Yaita, managed to stabilaize the immigrannts' life. As a result, social combination was consolidated. Especially Takeshi Yaita who was the second president of Nasukaikonsha supported the establishment of elementary schools economically and ideologically. After Nasukaikonsha was disolved in 1893, the elementary schools were managed by the village administrative organization.
The rate of educational cost in the local finance increased, and it occupied thirty or forty percents in the local adminisitrative finance scince the middle of Meiji era. The finance of the schools was separated from a specific person, Yaita, and the capital of Nasukaikonsha, and the village administration and local soceity had gradually a stronger voice.
The other hand, in Karino village, there were two societies which bad a different character: Mishima-farm and the old villages. Mishima-farm was sited the center of this settlement, and building public offices were located there and forming a local center. But the old villages still had the substantially political power. In Karino village, the foundation of elementary schools, though a branch-elementary school may have founded about 1887 in Mishima-farm, has not been emerged until 1902.
The percentage of elementary schools attendance was higher in the reclaimed districts than in the old villages in the 1890's. This was due to the remission of school fee in the reclaimed districts, and probably by the inhabitants in the reclaimed districts higher concerns with education. Recently the activity of social education in Nishinasuno-machi is more active than the other regions, and it reflects the regional character as a pioneer spirit made up in the reclaimed villages.

抄録全体を表示