The local educational administration in Japan, which, if any, functioned democratically under the “Board of Education Law” of 1948, was greatly influenced by the reconstruction of the law in 1956. How the practice of the local educational administration has been changed by the new system originated by the new law of 1956 (i.e. the “Local Educational Administration Law”, in abbreviation) is a very interesting theme to make research. We members of the Academy decided to make field survey in Awaji Island of Hyogo Prefecture in 1957, one year after the enforcement of the new law. Awaji Island includes 1 city, 8 towns and 1 village, and makes one round community unit. We made survey about organization, operation and function of the local boards of education, and the influence of the new law upon school education and social education and so on.
As the result of that survey, we could not find, to speak generally, remarkable change after the enforcement of the new law. The constitution of the boards of education showed no noticeable difference between the effects of the old election system and of the new appointment system. As to the operation of the boards of education we could realize considerable change in the character of a superintendent. As to the function of the boards of education, procedure of appointment of teaching personnel has changed, and evaluation system of teachers' service merit was almost near its time of enforcement. Supervision has been depending upon that of prefectural level. School finance has not yet changed remarkably. As to the influence of the new law upon school education, school management regulations were being established, and curriculum was about to be controlled by the upper authorities. As to social education, some town headmen there have become earnest about its promotion.
As to why local administration has not yet changed so remarkably, it is partly because it has passed not long after the enforcement of the new law, we think. But it is mainly because the inhabitants of this island are very conservative and do not like any change. Administration is generally brought in execution by person rather than by law even nowadays. Local community is each in a small scale, and as the men are under human relations of face to face, they are inclined to dislike wrangling. As the community is feudalistic and closed, it is difficult readily to be democratized. To be conservative in this district, where democracy is not being fully understood and realized, means to cling to the condition of pre-democracy. We can see that under the democratic system of educational administration, democratic ideal was not fully realized in this district. The supreme power from the upper institution can easily catch that blind side. This clearly causes in the enforcement of the policy of evaluation system of teachers and so on in 1958, and the role of boards of education was to make remarkable change after that year.
We made field survey again in 1958 on prefectural and other local administrative level in the Kinki province. So you will be able to grasp any interesting actual condition of change, if you compare the results of the survey of 1957 with that of 1958, which is to be published before long.
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