（3）The Concept of Education in the Education System Order

The basic concept of the Education System Order was made public in the preamble to the Education System Order popularly known as the Oseidasaresho.

The preamble clearly indicated that the new educational system would be fundamentally different from the traditional Confucian system. Among the novel Western ideas featured in the preamble were the stress on individualism and on the practical value of education and research.

The preamble stressed the necessity for individual self-improvement and the fruits that could be expected from regular school attendance. It was pointed out that a lack of school education was often the reason for personal failure. In the past, only the well-to-do had been educated and in general the necessity for learning had simply not been recognized. The notion of what education was for and why it should be aspired to had been only vaguely understood. It was to correct this situation that the government established the Education System Order and revised its approach with respect to education. Through establishing more schools and increasing educational opportunity, all the people might have a chance to climb up the social ladder. From the Department of Education on down all concerned were expected to cooperate in assuring the success of education. Parents were held responsible for their children's attendance at school and were urged to make every effort to promote the education of their children.

The mode of thought inherent in this preamble to the Education System Order is quite clear. The function of schools was to impart practical knowledge and develop talent. In turn the recipients of this training were expected to be diligent. Education was a resource for success in life, and everyone was expected to take advantage of it. The philosophy was a major departure from the old pattern of thinking about education. Another important point of this document was its recommendation for the establishment of public schooling.

To assure popular acceptance of the reforms the various prefectures were expected to explain the new concept of education as well as the role of parents to send their children to schools. Explanatory literature was distributed by some prefectural governments to their people in an enthusiastic effort to promote the Order's educational aims. In many prefectures official notices of school attendance requirements were published at the time of the implementation of the Education System Order and information on the concept of modern schools was made available.

Along with the rapid establishment of schools throughout the country, the spirit of modernity also spread and in time old ways of thinking about education began to change. Schools came to be structured in new ways, and in many instances communities became intimately involved in their operations. The new views of education and instruction came to exert considerable influence upon the thinking of the younger people. These changes assured the Education System Order an important place in the history of Japanese education.