（2）The Establishment of the Grand School and the University

The Shoheizaka Gakumonjo established by the Tokugawa Shogunate was restored by the new Meiji government on August 17, 1868, and called the Shohei Gakko. Regulations for admission to the school were issued in February, 1869, authorizing the opening of the school in that same month. On July 23, 1869, the Grand School (Daigakko) was established organizing the Shohei Gakko, the Kaisei Gakko and the Medical School (Igakko) into one institution. Accordingly, the Shohei Gakko was made the Central College of the Grand School (Daigakko Honko), which was to become the nation's highest institution of education and learning. On August 15 of that year to the function of the Central College a new role was added as the central organ for the educational administration.

The Kaiseijo, which had been the principal official institution for Western learning in the Edo period, was restored by the new government in October, 1868, with the new name of the Kaisei Gakko. In the Edo period, the institution's faculty was composed of Japanese teachers with one exception, Koenraad W. Gratama (1831-1888), who was a Dutch teacher. But after the Meiji Restoration, the new government employed several foreign teachers to teach English, French and German languages at the Kaisei Gakko. This institution was made a part of the Grand School. Also in August, 1868, the new government reestablished the Igakujo which had been founded and developed by the Shogunate, and renamed it the Medical School. At about that time, the government transferred the Military Hospital at Yokohama to Tokyo and attached it to the Medical School. This school was then made a branch of the Grand School.

With the opening of the Grand School irreconcilable conflicts arose in the Central College between the advocates of National Learning and those of Chinese studies, which had almost suspended instruction in that College.

On January 18, 1870, the Grand School was renamed the University (Daigaku), while it remained in the official status as the highest educational institution as well as the central organ for the educational administration; the former Central College of the Grand School was made the Central College of the University (Daigaku Honko), and the Kaisei Gakko and the Medical School continued their affiliation under the new name of the Southern College of the University (Daigaku Nanko) and the Eastern College of the University (Daigaku Toko), respectively. The government expelled most of the teachers and students from the Central College, and thus the influence of National and Chinese studies advocates had subsided. On the other hand, Western learning, undisturbed by any conflict, had prospered in the Southern and Eastern Colleges of the University. Under these circumstances, the government began to consider the establishment of an entirely different type of university organized in terms of Western principles; the University Regulations (Daigaku Kisoku) had been drafted by the University and on March 20, 1870, these Regulations were submitted to the Grand Council (Dajokan), the government's then highest organ, for approval. In the existing University, the courses of study were divided into National, Chinese and Western learning, but the new Regulations proposed to replace these with courses in theology and morals, law, science, medicine and literature. The National and Chinese studies scholars of the University were startled by this plan, and joined forces to oppose it. They were successful in this effort, and the government temporarily abandoned its plan to create the new university. However soon thereafter, on August 8, 1870, the government closed the Central College of the University (except its function as the central organ for the educational administration which subsisted) leaving only the Western oriented Southern and Eastern Colleges. The experimentation carried out in Western style instruction and school administration in these two Colleges over the next years formed an invaluable legacy for the day when a more permanent higher educational institution could be established.

At the Southern College of the University, according to Regulations for the Southern College of the University (Daigaku Nanko Kisoku) established in 1870 by that College, the admission age was to be above fifteen years and two courses - a Regular Course and an Irregualr Course - were to be set up. The students of the Regular Course were to be taught by foreign teachers and the students of the Irregular Course by Japanese teachers.

As for the Eastern College of the University, Regulations for the Eastern College of the University established in 1870 by that College also specified a Regular Course and an Irregular Course. The students of the Regular Course were to study in Western languages, while those of the Irregular Course were to study Western textbooks that had been translated into Japanese. The duration of the Regular Course was five years and that of the Irregular Course three; both courses were divided into preparatory and main departments.

During the Edo period, Japanese teachers at the Igakujo had taught in the Dutch language, but immediately after the Meiji Restoration the Medical School adopted English medical learning and invited English teachers. Later, the superiority of German medical science was recognized, and the government endeavored to invite German medical doctors and to send students to Germany.

Concerning the task of training leaders, an important development was the system of "dispatched students from fiefs" (koshinsei). The new government used this system to bring able students selected by fiefs to the Southern College of the University. The students were to be between sixteen and twenty years and their fees were to be paid by their own fiefs. The large fiefs could send three annually, the middle fiefs two, and the small fiefs one. In 1871, 219 students were admitted to undergo English language instruction, 74 students for French and seventeen students for German. Then in November, 1871, as a result of the abolition of the fiefs this system also was abolished. Although the system survived only for a short time, it contributed to the training of many national leaders.