a. Outline of the School District System

The first nineteen chapters of the Education System Order dealt with establishing school districts under the direction of the Department of Education. Eight university districts were established in each of which there were to be 32 middle school districts. In each middle school district there were to be 210 elementary school districts. This accounted for an anticipated nationwide total of eight university districts, 256 middle school districts and 53,760 elementary school districts. Ideally this provided for one elementary school for each segment of about 600 persons of the national population and one middle school for about 130,000 persons.

Each school district, along with being the basic area for the establishment of schools, was also expected to become the standard unit of educational administration. Administrative centers called Inspectors Offices were to be set up in university districts with the respective Inspectors appointed by the Secretary of Education. From ten to thirteen officials were to be appointed to administrative posts of school district supervisors (gakku torishimari) at each middle school district, with each taking charge of twenty to thirty elementary schools. Within his area of jurisdiction a school district supervisor was expected to promote school attendance and the construction of school buildings, see to their protection, take the responsibility for expenditures, etc. In other words he assumed the entire range of duties relating to school administration. Appointments of school district supervisors were to be made by prefectural governors from among persons of good reputation in the locality. As rational as the plan seemed to be on paper, it encountered numerous difficulties when implementation was attempted.