c. Tanaka Fujimaro and David Murray

The task of enforcing the Education System Order fell upon Tanaka Fujimaro and David Murray both of whom have come to occupy important places in the history of modern Japanese education. It was through their efforts that Japanese education began to move forward.

Tanaka Fujimaro entered the new government after the Meiji Restoration, and in December, 1871, he joined the Iwakura Mission to Europe and the United States as one of the secretaries. Before returning to Japan in March, 1873, he toured a number of countries, and always his chief concern was the investigation of educational conditions. From this experience he compiled a report known as the Riji Kotei, which was a detailed account of the educational systems and practices in Western countries, and presented this to the government. It included factual accounts of school organizations in the United States, England, France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark and Russia. After Oki Takato left the Secretaryship of the Department of Education in April, 1873, to become a Councillor, Tanaka assumed most of the Secretary's functions at the Department.

Prior to his arrival in Japan, David Murray had assisted Japanese students who visited the United States through the arrangement of Guido F. Verbeck (1830-1897). As a result of this experience Murray apparently developed a strong interest in the problems of J apanese education.

Mori Arinori, who at the time was serving as a diplomat in the United States, had solicited the opinions of those American intellectuals interested in Japanese education and included their responses in his work, Education in Japan, published in New York in 1873. Murray's views were also included in the book in which he insisted that the prime duty of the statesman was to promote the education of his people. On the subject of educational reform, he supported a system based upon the traditions and spirit of the people. He further felt that, with the objective of education for the general populace, everyone should have at least an elementary education and that no distinction should be made between schooling for boys as opposed to that provided for girls. It was his deep concern for and his goodwill toward Japan that led to his being called unto the service of Japan.

Following his arrival in Japan in June, 1873, Murray first participated in educational administration as an adviser to the Department of Education and was appointed Superintendent in October of the following year. Murray's widow indicates in her In Memoriam of 1915 that Murray was deeply honored by the trust and the goodwill extended him by the people of Japan, and in order to express his appreciation, he devoted all his efforts to the task assigned him.

In December, 1873, he presented his first Superintendent's Report to the Department in which he outlined his views on the reform of education. In February, 1875, he presented his second Report on his tour of inspection of the educational facilities in outlying areas. It is from these documents that we can come to know his views. For the sake of the country he argued against the tendency of certain politicians to push through radical reforms and rather advised a gradual process of change based on the actual conditions in Japan while giving due recognition to the merits and the heritage of the nation.

As 1876 corresponded to the one hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States, a centennial exposition was opened at Philadelphia to commemorate the occasion. Japan was invited to provide an exhibit, and among the various items Deputy Secretary of Education Tanaka Fujimaro decided to include in the material relating to Japanese education was An Outline History of Japanese Education (Nihon Kyoikushi Ryaku). This history was intended to introduce Japanese achievements in that field to the world at large and it was completed under the guidance of David Murray. In connection with this exhibition Tanaka and four other officials left for a tour of inspection of the United States; Murray accompanied the group to the exposition and later presented a report on his observations of the educational display to the authorities back in Japan.

Tanaka Fujimaro made use of this opportunity to investigate the various types of educational administration in different states of the Union and upon his return to Japan, he translated certain educational regulations of several states and had them published by the Department of Education. He believed the American system of educational administration to be well suited to the needs of Japan.

Tanaka's experience in America helped him to detect shortcomings in the Education System Order and he made special reference to the system practiced in the United States when drafting a new educational order and proposing changes in the Japanese system. In 1877 Murray drafted a proposal for a new educational system known as A Superintendent's Draft Revision of the Japanese Code of Education (Gakkan Koan Nihon Kyoikuho), which he presented to Tanaka in June for use as reference. An explanatory note was attached to the document, which clarified the aims of the reform and other important points. In December, 1878, Murray's tenure came to an end and he left Japan in January of the following year for home.