b. The Promulgation of the Girls' High School Order

From the end of the nineteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth century, the renovation of various aspects of the school system was carried out. In the case of girls' high schools, this was achieved through the Girls' High School Order promulgated on February 8, 1899, and put in force on April 1 of that year. As the 1899 Middle School Order included no provision for girls' high schools, the Girls' High School Order separately specified girls' middle level education.

In Article 1 of the Girls' High School Order, it was stated that the goal of girls' high schools was to "provide the higher level general education necessary for girls," and in July, 1899, Education Minister Kabayama Sukenori (1837-1922), at a conference of school inspectors, explained the purpose of girls' higher level general education in the following manner. Girls' high schools "exist for the nourishment of good wives and wise mothers. As a consequence, together with nourishing a warm and chaste character and the most beautiful and elevated temperament, it is necessary that they furnish the knowledge of arts and crafts necessary for muddle to upper class life." The government policy for girls' education clearly affirmed the ideal of developing good wives and wise mothers.

As specified in the Girls' High School Order, girls' high schools had a basic four-year program, and it was recognized that according to the circumstances of the area this might be extended or shortened by one year. Moreover, a supplementary course of up to two years could be created. Entrance requirements which had been graduation from the four-year course of an ordinary elementary school were upgraded to being at least twelve years of age and having completed the second year of higher elementary school. With four years as the basic pattern various options from three to five years were recognized; and besides the supplementary course and arts and crafts courses, various specialized courses (senkoka) were also set up for graduates of these schools. Thus the system took on a much more diversified character than the middle schools attended by boys. The girls' high schools were unique institutions for girls who held many different expectations. However, in terms of the length of the course and the standard for graduation, the setup was on a lower level than that of the middle schools.

Concerning the length of the course, on July 18, 1907, a revision of the Girls' High School Order was promulgated and together with the extension of the period of compulsory education to six years, entrance requirements were revised to be more than twelve years of age and a graudate of an ordinary elementary school on April 1, 1908, due to the enforcement of Article 10 of this 1907 revision of the Girls' High School Order. The previous recognition of a one-year abbreviation of the length of the course was withdrawn on August 1, 1907, as the result of the enforcement of this 1907 revision of the Girls' High School Order excepting Article 10, while the possibility for a one year extension was retained, and two types of courses, one of four years and one of five years, were established. With these changes, the length of the course for girls' middle level education moved much closer to the situation in the middle schools.

Concerning the establishment of girls' high schools, it was stated that "these ought to be established" in the prefectures, and this was made the duty of the prefectures. It was also provided that counties, cities, towns and villages, and school assocmations of towns and villages might establish girls' high schools in the same conditions as those for the establishment of middle schools under the 1899 Middle School Order mentioned above. In addition, the establishment of such schools by private individuals was allowed.

The Girls' High School Order, like the 1899 Middle School Order, defined and established fundamental provisions concerning goals, establishment and abolition of schools, the length of the course, entrance requirements, related courses, subjects and their standards, textbooks, qualifications for teachers, organization and facilities, tuition, etc. Moreover, it was provided that schools not in conformity with these regulations "may not use the name girls' high school." Those regulations necessary for the enforcement of the Order were to be determined by the Minister of Education; among these regulations were comprehensive Regulations for the Enforcement of the Girls' High School Order which were issued in March, 1901, and put in force in April of that year.