Wednesday, January 5, 2011

1876: Japanese Students in Oregon


As 21st century Hawaii is a popular destination for international students we thought the following story would interest our readers.

The October 2, 1876 edition of Honolulu’s The Friend featured a story about Japanese students enrolled at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. The graduating class numbered six, with three of them from Japan. The story quotes a column from the August 17 edition of the Pacific:

“One of them finished the regular course, and the other two graduated in the scientific department. They have been here six years, and two of them for a time among the number who were supported by the Japanese Government; but when that government called its young men home from America, withdrawing all support, they remained at their own expense. These came from noble families, one having been an army officer with 20 servants in his house.

“When they came here they went into families as servants, and remained so a part of the time, partly to be more economical in the expense of obtaining an English education, and partly to more thoroughly learn American manners and customs.

“When they first came, some of the people looked down on them, and at times treated them rudely; but they stood on their dignity, and have gained the respect of all classes. They have shown themselves to be scholars and thinkers, or, as one of the other scholars said before commencement, “they are going to make us American boys ashamed of ourselves.”

“Their orations showed that they were thinking about Japan and their future work there. One of them has become a Christian, and so firm a one that it is believed he will maintain his Christian character in Japan, whatever may be his position. Immediately after the commencement they went east to attend the Centennial, and also to spend a few years in studying the science of government.”

1 comment:

  1. This is clearly one extraordinary post. A debt of gratitude is in order for the important data and bits of knowledge you have so given here.
    바카라사이트

    ReplyDelete