[Feature: Marine Sustainability / Special Feature: 150th Anniversary of Keio Yochisha Elementary School] Takeshi Fujisawa: Keio Yochisha Elementary School and the Teachings of Yukichi Fukuzawa

Photo: Keio Yochisha Elementary School 150th Anniversary Ceremony (May 30, Hiyoshi Commemorative Hall)

At the entrance and graduation ceremonies of Keio Yochisha Elementary School, a hanging scroll written by Yukichi Fukuzawa is displayed on the stage of the Jisonkan (Auditorium of Keio Yochisha Elementary School). It reads: "The way of independence and self-respect for those who are children today is simply to follow the instructions of their parents in their conduct." This scroll was written by Yukichi Fukuzawa to show to the students of Keio Yochisha Elementary School in 1900, when Keio University's Shūshin Yōryō: Fukuzawa's Moral Code was established and the term "independence and self-respect" was becoming popularized.

Yukichi Fukuzawa reportedly told the teachers at Keio Yochisha Elementary School, "Since the publication of Shūshin Yōryō: Fukuzawa's Moral Code, everyone and their brother has started talking about independence and self-respect, but you must never teach it to children exactly like that. That concept is for those whose thoughts are firmly and respectably formed to manage their own lives. It would be out of the question for young children to have 'independence and self-respect' in their heads and then refuse to follow their parents' orders or ignore their teachers' lessons. Be careful not to misunderstand this meaning."

At Keio Yochisha Elementary School, there are various opportunities to hear stories about Yukichi Fukuzawa or to encounter his teachings and words. These include the song "Yukichi Fukuzawa is Here," which first-graders always sing at the learning exhibition; the words "Animal Body" and "Human Spirit" engraved on the entrance and exit gates of the sports day; the memorial day lectures attended by 4th to 6th graders; the "Fukuzawa Hyakuwa" (One Hundred Stories of Fukuzawa) classes for 6th graders taught by the Headmaster; the "Trip to Visit Places Associated with Yukichi Fukuzawa" for those interested; and the "36km Walk" tracing the path Yukichi Fukuzawa walked from Tsukiji to Yokohama. However, outside of these specific opportunities, students and teachers rarely live their daily lives consciously thinking about Yukichi Fukuzawa's teachings or words. This is likely because, throughout its 150-year history, Yukichi Fukuzawa's teachings have taken root within Keio Yochisha Elementary School like the air—invisible but present—creating an environment where one naturally acquires his teachings just by living at the school.

For example, at the entrance ceremony, there are four promises exchanged between the Headmaster and the new students.

"Do what you can do by yourself."

"Do not tell lies."

"Listen carefully to what your teachers, father, and mother say."

"Get along well with your friends."

The four promises are all easy to understand and practice in daily life, even for new students who do not know much about Yukichi Fukuzawa. Keeping these promises is considered necessary to become a person of "independence and self-respect" like Yukichi Fukuzawa, and it allows parents and teachers to simply focus on encouraging students to keep these four promises. It is unclear when this started, but during the 19 years I have worked here, even as the Headmaster has changed, almost the same promises have been made. Even when asking senior teachers, it seems this practice is one of the traditions passed down at Keio Yochisha Elementary School.

Furthermore, because the "six-year homeroom teacher rotation system" is adopted, teachers can watch over students with a long-term perspective to see if they are becoming children who can keep the four promises. While the promise says "Do what you can do by yourself," the growth and development of students vary. Therefore, homeroom teachers can watch over each individual's growth and development together with parents over six years, continuing their guidance while deeply understanding each student. Additionally, since there are no class shuffles, students can continue to practice "getting along well with friends" throughout the six years. The teacher plays the role of encouraging students to recognize each other's differences and build relationships where they can help one another. Through shared daily experiences over six years, the children's friendships are nurtured, sometimes becoming lifelong friends.

At the graduation ceremony held every March, the tradition of the Nishiki-kai—formed in 1930 and named after Yukichi Fukuzawa's wife, Kin—gifting a copy of "The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa" to graduates continues to this day. Upon opening the cover, there is a stamp designed with the Fukuzawa family crest (a hawk) and the Toki family crest (a bellflower) from Mrs. Kin's family. Only graduates of Keio Yochisha Elementary School possess a copy of "The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa" with this stamp. Providing the opportunity to read a book about Yukichi Fukuzawa at the time of graduation, and ensuring students have it on hand to read whenever they like, could be said to be very characteristic of Keio Yochisha Elementary School.

While there are other things that have been carefully passed down at Keio Yochisha Elementary School in this way, because they are easy for students to understand and are practiced daily, I believe children grow up being able to practice Yukichi Fukuzawa's teachings without even being conscious of them.

I myself had no connection to Keio University until I started working at Keio Yochisha Elementary School, and I knew almost nothing about Yukichi Fukuzawa. I haven't been studying Yukichi Fukuzawa intensely; I've just been going about my days. It feels quite mysterious that I now find myself writing a manuscript about "Keio Yochisha Elementary School and the Teachings of Yukichi Fukuzawa."