Private Academies of Chinese Learning in Meiji Japan: The Decline ...

86 CASE STUDIESAlthough kangaku was still an important part of the curriculum,fewer weekly hours were devoted to it than to English, whichclaimed a total of 78 hours over the three years of the course, incontrast to kangaku and Japanese (wabun) with a total of 60 hours.English lessons included writing, spelling, reading, translation,grammar and conversation. A further 6 hours per week (fromsemester 2) were devoted to arithmetic, and 2 (year one) or 3 tomoral instruction. Textbooks included various English primersand readers and Western histories.The kangaku curriculum was much reduced:Year 1, semester 1: Kokushi gaiyōYear 1, semester 2: Kokushi ryaku, Nihon gaishiYear 2, semester 1: Spring and Autumn Annals, SashidenYear 2, semester 2: Genmei shiryaku, Spring and AutumnAnnals, Sashiden,Bunshō kihanYear 3, semester 1: Analects, Hatsukabun, ShikiYear 3, semester 2: (as semester 1)Suishō gakusha was thus not strictly a kangaku juku, since avariety of subjects was taught, of which kangaku was only one,yet it still constituted a significant proportion of teaching atSuishō gakusha.The number of teachers is given as seven in the application.Most were young men, whom Masako had taught inMatsuyama. 45 The number of students is given as 50 each for theday and the night school. Students could enter at any time; aguarantor had to submit a formal written application, and anentrance fee of 1 yen had to be paid. School fees were 80 sen permonth (half if a student entered after the 15th of the month), andhalf the amount for students electing to study only one to threesubjects. Entrance fees and school fees for night classes were 50sen each. There was no provision for boarders in the application;perhaps that is why there were fewer regulations for students.The application also included Masako’s running costs. Accordingto her statememt, her yearly income was 855 yen, 780 yen fromschool fees and 75 yen from entrance fees. Her expenditure was855 yen, 615 yen for teachers’ salaries, 130 yen foraccommodation and 100 yen for various expenses (sic!).Suishō gakusha existed for less than three years; in January1890 Masako closed her school because of other commitments.For the next few years, Masako taught at government schools, the