ABSTRACT
Jiyu Gakuen makes a distinctive case study of progressive innovation in the Taisho period. This chapter examines the biography of Motoko Hani, including her beliefs and educational philosophy, reflected in the founding years of Jiyu Gakuen. It then reviews Jiyu Gakuen's growth and development, followed by a close-up look at the Boys' Department, as reflecting features of its particular progressive ethos. Historically speaking, Jiyu Gakuen was not exceptional in beginning as a women's middle school. During the Meiji and Taisho Eras, single-sex education was offered, and in general, those for girls were to educate them to be 'good wives, wise mothers' in accordance with traditional Confucian values in Japan. The chapter concludes with an evaluation of the school's significance for the history of Japanese education, and a reflection on challenges it faces now and for the future.
