ABSTRACT
An American Teacher in Early Meiji Japan, by Edward Beauchamp, provides a full account of the reasons behind the decision of Margaret Clark Griffis to journey to Japan in August, 1872. There is an official record containing basic information on Maggie's employment in Japan. Takahashi Koreikiyo, a renowned Japanese politician in the 1920s, assisted Maggie's brother William Elliot Griffis, during the former's student days at Kaisei Gakko, translating Japanese classical literature. While the two men worked, Maggie sat listening to their conversation until they sent her from the room whenever some obscene words had to be translated. The annual reports of the Ministry of Education for 1872 and 1873 describe the Tokyo Jogakko opening at an elementary educational level in February 1872. English was taught by foreign teachers and the best students would serve as interpreters. One of these interpreters, Akai Yone, proved to be Maggie's best pupil and friend.
