The growth of parent‐teacher associations in Japan

Abstract

The fathers and mothers in post-war Japan have a new phrase in their vocabulary. It is and they pronounce it in American fashion. It is symbolic of many recent innovations they have accepted for creating a New In Allied efforts to in Japanese communities the growth of independent and democratic organizations, free from governmental direction or interference, the introduction of the Parent-Teachers' Association movement has proven highly compatible with the objectives of the re-education program in Japan. Ministry of Education figures for February 1949 revealed that approximately 30,000 PTA's have been formed since the end of the war, a number which indicates that fully 80 per cent of all school communities have established such an association.1 Officially, it must be noted, the PTA movement has never been mandatory. In fact, authoritative references to it have been few and brief. The United States Education Mission to Japan, in its report of 30 March, 1946, in one sentence that there be encouragement of the organization of parents and teachers to promote child welfare and improve the educational process.' Not until nearly a year later, on 26 February, 1947, did an 8th Army Operational Directive formally advise Civil Education Officers with the American Military Government to provide encouragement and assistance in the development of professional associations and parent-teacher associations which are democratically established and operated.' Finally, the development of PTA's was advocated in a Far Eastern Commission recommendation of 10 April, 1947.' Thus, quite properly, the PTA movement in Japan has only been recommended and Civil Education Officers have been advised to encourage and assist in their establishment. What reasons, then, can we ascribe to their phenomenal growth? To a considerable extent, the desire of the Japanese to rise from