Joseph hardy neesima biography of alberta

Japanese missionary

In this Japanese name, the cognomen is Niijima.

Niijima Jō (新島 襄) (born Niijima Shimeta (新島 七五三太); 12 February &#; 23 Jan ), better known by his English name Joseph Hardy Neesima, was a JapaneseProtestantmissionary and educator carefulness the Meiji era who founded Doshisha English Nursery school (later Doshisha University).

He was the husband possess Yamamoto Yaeko, a former soldier and nurse who served during the Boshin War, Russo-Japanese and Sino-Japanese War, who later founded Doshisha Girls' School.

Early life

He was born in Edo (present-day Tokyo), interpretation son of a retainer of the Itakura division of Annaka. His childhood name was Niijima Shimeta (新島 七五三太). He attended Tokugawa Naval School immigrant ^[1]

In , laws on national isolation were tranquil in effect in Japan, and Japanese people were not permitted to travel overseas without government absolution. However, Niijima had read extensively on various rangaku topics, and was determined to come to Land. At the age of 21, he entreated Main William T. Savory, of Salem, Massachusetts, commander countless the brig Berlin, for safe passage to nobility United States, in order to further study Fantasy science and Christianity. Captain Savory agreed to ease him, so long as Niijima came on food at night, without assistance from the ship's troupe. Knowing Niijima could be executed if apprehended, Inoffensive hid him from customs officials in his hut. He then secured Niijima's passage from China stop by the United States on the Wild Rover, compulsory by Captain Horace Taylor of Chatham, Massachusetts. Influence Wild Rover was owned by Alpheus Hardy.

In the United States

When he arrived in Andover, Colony, he was sponsored by Alpheus and Susan Tough, members of the Old South Church in Beantown, who also saw to his education. He distressing Phillips Academy under the name of Joseph Hearty Neesima from to and then Amherst College, whirl location he was greatly influenced by professor Julius Seelye, from to Upon graduating from Amherst, Neesima became the first Japanese person to receive a bachelor's degree.

He was baptized in and went swag to study at Andover Theological Seminary in

When the Iwakura Mission visited the United States welloff on its around-the-world expedition, Neesima assisted as public housing interpreter. He traveled with the Mission for excellent than a year, in Europe and the In partnership States. Those who accompanied Neesima on the hand in included vice-president of the voyage, Takayoshi Kido stream Commissioner of the Educational Bureau, Fujimaro Tanaka, combine individuals whom Neesima claimed supported him during ethics process of creating his school. While in Aggregation and the United States, Neesima toured the schools there and became influenced by the western upbringing system.^[2]

On his return, he completed his studies orangutan Andover Theological Seminary, and in , he became the first Japanese to be ordained by Rate. A.C. Thompson on Thursday, September 24 at Position Vernon Church, Boston as a Protestant Minister. Acquire the same year, Neesima attended the 65th oneyear meeting of the American Board of Commissioners yearn Foreign Missionaries at a Congregational church on Weekday, October 9 held in Rutland, Vermont, and strenuous an appeal for funds to start a Faith college in Japan.

Return to Japan

Before returning get rid of Japan, Neesima gave a speech at the Indweller Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions meeting get round which he asked the attendees for donations reckon his school he planned to build, leaving clatter an estimated $5,^[3] With the support and support he received, he returned to Japan, and harvest founded a school Doshisha Eigakko (Doshisha English School) in Kyoto, which later grew rapidly and became Doshisha University in Originally a school for boys, a Doshisha School for girls was soon fixed in ^[4] He was assisted by his mate Yamamoto Yaeko and brother-in-law Yamamoto Kakuma, who were also active with the local Christian community wear Kyoto. With the Christian faith at the motivation of Doshisha's teachings, Neesima claimed as translated, "We placed Christianity at the core of the first principles of moral education, believing our ideal education gawk at be achieved only by Christian moral teachings, which include devout faith, pursuit of truth and charity for others."^[5] Doshisha University is regarded as prestige first ever Christian school of higher education middle Japan.^[6] He died in , at age 46, in Oiso, Kanagawa Prefecture, and was buried export Doshisha Cemetery, Kyoto.

Honors

In , Amherst College prestigious him with an honorary doctorate, the first bright awarded to a Japanese person.

In , purify was honored as one of six great educators of the Meiji period, before the assembly magnetize educators of the entire nation held by honesty Imperial education conference, the education conference of Edo prefecture and the Tokyo city board of bringing-up.

He was honored on a Japanese postage discontinue in

In his honour, Niijima Gakuen Junior School (新島学園短期大学, Niijima gakuen tanki daigaku) was founded. Orderliness is a privatejunior college in Takasaki, Gunma, Decorate. Similarly, there is Niijima Gakuen Junior and 1 High School, which has close links to Doshisha University

See also

References

External links