[Feature: 125 Years of Integrated Education] Makoto Ueda: The Mission of Affiliated Schools

2023/10/06

"That tie doesn't match your shirt," "That's different from what you said the other day." Thirty-five years ago, my life as a teacher at Chutobu Junior High School began with the shock of being pointed out on various details by 13-year-old junior high school students. In ordinary? schools, I thought from my own experience that the teachers' room was a place with a high threshold, a place you never went unless something serious happened. However, at Chutobu Junior High School, it was truly a "social gathering place" and a "lounge." Students would come and go, engaging in "small talk." The topics ranged widely from private matters to their hobbies and future plans. I remember well how I used to run away to other places because so many students would come by. My previous school was a rough public high school where my job was to stop students from going to motorcycle gang rallies. Before that, I was at a private school where providing exam guidance while making it to Koshien was the absolute mandate. For me, having taught in those environments, every day was shocking.

Furthermore, despite being junior high school students, they possessed such a wealth of specialized knowledge. "The topography of Karuizawa," "How to make Camembert cheese," "The mie poses of Kabuki," "Talks about celestial bodies." Before I knew it, I was the one asking the junior high students questions. It was truly "learning while teaching, teaching while learning." Having spent my life entirely in public schools until high school, I made a fresh start as a teacher who was an "affiliated schools freak."

Two years later, I transferred to Keio Senior High School as an English teacher and was appointed manager of the baseball club. I was all fired up, thinking, "Alright, we're going to train hard and go to Koshien." However, the baseball club members who had come from Chutobu Junior High School called out to me in a friendly way, saying, "Ueda-san!" Soon, the students from Keio Futsubu School and the players from outside schools followed suit. I still cannot forget the look on the face of the High School Baseball Federation official when a manager walked into the stadium headquarters during an official game and said "Ueda-san!" as usual. I'm sure he thought Ueda was being looked down upon by his players.

Also, on the field, the players would frankly confront me with what they thought or what they questioned. I was able to spend many fun and fulfilling moments that other high school baseball managers never experience, such as players saying they weren't satisfied with how they were being used, or even holding a "vote of no confidence in the manager" among themselves.

Under the banner of "Enjoy Baseball," the Juku baseball club has fought in the past and continues to fight today. We fight with all our might against our opponents, of course, but we have also fought against the "common sense of the baseball world." The reason we can do this may be the "mission to society" that flows steadily through the Juku. I always feel that we must ride more firmly on the pure and untainted stream that Yukichi Fukuzawa let flow. I also had the opportunity to coach the university baseball club for five years, and there too, I often saw how the "samurai" from affiliated schools created a culture where they could firmly advise the manager and coaches if they thought it was for the good of the team, regardless of their baseball skill.

I've ended up talking only about baseball, but I am always amazed by the high potential of affiliated schools. In particular, these "extraordinary elementary and junior high students" acquire the means to fly out into the world from their junior years within this environment. I was also inspired by the many teachers working there. Furthermore, despite education being conducted in various different environments at each of the affiliated schools, there is something shared among them. And there is no doubt that this "something" is the "mission to society" shown to us by Yukichi Fukuzawa.

Through my life as a teacher and my experience as a baseball club manager, I feel once again how important and vital the role played by "affiliated schools" is for Keio University. From their junior years, these boys and girls naturally acquire within Keio University the sensibility to not be swallowed by the trends of the times, and sometimes even to go against the flow. And when they become members of society, they do not flatter or fawn over great power, but instead reform the status quo and try to create something good. And if the current system won't change, they will start a new organization themselves and become leaders. My heart still leaps when I meet graduates filled with such a "mission to society." I sincerely hope that all the faculty and staff of the affiliated schools will navigate the wonderful ship called "Keio University" with confidence.

I retired from being a teacher at the Juku this March. Among the many celebration parties held by my former students, there was a class from Chutobu Junior High School for which I was the homeroom teacher for only one year. Even as time passed, they called me "Ueda-san," and I was inspired by my former students just as I was 35 years ago. As an "affiliated schools freak," I want to continue to be someone who can provide inspiration as well.

Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the predecessors who have supported affiliated schools for 125 years, the parents, and all the faculty and staff.