"The Path to the Future" — Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of Keio Chutobu Junior High School

Photo: Keio Chutobu Junior High School 75th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony

On November 12, we held the Keio Chutobu Junior High School 75th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony at the West School Building Hall on the Mita Campus. The ceremony was attended by President Kohei Itoh, Vice-President Keita Yamauchi, Secretary General Toshiko Hirota, Chairperson of the Federation of Mita-kai Akiko Suganuma (a Chutobu alumna!), Chairperson of the Chutobu Alumni Association Motohiro Tanaka, the principals of the affiliated schools, former principals of Chutobu Junior High School, and Tokiji Katagiri, the Director of the Second Branch of the Tokyo Private Junior and Senior High School Association. Including these individuals, we welcomed 58 guests and 18 alumni, creating an atmosphere that warmly embraced the current students from all three grades of Chutobu Junior High School.

The ceremony consisted of two main parts: a formal first half centered on reports, addresses, and congratulatory speeches, and a second half filled with laughter and emotion, featuring videos, photos, talks, and songs. While solemn, it also had a friendly atmosphere, making it a bright and lively event characteristic of Chutobu. Ceremonies often tend to be stiff affairs where everyone must sit perfectly still, but by the end, everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves with a smile. I believe this was thanks to the mood created by everyone who attended.

In the first half of the ceremony, following the singing of the Chutobu song, a report on the "75-Year History" by Vice Principal Shinsaku Haga, and the Principal's address, President Itoh gave a heartwarming congratulatory message. He shared memories of his own days at Keio Futsubu School and his impressions of Chutobu from the perspective of a rival. Alumni Association Chairperson Motohiro Tanaka, who was in the same year as President Itoh, also spoke about memories of the soccer matches between Keio Futsubu School and Chutobu Junior High School (the so-called "Fu-Chu Match" held by many clubs). His humorous talk, delivered from the perspective of the current students, surely captured their hearts. In the subsequent congratulatory speech from Chairperson Tanaka, he also touched upon memories of the Fu-Chu Match with President Itoh, and the current students listened to the story with enjoyment. Furthermore, Takeshi Akuzawa, Principal of Keio Senior High School, representing the principals of the affiliated schools, shared a message quoting the "Book of Han": "Immerse them like the sea, nourish them like the spring." This message, which emphasizes raising people slowly over time, was overlaid with the educational philosophy of Chutobu (read by Chutobu Councilor and former Principal Shunichi Yamazaki on his behalf due to circumstances).

In the second half, commemorative gifts were introduced. One of them, a Western confectionery, was made with environmental considerations in mind. It was selected by teacher Seiya Kowata—a self-proclaimed and widely recognized "sweets lover" at Chutobu—based on the "SDGs Declaration" made by the school.

In the following segment titled "Looking Back 1997-2022," we looked at photos from each of the 25 years from the 51st to the 75th graduating classes. Yuki Shima, who served as the Student Council Chairperson for the 51st class, and Rintaro Nishikuma, the current Student Council President from Class 3-C, held a dialogue on stage about Chutobu students past and present. The students were thrilled to see photos of current veteran teachers in their younger days, and amidst much laughter and a friendly atmosphere, we were able to look back on the most recent 25 of the 75 years. Through both what has changed and what has remained the same, I believe the students and alumni alike deepened their reflection on how the foundation of Chutobu has been passed down through the generations.

Next, the Chutobu 75th Anniversary Commemorative Song was performed. Both the lyrics and composition were solicited from students, and the song was chosen from dozens of entries. The song titled "The Path to the Future," with lyrics by Shunta Sato (Class 3-D) and music by Taiyo Wada (Class 3-A), was selected as the commemorative song. Many people must have been moved by this wonderful piece created through the power of the students. While it is a pity I cannot introduce the music here, let me share a few passages from the lyrics.

The lyrics are peppered with words reflecting the path built by seniors over 75 years and the determination to carve out a path to the future oneself. Lines such as "Let us open a new door with our own hands," "Let us build a shining future with our own hands," "A path I create myself," and "A path I start walking myself" were likely conceived based on Chutobu's fundamental philosophy: "To foster independent individuals who can think for themselves, judge for themselves, act for themselves, and take responsibility for the results." Phrases like "With the teachings of our seniors in our hearts," "With the traditions of our predecessors in our hearts," and "The pride and elegance connected to the shining Pen Mark" seem to express the traditions of Chutobu and Keio University with the fresh brushstrokes of a junior high school student. Furthermore, there are phrases that will surely remind students and graduates of life at Chutobu, such as "The sound of volleyball in the courtyard" and "The clubs where we worked hard together."

While we received professional help for the arrangement and recording, the finished song was performed to a captivated audience and met with thunderous applause. Along with previous commemorative songs like "The Wind, The Light," "Everyone's Thirty Years," and "Bridge of Time," I believe this song will be sung by Chutobu students for many years to come. After the performance, the lyricist Mr. Sato and composer Mr. Wada took the stage for an interview by Student Council Chairperson Mr. Nishikuma. Although there was help from the teachers, it was strongly impressed upon everyone that this was a song made by the students, and I felt very proud.

After the ceremony, everyone except the students took photos and then moved to the Mita Co-op Dining Hall for a reception. At the beginning, a moment of silence was observed for Mr. Teruyoshi Osawa and Mr. Kohgen Yoshimura, who passed away this year. The reception was a modest non-alcoholic affair, but we received many kind and warm words, and the alumni enjoyed reconnecting with old friends, making it a wonderful gathering. We received a congratulatory speech from Vice-President Yamauchi based on the history of Chutobu and Keio University, a toast from Federation of Mita-kai Chairperson Suganuma filled with memories of her own time at Chutobu, and a delightful greeting from former Principal Hidefumi Yamamoto, representing the former principals.

It was a wonderful time to look back on the 75th anniversary by combining the founding spirit with the spirit of Fukuzawa, while also looking forward to the decades ahead with a bright, joyful, yet disciplined heart and posture. I would like to express my gratitude to all parties involved.