STEPS OF PROGRESS
There are, also, 174 public Kindergartens, with an attendance of 15,000 infants, whose parents pay 3d. per month for each child, on the average. In general the Kindergartens are connected with Elementary Schools or with Normal Schools.
Many (4,735) of the Common Elementary Schools have a section where, subsequently to the completion of the regular curriculum, a special supplementary course of study may be pursued in agriculture, commerce, or industry (sewing in the case of girls). For the same purpose there exist also 318 Higher Elementary Schools, to which a child can gain admittance after passing out of a Common Elementary School. The time devoted to these special courses is two, three, or four years, according to the degree of proficiency contemplated, and the cost to the parents is 6d. per month.
If a child, after graduating at a Common Elementary School, desires to extend its education, it passes into a Common Middle School, where training is given for practical pursuits, or for admission to higher educational institutions. The ordinary curriculum at a Common Middle School includes moral philosophy, English language, history, geography, mathematics, natural history, natural philosophy, chemistry, drawing, and the Japanese language. Five years are required to graduate, and from the fourth year the student may take up a special technical course as well as the main course; or, in accordance with local re-
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