High School Festival, Part 2

At the annual school festival for a private all-girls junior high/high school in Tokyo. Each class and club held either an exhibit or stage show, and prospective students and their parents, current students and family, and random friends were invited. The festival serves as an introduction to the school, but the focus is less on showcasing the academic prowess of the school, but on establishing a fun atmosphere (and showing off how beautiful the campus is). Hence, the oversize game of Jenga that one class had created. . 

These decorations are for the English Club, I believe. You can tell a lot about the teacher by the inclusion of Beavis and Butthead.

The koto harp club was one of my favorites. Even if you know the sound of koto, you develop a different level of appreciation for it when you can actually see it being played before your eyes. The hand movements were very intricate.

The music sheet, which consists of kanji and lines. I was almost shocked to see that it contained no musical notes, but then why would it?

Origami decorations strung at the entrance of the classroom.

Unloved library books were on sale for probably 1/300 their value.

For two hundred yen, you could make your own flower arrangement.

I was actually quite proud of mine, but apparently it did not incorporate some basic concepts of flower-arranging.

The calligraphy club. This was a large scroll that was about four feet long.

High School Festival, Part 1

A while ago, I went to an all-girl junior high/high school's fall festival. Many events were held at the school's chapel, a gorgeous arena-like space used for morning services.

The second floor, with the organ to the left.

I wonder what would happen to these lights in an earthquake.

For one of the elective courses, the girls made wedding dresses and put on a show, resulting in Bieber-level screams from the audience. Pros: seeing some genuinely creative wedding dresses that perfectly conveyed the girl's personality and seeing the routines the girls put together. Cons: seventeen-year-old girls aspiring to be brides and princesses.

The "bride" and "groom" suddenly brought out instruments and started performing. I love how each girl got a moment to showcase their individuality, and they all rose to the occasion.

The school orchestra played the theme song from My Neighbor Totoro, with big Totoro and little Totoros and the little black soot balls making an appearance. The orchestra's set was full of lovely touches like this.

An English Notebook and Report Card from 1943

My grandmother's old English notebook, from circa 1943.

The "Excellent"s turn to "Very Good"s when she gets a new English teacher.

What's slightly unnerving is that the high level of English. Was education better then? 

A bonus: a report card from 1941, when she was 15 years old. 

Despite her claim that no-one was urging her to study, she got great marks in the main subjects. Hilariously, her one bad grade was a 30 in home economics.

Drawing and Manual Arts Education

My packrat grandmother has had this box for over 45 years, a toolbox that was required for my father's drawing and manual arts class in elementary school. The basic contents:

I'm guessing the wrench and the blue plastic plus driver are new additions, but the rest is all still in place. In this age of overprotective parents and cautious children, it's slightly refreshing to think of 10-year-olds using handsaws for arts and crafts, the general assumption being that they would know how to handle them in a responsible manner.