Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 10.djvu/724

 708 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

Such has been the work which Tamura has done for his village. The result of all this is the fact that there is not a criminal, and almost no case of divorce, in the whole village. Moreover, we see many noteworthy things in the administra- tion of the village. Industrial, engineering, and sanitary matters are improving. Agricultural improvements, the repair of roads, the building of, a hospital and aqueduct, are all forthcoming. And every one of these is the result of the untiring efforts of Matakichi Tamura.

But the administration of Inatori Village is not wholly to be ascribed to Matakichi Tamura alone. There is a philanthropist in the village, who is a big landlord. He is rich enough to devote his life to social and political relief and improvement. Police, legal, and prison matters owe much to this man's efforts and generosity. And concerning agriculture, the veteran farmer, another Tamura, who has done not a little for the present prosperity of the village, must be especially mentioned. As to education, there is the school-master, who with single- heartedness has devoted himself to the education of the village for these twenty years. Almost every child goes to school. The people of the whole village arc enlightened and intelligent. They are remarkable for their good manners. The spiritual health of the community is not the only thing cared for, for the physical health is also looked after. Goro Nishiyama is the hospital master, and he is uncommonly skilful and faithful in his duty. The sanitary conditions of the village have nothing to be criticised. Local diseases have died away. The village council, deeply thankful for his efforts, unanimously voted to present the hospital building and all its appendages to this doctor as his well-earned reward. The doctor's faithfulness and the villagers' good deeds are both worth mentioning.

Formerly this village was numbered among the poorest villages of the province of Izu, the taxes being seldom paid punctually. But at present this same village has changed and is counted among the three model villages in the whole country, and this has been accomplished by the utilization of natural resources through the efforts of the pioneer men of the village.

3. Oide Village, Natori County, Miyagi Prefecture. Finally, we mention Oide Village, in Natori County, in Miyagi Prefecture. Though natural resources like those of Inatori are wanting, and co-operation like that of Minamoto Village is not forthcoming, yet, mainly through the efforts of the village master, Oide Village has won the laurel of being a model village. It was originally a poor, insignificant village. But since the present village master has come into his office, he has done and is doing his utmost for its welfare. The name of the master is Shiroemon Nagao, and he loves his villagers as a father does his children. If a stranger comes to the village office, he will see a rude-looking farmer. If the stranger asks him whether the village master is in, that farmer will answer : " I am the village master." This shows what sort of a man he is. In conversing with him, the stranger will be further surprised to find that what he says about the village administration is correct, and that his well-developed common-sense has led to many excellent plans and schemes for the village. He is a man of patience and self-respect, and devotes himself wholly to the good of the village. Hence no wonder that his administration is successful. As his co-operator we find the village school-master, Hidefuku Moniwa. For the last thirty years this man has been the school-master of the village. He is so ardent in his work that, if any of his pupils are absent from school, he himself on his way from school visits the home of the absent pupil and inquires the reason of his absence, and warns the pupil and his parents against idleness. The result is that the percentage of the school attend- ance of the village is much more favorable than that of other villages. Except the blind and deaf mutes, there is almost no child that does not go to school.

Not only in education, but also in sanitary, engineering, and industrial matters, arrangements are all satisfactorily made. Among these, industry is regarded as specially important, and the idea that industry is the source of prosperity per- meates the mind of the villagers. They mean to co-operate and neglect no available resource. The extension of the arable land, improvements in the cultivation of rice and barley, and the use of horses in cultivation, are all encouraged :m<l practiced. The cultivation of mulberries is also encouraged, and efforts are being made to develop the raising of silk-worms and the production of silk. And extra