Shirayuri University
Shirayuri Women's University (白百合女子大学, Shirayuri Joshi Daigaku) is a Catholic Japanese women's university located in Chōfu, Tokyo. The university comprises four Departments of Literature and a graduate school. This all-female institution is well known as Shirayuri Women's University, although its official name is Shirayuri College. It is a research and liberal art college. It was inherited from a priest and 3 nuns, back in France 300 years ago.
Historical background
Shirayuri College traces its origin to the Convent of Saint Paul Chartre, which was founded in a small village in France at the end of the 17th century. Ever since its founding the sisterhood, with its headquarters in Rome, has taken service and education as its mission; and has devoted itself to educational and welfare activities in countries all over the world.
Activities in Japan began with the arrival of three French nuns in Hakodate, in 1878, with an ardent mission to establish a convent. Three years later, a school was founded in Kanda, Tokyo, beginning the groundwork for Shirayuri Gakuen. In 1965, the present Shirayuri College, a four-year institution, was established. Since then, the college has been lauded for expanding and enhancing the curricula and educational facilities to include a graduate school for each the four departments, enriching the educational program and providing an education based on the spirit of Catholicism.
School mission
The president of the university mentions that the school's goal is,"to pursue truth, polish their(student's) intellect, learn to empathize with other, know the joys of serving others and deepen their awareness of the true beauty of all the natural things and happenings which surround them."
School system
The university can be a continuation of Shirayuri Pre-school, Shirayuri Elementary School, and Shirayuri Middle/High School-combined. Students can first enter Shirayuri Pre-school and continue their education till graduating the university (Although in reality, 20% of the students stay till college). Many begin their Shirayuri education from the university.
Quality of education
Although the university is famous for its title, Shirayuri Pre-school to High School is evidently famous for its high level which competes with top level schools in Japan.
Shirayuri boasts their high-level courses and offers:
- Japanese Literature Major
- French
- English
- Children's Literature/Culture
- Children's Literature
- Psychology
- Research School (Graduate school)- Co-Ed Institution
- Developmental Psychology
- Foreign Language/Literature, etc.
Additional facts
Their sister school is Sendai Shirayuri Women's College. Their school emblem and anthem are the same. The emblem depicts a fleurdelisé holding a sword. Since it is a French-related mission school, the Sister who takes care of the College is referred to be the students as 'Masul', or "Ma Soeur", i.e. "Sister" in French. It is a very small school, and has homeroom classes which are led by the Sisters. Although there is a strong impression that it is a school for upper class ladies, it could also be seen as a place where classes and good-manners are taught strictly rather than as a place where children of wealthy families flock. Since the campus transferred in 1965, it owns modern school buildings and a chapel. The scenery during Autumn is beautiful for it is surrounded by trees and greenery.
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