A view of a sewing class immediately after the foundation(1915)
Co-founder Haruko Koshihara when young,at the age of 20(1905)
Haruko Koshihara was born in Higashi-Shirakawa Village, Kamo County, Gifu Prefecture in 1885. She aspired to become a teacher from early on. Competing with adult applicants, she passed the examination for Gifu Prefectural Teachers' Training School in Iwamura. Upon graduation, she started to teach at an elementary school in her native village at the age of 15. She founded Nagoya Girls' School with Yamato Koshihara in 1915, and devoted herself to the management of the school and women's education for more than 40 years. In 1946, women acquired the right to vote in Japan, and Haruko became one of the first female members of the House of Representatives in the Diet. As a member of the Constitution Council, she strove to liberate women and improve their position in society—a cause she had long advocated.
Co-founder Yamato Koshihara
Yamato Koshihara was born in Kashimo Village, Ena County, Gifu Prefecture in 1886. He graduated from Waseda University in 1913. While at university, he married Haruko Koshihara and became the 16th head of the Koshihara family. He founded Nagoya Girls' School jointly with Haruko in 1915. At school, he encouraged sports to build up the physical strength of women and personally took on their teaching. He also devoted his energies to teaching drama in order to refine the sensitivity of students.
The Koshihara Memorial Hall was built in 2009 for permanent preservation of the footsteps of the founder and the history of the school. The Hall was opened as a place for teachers, students, and graduates to present the results of their constant efforts and also to serve as a facility for extensive cultural exchange.The Hall has two functions. First, the exhibition area provides space for permanent and special exhibitions of historical materials such as the history of the school, education, and folk customs. It is also used for work presentations by students and graduates. Second, the hall on the second floor is used for lectures, plays, and concerts.
