TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1961
SUCCEEDS PROF. HALL:
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Anthropoligist Beardsley To Head Japanese Studies Center
By SANDRA JOHNSON
"I'm primarily an anthropolo-
gist," Prof. Richard K. Beardsley,
appointed last June by the Re-
gents to replace Prof. John W.
Hall as the head of the Japa-
nese Studies Center, insists.
Prof. Hall had resigned at the
end of the spring semester when
he accepted a position on the
faculty of Yale University.
Although Prof. Beardsley has
taught many anthropology cours-
es that have little or no connec-
tion with Japan, he administered
the anthropological seminar which
serves as the central integrated
course for graduate students
working in Japanese studies for
eight years.
In addition, Prof. Beardsley,
with Prof. Hall and Prof. Robert
E. Ward of the Japanese Studies
Center, first went to Japan in
1950 with Prof. Robert B. Hall,
first director of the Center, to es-
tablish a field research station at
Okayama.
Two-Fold Purpose
The field station's purpose, was
two-fold:
1) To make sure of adequate liv-
ing facilities in war-devastated
Japan.
2) To provide the opportunity
for students in Japanese studies
to work with faculty members in
Japan.
After World War II the Japa-
nese economy was in such turmoil
that it was nearly impossible to
find adequate food and provi-
sions for the Japanese people,
Prof. Beardsley explains. Conse-
quently the occupation authorities
permitted almost no people to en-
ter the country, no matter how
valid their reasons.
Only in 1950 were the people
from the University permitted to
set up their research station, al-
though they had wanted one for
three years before the Center was
actually organized. Thus it be-
caine possible for students to "rub
elbows" with the Japanese peo-
ple,,an experience Prof. Beardsley
feels is indispensible for anyone
who wants to speak with author-
ity about Japan:
Operation Discontinued
Operation of the field center
has now been discontinued. It is
no longer needed, Prof. Beardsley
points out, for Japan is now in a
better state economically and,
there are various opportunities
available for those who wish to
"rub elbows.
In fact the center might even
be a handicap, he adds, since all
students would have to go to that
one location in Japan, rather than
being able to stay in the section
that they were most interested in.
While the field center was in
operation, the staff and students
'there conducted a survey of the
nearbyvillage of Niiike. When they
returned to the University, Pro-
fessors Beardsley, Hall, and Ward
used the mass of data collected I
in writing their book, "Village Ja- study of the political moderniza- ed directly by the center. Instead
pan," described by Prof. Edwin tion of Japan. each of the 12 staff who work
0. Reischauer of Harvard Univer- Three Books through the center is a member
sity as "the best and most de- Rather than publishing their of a specific department, such as
tailed study of a Japanese socialrng um gte economics or political science.
microcosm that has even been pro- did before, each intends to write Special Interest
duced in a Western language." a book: Prof. Beardsley will deal However, each has a special in-
Reischauer is now United States with the anthropological aspects terest in his field as it applies to
ambassador to Japan.m r of the study; Prof. Hall with the Japan. All of the 12 present ma-
At present these same three historical, and Prof. Ward with terials derived from their special-
men are working together on a fli ~n~ ;.j+,- _ +... --... .-. .
the poiticali.
In explaining the operation of
the Japanese Studies Center,
Prof. Beardsley points out that
there are no faculty members hir-
ties as the parts of the central
integrated course which covers
the wide area of Japanese stud-
ies.
The Center was originally es-
JAPANESE SCENE-An anthropoligist, Prof. Richard K. Beard-
sley, has been appointed head of the Japanese Studies Center.
He has described some of the University's projects carried out
in Japan.
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