I was surprised to find out that an entire section of my alma mater’s entrance exam practice test was taken directly from my book! I guess things like that really do happen (*^^*)

Apparently, my alma mater is celebrating its 150th anniversary.

"You are free. Being free means taking responsibility for yourselves."

Words I heard almost every day during middle and high school.

I spent six years at Japan’s first mission-affiliated girls’ school, which prided itself on a “free” school culture—one without uniforms or school rules.

The school has maintained a spirit of freedom since its founding. The words of the first principal—“You have the Bible. Therefore, govern yourselves”—continue to underpin student self-governance.

I was very close to my grandmother, and the only reason I applied to my alma mater was that it was “the school my grandmother had graduated from,” but I still remember how my mother came home deeply moved after attending the school information session before I started.

"If you're aiming for this school just to prepare for college entrance exams, feel free to leave. This is not a place for education geared toward college entrance exams." That's what the principal reportedly said right off the bat.

It was a school that offered many opportunities to research, think, debate, and present. Soon after I enrolled, I was exposed to all kinds of debates, and the stark contrast with elementary school gave me culture shock; for some reason, the debates I had when I was 12 or 13 are the ones that stick most clearly in my memory.

What is a best friend? The friend sitting next to me answered right away, “A friend you can just be with, even without saying a word,” and that description really struck a chord with me.

How should we view the death penalty? The idea that “crime and character should be viewed separately” was a real eye-opener for me back then.

What are the reasons for supporting separate surnames for married couples? “If Shu and Mai get married, their names will turn into ‘shumai’”—I really admired that friend who filled an entire report sheet with examples like that.

Volunteer work at a nursing home, conversations with atomic bomb survivors during a trip to Hiroshima, and listening to the stories of local residents—there were plenty of opportunities for hands-on experiences.

It was also a school that used a lot of report paper. I wonder how many pads of report paper we went through.

Choose one topic related to geography and research it; choose one issue occurring in society and write down your thoughts on it.

Even the topics were open-ended. Some assignments weren't even required.

I probably didn't take everything seriously back then. But it's still etched in the back of my mind like this.

It is said that the female missionary who helped establish her alma mater wrote down her ideals for girls’ education as follows.

“What ideals will you live by as women? Do not seek only worldly happiness; instead, cultivate the true strength to put your noble aspirations into practice. Become women who feel pain when you neglect your duties or fail to help others even though you have the ability to do so.Although each of you has a different path to fulfill and a different set of talents, work for the sake of others and society.”

I don’t think it’s necessary to limit this to “women,” but I believe the spirit of “although each person’s path and the talents they’ve been given are different, we should work for the sake of others and society” was certainly fostered among both current students and alumni.