Yasui Tetsu - Yasui Tetsu

Educator. Born in Akebono-cho, Komagome, Tokyo (present day Bunkyo Ward) as the eldest daughter of Yasui Tsunokami, a samurai from the Koga Clan in Shimousa Province. Graduated from Tokyo Women's Higher Normal School in 1890 (Meiji 23). Taught at the attached elementary school. Also served as instructor at Iwate Prefectural Normal School and Women's Higher Normal School. It is known that she once studied waka poetry and The Tale of Genji under Higuchi Ichiyo. In 1897, she traveled to England as a government-sponsored student sent by the Ministry of Education, and studied psychology and pedagogy at Cambridge Training College and other institutions. After returning to Japan in 1900, she was baptized by Ebina Danjo and became a member of Hongo Church (Yumicho) (Bunkyo Ward). He returned to his alma mater, but in 1904 he was appointed and appointed head of education at the Empress's School in Bangkok, Siam. After his term ended in 1907, he traveled to England again at his own expense to study ethics and other subjects. He returned to Japan the following year and taught at Gakushuin and Joshi Eigaku Juku, and became editor-in-chief of the educational magazine "Shin Jokai," which Ebina Danjo founded in 1909. In 1910, he returned to work at his alma mater. In 1918 (Taisho 7), through the intermediation of Nitobe Inazo, he was asked by the Six North American Missionaries in Japan to become superintendent of Tokyo Woman's Christian University. In 1923, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Mount Holyoke College. After Nitobe's resignation, he served as the university's president from 1923 to 1940 (Taisho 12 to Showa 15). He was entirely responsible for the teaching and student life of Tokyo Woman's Christian University in its early days, and demonstrated strong leadership in determining its direction. In 1943, towards the end of her life, she became acting principal of Toyo Eiwa Girls' High School (now Toyo Eiwa Girls' Academy), which had been through difficult times during the war. Although she had a background in public education, she devoted herself to Christian private higher education for women.

[Rui Kohiyama]

"Reprint of 'The Life of Yasui Tetsu' by Aoyama Nao (1990, Ozorasha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

教育者。下総(しもうさ)国古河(こが)藩士族安井津守の長女として東京駒込曙(あけぼの)町（現、文京区）に生まれる。1890年（明治23）東京女子高等師範学校卒業。母校付属小学校で教鞭(きょうべん)をとる。さらに、岩手県尋常師範学校、女子高等師範学校訓導を歴任。一時、樋口一葉の元で、和歌と『源氏物語』を学んだことが知られている。1897年、文部省派遣の官費留学生として渡英、ケンブリッジのトレーニング・カレッジなどで心理学、教育学などの研鑽(けんさん)を積んだ。1900年に帰国後、海老名弾正(えびなだんじょう)より洗礼を受け、（弓町）本郷教会（文京区）に所属。母校にふたたび奉職したが、1904年シャム国バンコク皇后女学校教育主任に選任され、赴任。1907年任期満了後、私費で再度渡英し、倫理学などを学んだ。翌年帰国し、学習院、女子英学塾で教え、海老名弾正が1909年に創刊した教養誌『新女界』主筆となった。1910年、母校に再勤務。1918年（大正7）新渡戸稲造(にとべいなぞう)の仲介があり、在日北米6宣教師団より請われて東京女子大学学監に就任。1923年、マウント・ホリヨーク大学より、名誉博士号を授与される。新渡戸の辞任後、1923～1940年（大正12～昭和15）同学長を務める。草創期の東京女子大学の教務・学生生活に全面的な責任を負い、その方向性の決定に強力な主導権を発揮した。最晩年の1943年より、戦中の困難にあった東洋英和高等女学校（現、東洋英和女学院）校長事務取扱となる。官学出身でありながら、キリスト教私立女子高等教育に尽した。

［小檜山ルイ］

『青山なを著『安井てつ伝』復刻（1990・大空社）』

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