[Announcement] Essay Competition Honoring W.E.Griffis (26th July – 10th November)

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Japanese page: https://www.flib.u-fukui.ac.jp/news/griffis20190726

 

William Elliot Griffis (1843 – 1928) was an American educator, scientist, historian, and author, who pioneered modern education in Meiji era Japan, arriving by invitation in 1870 to teach in Fukui and later in Tokyo. He also had a profound impact on the understanding of Japan in the West through prolific writing and lecturing after his return to the US. 

At Rutgers University, his alma mater, he had taught and befriended Taro Kusakabe (1845 – 1870) from Fukui. Kusakabe’s untimely death by tuberculosis just before graduation remains a sad memory for both Fukui and Rutgers, but the truly enduring legacy of the story was W.E. Griffis in his person as a leading Japanologist. 

This essay competition commemorates Griffis on the eve of the 150th anniversary of his arrival in Japan. The Library of the University of Fukui (UF) is pleased to inaugurate the competition this year with support from the Kusakabe-Griffis Foundation for Academic and Cultural Exchange.

 

●Applicants
University students, including postgraduate students, enrolled or on exchange programs at a University or Junior college in Fukui prefecture.
(International students are welcome. Students in the 4th grade and above at the Fukui National Institute of Technology are also eligible.)

 

●Prize
・ First Prize：Trip to the US (Rutgers University / accompanied by a faculty member of University of Fukui / February, 2020) and book coupons for ¥30,000.
・ Second Prize：Book coupons for ¥10,000.

 

● Essay
The essay should be entitled “Griffis’ Fukui”, and deal with Griffis’ sojourn in Fukui (1871 – 1872), touching on his experience, his thoughts, and on why he came to be attached to the region and to the people. It may be written in Japanese (1,500 – 2,000 characters) or in English (600 – 800 words).
 
Recommended resources, accessible online, are：
・ Journals of W.E. Griffis (from “Griffis and Fukui” by Eiichi Yamashita)
　　English：http://hdl.handle.net/10098/10672　(Click pdf file under ‘本文ファイル’)
　　Japanese：http://hdl.handle.net/10098/10671 (ditto)
・ The Fukui Letters (from “Griffis’ Fukui Letters”, by Eiichi Yamashita)
　　English：http://hdl.handle.net/10098/10674 (ditto)​　
　　Japanese：http://hdl.handle.net/10098/10673 (ditto)​
 
・ University of Fukui Library “Griffis Collection” [photos of manuscripts written by Griffis]
　　Journals: J-6 (1871.2.18 – 1871.5.3) – J-13 (1872.1.1 – 1872.2.5)
　　Letters: L-59 (1871.3.23) – L-98 (1872.1.20)
 
※ Submissions are limited to one original work per applicant, which must not have been published elsewhere. 

 

● Deadline
Sunday, 10 November, 2019

 

● Entry
Download the form https://www.flib.u-fukui.ac.jp/griffis/format2.docx
The completed form, with the essay and required information, should be sent to
griffis (at mark) ml.u-fukui.ac.jp, with the heading “Griffis Entry” 
(n.b. personal information submitted in the form will be used solely for the competition) 

 

● Announcement of Results
Beginning of December, 2019
(Prize winners will be informed in advance. The results will be posted on the Library’s website)

 

● Copyright
Copyright of the prize-winning essays will be held by the University of Fukui.

 

● Contact for submission / inquiries
University of Fukui Library “Essay Competition” coordinator.
E-mail: griffis (at mark) ml.u-fukui.ac.jp