OUR HAIR REVOLUTION

Takayuki Nomi

On the Ist of September, after a thirty years long intediction, Misasa Junior High allowed the students to have long hair. In the past , students leaders have made challenges on this issue, but failed. I was one of those. Why didn't we succeed? I guess that many of us thought that someone would do it and it was no use spending time on this matter. However, this year, we were different. We were ready to reach an agreement on a better hair style. They passed the subject on to us, the third graders. At the graduation ceremony, seniors encouraged us to fight for it. We were firmly determined to come into action. Of course, a good job was done last year. But after the general assembly on the twenty-third of April this year, we had students general meetings, class meetings, and so on. We also had a three-day discussion. We also tried on the monthly campaign for keeping school discipline completely.

 We tried our best, hoping our action would succeed. Our eagerness moved our teachers and parents. At last, we made great progress. As we had almost reached the stage for long hair to be allowed, we faced another problem: should we have some rules on long hair? Some students said we shouldn't; others said we should to some extent. We talked about it, and we decided to have minimum rules.

 This proposal was approved in a students general meeting on the sixteenth of July, a little before the summer holidays. Though it didn't mean that it was approved as an official school rule, our excitement was beyond descripiton. We still had cries of joy for a long time even after the meeting.

 During summer holidays, teachers worked very hard, had many meetings with our parents to persuade them. We shouldn't forget their kind support.

 At the students general meeting, after the opening ceremony, the principal announced: "You are allowed to have long hair from now on." In the end, we had succeeded in having our school change. It had not been easy, but our efforts made our dream come true.

 However this is not our goal but a starting point. Now, we have to behave ourselves. But we are afraid that some students won't obey the rule in two or threee years' time. Through our efforts, I thought the following: I have a slight regret that we were not able to solve this problem while I was at the head of the students. But, I'm happy that the new students next April will be able to come to school without worrrying about cutting their hair short. I'm also proud of telling the result to our seniors who gave us this responsibility.(1994)

OVERCOME YOUR WEAKNESS

Shingo Aoki

Have you ever quit doing something that you started? Did you give up when you met any thing you didn't like to do? I think that everyone has had such an experience. So did I. I was selected as a member of the Ekiden team when I was in the seventh grade. I was willing to be a member at that time. But as soon as I began to practice, I became very tired. In the severe heat of summer I had to run many miles every day. I was sweating so much. I was tired and thought,"Why do I have to practice so much? What are my friends doing now?" "What does it mean for me to run and run? I want to stop."

 But I didn't quit. I continued running in the eighth grade. I did, however, decided not to be a member of the Ekiden team as I had suffered much in the seventh grade.

 But in the summer of the eighth grade I was selected as a member once again. So I asked the teacher who was in charge of the club to get me out of the club. But he didn't accept my request. At last I began to train again. I just kept practicing without any goals in the begining.

 But one thing made me change my mind.

 One day while I was running in the 500 meters race, the other runners were running as fast as they could. So I gradually ran faster and rushed into the goal. My time was down about 20 seconds lower than that of my best in the seventh grade. Moreover I was beaten by my rival runner, when I beat in the seventh grade. I found that my running power was much lower than before. But after this race I didn't run earnestly. I thought that the Ekiden race was not something for me. But when I watched my teammates running very hard, I felt angry with the weakness of my mind. "I will soon regain my running power and become even faster than before," I thought. "I will push to the limits of my power."

 After that I could stand the hardship of practicing. I said to myself, "It is not only I but also the others that suffer. Never give up."

 My time improved. Then I was chosen as a regular member of the Chubu Ekiden race team.

Unfortunately I couldn't do my best because I was too tense. But I have no regrets. I truely think that I was very happy to be on the Ekiden team. It improved my patience and concentration, and so on. And that also helped me to study for a long time and practice with my kendo club so hard.

 Now I really would like to say thank you to the Ekiden teacher who didn't let me quit. If I didn't join the Ekiden team, I couldn't be what I am now.

 It is very difficult to carry out something painful and bitter. You may often want to escape from it. But, can you beat others if you can't overcome your weakness? You can get strong by overcoming your weakness. I think everyone should try to face their problems and difficult times to get over their weaknesses and achieve their goals. (1995) 

WHAT I LEARNED FROM MY FATHER

Junko Kawahara

My father is a handicapped person. Last spring, when I just became 14 years old, he got a sudden severe headache and was carried to the hospital. He had a brain hemorrhage which means blood vessels in his brain burst.

 Almost a year and a half has passed since then. He still has some trouble with his right hand and right foot and can't remember things well. He isn't able to walk. He needs a wheelchair. His illness really surprised me although I believed he would soon be all right. But even after the operation, he wasn't able to recover as well as we hoped.

 My mother stayed away from home for a long three months to take care of him in the hospital. I shared the housework with my brothers while our parents were away. Sometimes, I spent the whole day crying alone at home while at school I tried to look as if nothing serious happened to me.

 Six months later, he appeared to recover and he could eat and talk on his own. That gave us much happiness and hope.

 My father's condition inspired me to join a volunteer class. So I visited a home for mentally handicapped children this summer. When I first saw them, they were shy but soon they opened up and smiled. We got to know each other by watching carttons, reading very much. At the same time, my uneasiness went away. During pool time, all the boys enjoyed swimming very much. However, one boy didn't try to swim at all. He was just walking around and drinking water with his hand. He seemed to want to tell something but couldn't get across. It was important for me to understand him. I believe, you can't be understood unless you understand some one else.

 Today, my father, with the help of rehabilitation, eats with his left hand in place of his right and pedals his wheelchair with his left foot only. He lives in a new facility for handicapped people. Many more handicapped people need rehabilitation. We must build more rehabilitation facilities so they can live in our community again.

 How can we in the community help them? We can open our hearts and minds because right now they are very closed. For example, how do we act around handicapped people? I once told my friend, "I usaulally try not to stare at handicapped people because it's impolite." She agreed. I guess you have the same idea as I did. Now, afte this year, I want to tell you that each time you try to be "polite" and NOT stare, you end up looking away, and that hurts the handicapped person even more. By "politely" avoiding handicapped people, we are really discriminating against them. This behavior comes from ignorance. We can stop ignorance by getting to know handicapped people. We must build a world where we can all live together: handicapped and non-handdicapped alike.

 In conclusion, what happened to my father has taught me many things. Perhaps you can learn more I did. The next time you see a handicapped person, remember he or she is a human being like you and me, and the best way you can be polite is by simply saying, "Hello, nice to meet you." (1996)

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