Our School’s History(本校の歴史)
Ibaraki Prefectural Shimotsuma Second Senior High School has gone through manytransformations during its long history. It was first established as an all-girls privateschool known as the “Women’s Keibun School” in the 42nd year of the Meiji Era (1909) bythe Kōmyō Temple Chief Priest, Miura Kusei. Later in 1919, it became a Shimotsumamunicipal school and subsequently one of the “eleven village schools” of ShimotsumaTown in 1923. Then in 1942, management of the school was transferred to the prefecturalgovernment, and it became known as the Ibaraki Prefectural Shimotsuma Girl’s HighSchool. After the war in 1948, the school again renamed itself as the Ibaraki PrefecturalWomen’s Senior High School. Due to the new coeducation system in 1949, the schoolwent through its final name change being designated as the Ibaraki PrefecturalShimotsuma Second Senior High School as it is known today.
Many milestones soon followed. In 1993, Shimotsuma Second Senior High Schoolfinally became coeducational. Having been selected to promote the enrollment of malestudents, the school achieved 40% male enrollment in its first year as a coeducationalschool. In 2009, the school celebrated its 100th anniversary. And since its inception,over 20,000 students have graduated from Shimotsuma Second, with many matriculatingonto both public and private universities.
The Pen and the Sword (文武両道)
In the long history of Shimotsuma Second Senior High School, cultural and athleticclubs and teams have prospered. The school’s Japanese archery (kyūdo) team has wonthe national tournament. The table tennis team has taken part in several inter highschool tournaments. And the volleyball, track and field, and badminton teams have takenpart in Kantō regional tournaments, all with amazing results.
In 2004 and 2009, the Shimotsuma Second Senior High School baseball team tookpart in the National High School Baseball Tournaments, known as “Kōshien”. Impressively,the boy’s softball team has been a perennial participant at the National Invitational HighSchool Softball Tournament for the past 11 years, with 8 other appearances at Inter High.In 2014, the boy’s softball team achieved a Best-16 outing at Inter High and a Best-8 outingat the National Invitational.
Both the Japanese calligraphy and photography clubs also took part as prefecturalrepresentatives at the National High School Comprehensive Culture Festival, garneringawards for their works. Through volunteering, the members of JRC ( Japan Red Cross)club have made a contribution to the growth of Shimotsuma in various ways by taking partin local activities around the city and school events at Shimotsuma Special EducationSchool.
Furthermore, our school is putting a great deal of effort into internationalunderstanding through our school trip to Guam and our language training program inAustralia. This year, students from Innisfail State College in Australia will visit our schoolfor the first time in ten years. Through such efforts, we are trying to develop studentswho will contribute to international society in the future.
Written and translated by Shimotsuma Second Senior High School English Speaking Society (ESS): Ami Tsukada (Classof 2013), Yūki Adachi (English Department), Albert David Valderrama (ALT 2010-2015)