Moka High School Memorial Hall
The Memorial Hall stands beside the north gate of Tochigi Prefectural Moka High School.
This building was the main hall of the former Moka Middle School, completed in 1904.
In 1967, the school was rebuilt with reinforced concrete structures. At that time, the old main building was relocated to its current site (1968) and became the Memorial Hall. The first floor is mainly used as exhibition rooms, while the second floor serves as an auditorium.
Facing the north gate, a gate pillar bearing a sign reading “Memorial Hall” stands on the right side.
I’m just viewing it from the road, as I didn’t apply for a tour.
Moka High School was established in 1900 in Moka Town, Haga County, as Tochigi Prefectural Third Middle School.
Until then, Tochigi Prefecture had only two middle schools: First Middle School in Utsunomiya City and Second Middle School in Tochigi Town (present-day Tochigi City). Consequently, there was a demand for a school in the southeastern part of Tochigi Prefecture.
The Third Middle School was renamed “Tochigi Prefectural Moka Middle School” in 1901.
After the World War II, it was renamed “Tochigi Prefecture Moka High School” in 1948, then “Tochigi Prefectural Moka High School” in 1951, and has remained so to this day.
A close-up shot of the main building’s entrance.
Incidentally, the following photograph, apparently taken during the Meiji period, exists as the “old main building” of Moka Middle School. It seems to be displayed at the Moka High School Memorial Hall, but I quarted it from “Modern Architecture in Tochigi” (1981).
Looking at this, the second floor of the entrance roof appears as a balcony, differing from the current memorial hall. The shape of the central second-floor window is also different.
Tochigi Prefectural Third Middle School opened in 1900 and initially began classes in temporary buildings. However, the two-story main building was completed in March 1901. (The school name was changed to Moka Middle School shortly thereafter, in May 1901.)
Within the same year, a gymnasium and a dormitory were built. The following year, 1902, saw the construction of new classroom buildings, north and south buildings.
I believe the photo above shows the main school building completed in 1901. The reason its shape differs from the current memorial hall is that the school building was nearly destroyed by the typhoon of 1905.
On September 28, 1902, a typhoon struck the Kanto region. It appears to have passed from Tateyama through Yokosuka, moving north across the Kanto Plain and passing by Niigata Prefecture. This typhoon caused significant damage in Tochigi and Ibaraki Prefectures.
The “Meiji 35 Storm Memorial Photo Album” published the following year includes a photograph of Moka Middle School.
I don’t believe it shows the main building, but it depicts the school building that was half blown away. In the foreground, dismantled timber is piled up.
The north and south buildings and the dormitory were completely destroyed. The main building was severely tilted, forcing the school to suspend classes.
Classes resumed using the remaining gymnasium as temporary classrooms, and reconstruction of the school buildings was rushed. The main building was also demolished and rebuilt anew. The main building completed in January 1904 is the current Memorial Hall.
The Memorial Hall photographed from the north side.
In 1998, the Moka High School Memorial Hall was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property. (The Agency for Cultural Affairs records its construction as 1903. They probably concluded it had been completed in December. The Moka High School website also lists 1903.)
The Agency for Cultural Affairs’ description states: “Its simple exterior, featuring clapboard siding and casement windows, aptly reflects the school’s ethos of ‘simplicity and strength’. It is now maintained and utilized as a facility narrating the school’s history, cherished by a wide circle of alumni.”
[Reference]
“Meiji 35 Storm Memorial Photo Album” (by Kimura Sakujiro / Published by Uchida Hamakichi / 1903)
“History of Education in Tochigi Prefecture, Volume 4” (Compiled by the Tochigi Prefecture History of Education Compilation Committee / Tochigi Prefecture Federation of Education Associations / 1958)
“Modern Architecture in Tochigi” (Edited by Matsui Jin and Okada Yoshiharu / Tochigi Prefecture Architectural Research Association / 1981)
“History of Moka City, Volume 8 (Modern and Contemporary General History)” (Compiled by the Moka City History Compilation Committee / Moka City / 1988)