20 The name “harmony and equality” that Enryō gave the group de-rives from the Analects of Confucius. Originally, the quote meant “harmonious yet not equal” (i.e. those who are virtuous create har-mony but do not blindly conform). However, Enryō read it as mean-ing “both harmonious and equal” (in the sense that he wanted eve-ryone to get on well and be on the same level). We can see the general mood of the early Meiji period reflected here. Though they were all students studying alike at the school, there was discrimination be-tween the gentry and commoners, as well as between Nagaoka city children and those from the countryside. Because the sons of the gentry had a strong sense of social status and tended to exclude oth-ers, Enryō named the group with the intention of reducing discrimi-nation and encouraging bonds of friendship. Later, Enryō would found a private school based in the belief that all people are equal with an educational principle of kindness and warmth as its foundation. We can see that the germ of this philoso-phy was likely created during this period. His time at the Western studies school lasted three years, from May of his sixteenth year to June of his nineteenth year. Items related to this sentimental period of Enryō’s youth are currently displayed in the Harmony and Equality Circle Hall, which today is the home of the Nagaoka High School Alumni Association. Among these items are two photographs: one showing Enryō on his own and the other with his fellow members. The fact that they went to the trouble of having these photos taken at a studio makes them especially valuable. Even though there were many twists and turns in the early days of
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