Ashiya Dependent ES/HS History
Opened: 1953
Closed: 1960
The Ashiya Dependents’ School was opened in 1953 and closed in 1960. It was located on the Ashiya Air Force Base in Kyushu, Japan. The airfield was established by the Japanese in 1944 and was taken over by the occupying American forces in 1945. The school began with grades one through eight and became a one through twelve school in 1956. The average enrollment for the final three years of the school was 500 students. A kindergarten with seventy-two students was added the last year. According to the 1958-59, yearbook there were only two graduating seniors that year, five juniors, 25 sophomores and 12 freshmen. There were at least two classes at each of the elementary grade levels. The last yearbook, Samurai, reported a senior class of 9 and two to three classes for each elementary level. Sports for the high school students focused on cheerleading for girls and basketball for boys. The last year, the school had a girls’ basketball team that played two games. Activities for high school students included chorus, journalism, student council and photography.
Source: Japan District DOD Dependent Schools History 1946-2009