Japan Quake Rpt: Obata Aug ’13

３１１、宮城県のN小学校は２階まで津波に襲われ、無残に破壊し尽くされた。たが、教師たちのまさに献身的な気遣いと行動で、まだ校舎にいた児童も教職員も一人も欠けることなく、安全な裏山まで避難することができた。その一部始終を教頭先生から、初めにお聞きしたときは、おもわず泣いた。　その後、いろいろあったのだろうが、結局、構造のしっかりしていた校舎を修理して使うことになった。１１月の初めには、再び、この校舎に帰ってくるという。勿論、避難の工夫は万全とお聞きした。毎回、行くたびに思うのだが、あれだけの経験をしながら、児童たちの顔は明るい。

On 311 (three eleven, March 11) the Natari Elementary School House in Miyazaki Prefecture was cruelly struck by a tsunami which went to the second floor. Thanks to the self-sacrifice of the teachers not one of the students or teachers remaining in the school house at the time were injured. They all escaped to a mountain behind the school house. I listened to the assistant principal tell me this for the first time and found myself crying. After this many things happen, but the school house as a building is sound so they have decided to repair and reuse it again. They believe they will be able to return to the school house at the beginning of November. They will make provisions for evacuation. Each time the children go to school they will have bright faces I think.