was taken to be a condition of full sponsorship that graduating students would become permanently attached to the school. Parents or guardians of partially sponsored students, on the other hand, were required to sign an agreement which stipulated that their children would work for the school in some capacity for a period of no less than five years after graduation.
Relations between students, both sponsored and otherwise, were regulated by a strict system of discipline devised by Wichit himself. Confidental files were kept on all students over the age of 14, and those trusted by the authorities acted as 'prefects', spying and reporting on their fellows. Such coercive methods were added to by a rigid separation of the sexes which was aimed at maintaining moral standards.61
The actual syllabus the students followed was extensive, and clearly designed to create individuals with a heightened, unequivocal sense of 'Thainess'. It featured both culturally-oriented studies as well as a range of general knowledge subjects. The somewhat eclectic range of cultural subjects included: elocution and deportment, Thai classical dance drama, Western-styled spoken drama, stage direction, the study of Southeast Asian languages (the actual languages were not specified), Thai and foreign customs, general knowledge about Thai and foreign handicrafts, Thai and foreign folk tales and classical literature, as w'eli as Thai and Western-style singing.
The general knowledge subjects taught at the school were, with the exception of psychology, virtually the same as those found in ordinary Bangkok schools. These included: language studies (Thai, English, French), civic duties, drawing, handicraft, physical education, general knowledge about Siam, Siamese and world history, as well as mathematics and science, both of which were simplified versions of the normal state school courses.62
Wichit wasted little time before setting his ambitious plans to promote local art into action, and shortly after the school was established, its student musicians, dancers and actors began to perform before the public. On these occasions, a range of works were staged, from classical-style dance-drama such as Prince Narit's Inao ton wai phra
(a section adapted from the Ramakian), to Western-style stage plays, including Wichit's own Luk rathathamanun mentioned above.63
Local opinion about the merits of the school, as evidenced from comments in the press during the latter part of 1934, was sharply divided. Not unexpectedly, the main pro-government newspaper, P rachachat, owned and operated by Prince Wan
Prachachat, 18 May 1934.
P rach ach at, 30 April 1934. Little is known about the teachers who worked at the school, although it was reported in the press that the many o f those who taught cultural subjects were plundered from the Ministry of the Royal Household. Krungthep warasap, 26 December 1934.
Prachatipatai, 14 July 1934. 63
Waithayakon was fulsome in its praise of the school's activities.64 Various non-partisan publications on the other hand, were less enthusiastic. The Lak mu'ang for example reported that the performances given by the students were 'very boring', and believed that the government should devote all its energy towards improving Siam's productive capacity rather than committing scarce funds and personnel to the arts.65 Further criticisms were raised at the end of 1934 when the government allocated 6,000 baht for the construction of a theatre for staging performances by the fledgling student company. This time it was suggested that the money spent on the theatre would have been of greater use in improving the standard of technical education.66 While this was indeed a valid point, it should be mentioned that the government actually intended the student company to support itself and contribute towards costs of the department by performing for profit. With the completion of the new theatre early in 1935, the company was in a position to do this and began to compete with the various professional Chinese and Thai performing troupes in earnest67
Notwithstanding the criticism levelled at the school, it quickly emerged as a significant body by functioning as a key link in the development of warmer ties between Siam and Japan. Shortly after the school was established the Japanese Minister Yatabe, announced that his government would provide funds to sponsor ten students a year. At the same time Yatabe also forwarded an invitation to a group of the school's young artists and a number of their teachers to visit Japan the following year to perform for local audiences and learn about Japanese culture.68 This trip was to be paid for by the Japanese.
As a result of these initiatives, Wichit developed a good relationship with members of the local Japanese community and in 1935 he became a member of the newly formed Japan-Siam Association.69 The formal aim of this body was to promote friendship between the two countries, and at various times in the following years Wichit, as head of the Department of Fine Arts, worked towards this end, helping to organize the screening of Japanese documentary films, and having his staff entertain visiting Japanese artists and dignitaries.70 While Japan's support of the arts was a calculated move to improve her own position locally, it also provided benefits to the