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Show Japanese Youths Arrive For Garfield Exchange Four Japanese youngsters, two boys and two girls. met their host families Monday, July 22, at the Garfield County courthouse. The four, ranging in age from 13 to 17, were part of a contingent of 109 Japanese students who are being hosted by Utah families. John P. Murphy, assistant state 4-H director of Utah State University at 'Logan brought these 'and other LEX (Language, Experience, Experiment and Exchange) students to Garfield and Kane counties.. The host families were on hand to greet the youngsters when they arrived by van from northern Utah. Mika Matsumura, a 14-year-old girl will live with Mr. and Mrs. John (Evelyn) Pfnister, while the other Japanese girl will be sharing the home of the James Townzen family. She is 17-year-old Yukio Sakai, a pen pal of the Townzen's daughter, Susan. One of the two boys was taken to the home of the Tom Hatch family, 13-year-old Satoshi Narita. The other boy went to the home of the Kendall Brinkerhoff family. He is 15-year-old Takehiro Ukai. The group will stay with their "families" for just a day or so over a month. The students pay their own way from Japan, to the states and back again. Utah sends 4-H students to Japan every other year at a cost of $1,200 per student. At both ends of the exchange program, the cost of keeping the young people is borne by the host families. HbM$!&i3V IH' VHV HI&T-SH&HmM Japanese students once again come to southern Utah to share their culture and ideas with their host families. They are Mika Matsumura, 14; Yukiko Sakal, 17; Takehiro Ukai, IS; and Satoshi N 'a. 13. 4 The group that came to southern Utah is headed by a chaperone Kiyoko Takayama who will stay in Kanab and will be available if any serious difficulties come up. The Utah - Japan exchange program began in 1974 and has grown each year since. Murphy estimates that approximately a dozen states are taking advantage of the program. He feels that the program will begin to grow rapidly these next few years and feels that the cultural exchange is one that will greatly benefit both Japan and America. Murphy, who has worked with young people all over the U.S. says that usually he has little difficulty controlling them. He says that he teaches them that when he wants their attention, he will yell loudly, "Match in the gas tank," and the youngsters reply loudly, "Boom, boom." Murphy says the Japanese students have extreme difficulty with "boom boom." He says it' usually comes out so garbled that he and the students laugh so hard, it takes quite some time to regain control. "It's a good program," Murphy says, "and well worth the time, effort and money Involved." Murphy who has been in the 4-H and related programs for many years is a son-in-law of Mr, and Mrs. Jim (Katie) Thomas, Tropic. He is married to their youngest daughter Kathleen. The Murphy's live in Hyde Park, Utah where they are the parents of five children. |