16. Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial School Monument
Not only tomatoes and cucumbers,
But also bananas and chocolate,
Even white rice balls―
With all these things offered
That you are unable to eat.
At least you may enjoy the morning dew on the dayflowers.
Explanation
This school was founded in 1899. In 1944, the school buildings were commandeered by the Army for its Weaponry School, so the school moved in with the Hiroshima Teachers School in Minami-machi.
At the time of the A-bombing, besides the students and teachers at the school in Minami-machi, many students and teachers were mobilized to different sites, such as Dobashi-cho and the City Hall area, and died there. Those killed in the A-bombing were three teachers, 33 students in the 4th year, 21 in the 3rd year, 64 in the 2nd year and 17 in the 1st year.
The poem on the monument reads as follows:
Dedicated to the souls sacrificed for the nation
Atsuo Oki(poet) member of 11th graduation class
Sacrificed in the war,
Fallen flowers, young friends.
You' re alive even now, alive here with us.
Look up, rest in peace.
Location : Hiroshima Prefectural Commerce School, Funairi-minami, Naka-ku