全校集会——表彰与"您先请"的故事
雨过天晴，虽是薄云的天气，却迎来了清爽的早晨。今天的全校集会久违地从表彰开始。这次受到表彰的是男子网球部。同学们在校内外不断努力的成果，能以这样看得见的形式呈现出来，是一件令人高兴的事。
（表彰的情况请点击这里⇒春季総体で躍動！テニス部が団体戦・個人戦で第3位入賞）
随后，校长就上周的修学旅行讲了一段话。三年级同学从上周二出发，途中虽有台风临近等令人担心的时刻，但全体同学都平安归来。
校长说，旅途中有一件特别想与大家分享的事。那是第三天，在高山市内自由游览的时间里——在选购特产、边走边品尝美食的旅行最后时光中，一位三年级同学正在收银台前排队，可队伍迟迟没有前进，集合时间也渐渐临近。
这时他注意到，排在身后的另一所学校的同学似乎也很着急。于是这位北稜中学校的三年级同学说了一声"您先请"，把排队的顺序让给了对方。
后来，那位被让出顺序的学校的老师，特意向北稜中学校的老师转达："那位同学真的非常感激。"这份温柔，悄悄递给了一个既非同班、也非同校、更非朋友，素不相识的人。
校长说，这正是他平日里常讲的"珍惜身边的人"这句话的一种体现。而且，这份善意从受到帮助的同学，传到对方学校的老师，再传到北稜中学校的老师，经过许多人的心传递、扩散开来——这也让他深受触动。
世上有许多像"抢椅子游戏"一样的场面：为了自己坐下，不惜把别人推开。但我们想追求的，并不是那样的世界——椅子不够，就再找一把；看到有人吃力，就让出来；自己也累的话，挪一挪、各坐半边也未尝不可。不是"自己，还是对方"，而是要去思考"自己和对方"都珍惜的方法。
对人温柔，并不需要特别的场所。在学校、在家里、在电车上都可以做到。一点点的善意，有时能极大地支撑住某个人的心。如果这样的善意在校园里一点点增多，北稜中学校就会成为一所更让人安心生活的学校——校长以这样的寄语结束了讲话。
愿这份从"您先请"一句话扩散开来的善意之缘，今后也能被我们好好珍惜。
关键词：北稜中学校、学校日记、全校集会、校长讲话、修学旅行、男子网球部、关爱他人
Whole-School Assembly — The "After You" Story
The rain had cleared, and although the sky was lightly overcast, it was a fresh, pleasant morning. Today's whole-school assembly opened, for the first time in a while, with an award presentation. The honour this time went to the boys' tennis club. It is a real pleasure to see the effort our students put in, both inside and outside school, take such a visible form.
(You can see the award presentation here ⇒春季総体で躍動！テニス部が団体戦・個人戦で第3位入賞 )
The headteacher then spoke about last week's Year 9 school trip. The Year 9 students set off last Tuesday, and although there were some anxious moments, such as an approaching typhoon, everyone returned safely.
He shared one episode from the trip that he was especially keen to tell us about. It happened on the third day, during the free time to explore the city of Takayama. In those final hours of the trip, spent choosing souvenirs and sampling street food, one Year 9 student was waiting in a checkout queue. The queue, however, was barely moving, and the meeting time was drawing near.
Just then, the student noticed that a pupil from another school standing behind them also seemed to be in a hurry. So the Hokuryō student said, "After you," and gave up their place in the queue.
Afterwards, a teacher from that other school went out of their way to pass a message to one of our teachers: "That student was truly grateful." It was a quiet act of kindness offered to a complete stranger — not a classmate, not a schoolmate, not even a friend.
This, the headteacher said, is one form of the words he so often shares: "cherish the person beside you." He was also moved by how that kindness travelled onward — from the pupil who received it, to the other school's teacher, and then to our own teacher — passing through many hearts and spreading.
The world is full of moments that resemble a game of musical chairs: pushing someone aside just to claim a seat for yourself. But that is not the kind of world we wish to aim for. If there aren't enough chairs, we can look for another. If someone is struggling, we can offer them a seat. If we are tired too, we might shuffle along and share half each. It is not "me or you," but rather finding a way for "both me and you" to matter.
Being kind does not require a special place. It can be done at school, at home, or on the train. A small kindness can, at times, be a great support to someone's heart. If kindness like this gradually grows within our school, Hokuryō Junior High School will become a place where everyone can feel more at ease — and with that message, the talk came to a close.
We hope to keep cherishing this chain of kindness, which began with a single "After you."
Keywords: Hokuryō Junior High School, school diary, whole-school assembly, headteacher's talk, school trip, boys' tennis club, kindness
