本文透過考察日治中期公學校畢業生在社會上的狀況，重新思考日治時期新教育的社會意義。1920年代以後，學校體系整備，就學人數也逐漸增加。臺灣總督府或教育關係者的預想是，大部分臺灣人只要公學校畢業即可投入職場，但是對選擇接受新教育的臺灣人來說，可能很多人正想藉此擺脫農民的位置， 兩者之間出現了相當的落差。公學校教育為畢業生帶來不同的生涯發展，農村中從公學校畢業的人，至少有20％的人日後得以脫離農業等依靠勞力的傳統生業。臺灣社會逐漸認識到，學歷是可以證明自己能力的證明書。有學習意欲的臺灣兒童，爭取自己進入近代學校的機會，以公學校為起點，一階一階的取得更高學校的入學資格，或是以此學力／學歷為基礎，嘗試正規升學管道以外的學習機會，以便能在社會上有更多發展的可能性。雖然整個日治時期，自公學校畢業的人還不是多數，但是他們對自己所受的新教育抱著自豪威。他們之中有人繼續升學，甚至留學，成為知識菁英；更大多數的人雖然沒有繼續升學，但他們充分發揮公學校所學習的知識、能力，或善用公學校畢業的學歷資格，在社會上活躍。這些沒有繼續升學的公學校畢業生，提供我們重新思考日治時期新教育的社會意義。

This paper attempts to re-evaluate the social meaning of the new educational system under the Japanese rule by examining social status and activities of common school graduates during the middle period of the Japanese occupation. The educational system was upgraded after the 1920s to allow common school graduates to work immediately after graduation. However, for many Taiwanese who intended to transform their former social status from farmers this new educational system offer was not their first choice. The common school education provided the graduates different with career opportunities. At least 20% of the graduates from rural villages were able to break away from the traditional means of livelihood relying solely on labor, such as agriculture. Taiwanese people gradually realized that a diploma represented a certification of one's ability. Taiwanese children who had a desire for education would strive to enter a modem school. They saw common schools as a foundation either for acquiring the qualification for entering higher education or for exploring other non-conventional possibilities of learning in order to expand employment opportunities. Although the number of common school graduates was not high during the whole Japanese occupational period, they were proud of their education. Some of them continued to study, sometimes even went abroad, and eventually became social elites. The majority, who did not enter higher education, nonetheless became active members in society by making the best use of the knowledge they had learned in common schools or by capitalizing their diplomas. Through studying these common school graduates who did not receive higher education, we will be able to understand the social meaning of the new educational system under the Japanese occupation.