教室創始者の名は芝間タヅ。

　広島女学院の卒業生として米国に留学経験を持ち、帰国後母校で英語の教鞭をとっていた彼女は1945年出勤前の自宅で原爆投下を被災します。

　一瞬のうちに焼け野原と化した広島市。訳も分からず彼女は歩いて郊外の実家へとたどり着きます。
　道中に広がる惨状。人々の目は暗く沈んで声もなく、その姿はまるで誰もが幽霊のようだったと後に語ってくれました。

The name of the founder is Tazu Shibama.

As a graduate of Hiroshima Jogakuin, she was teaching English at her alma mater after studying in the U.S., when the Atomic Bomb was dropped in Hiroshima.

In an instant, the city of Hiroshima turned into a burnt-out wasteland. Without knowing why, she walked to her parents’ house in the suburbs.
　The devastation spread along the way. She later told me that the people’s eyes were dark and silent, and that they all looked like ghosts.

　実家にてわずか数日の休息の後、もはや立ち上がれないかもしれないほどの悲しみを抱え,それでも勇気を振り絞って芝間タヅが目指したのは彼女が教鞭をとっていた女学校でした。しかし校舎は全壊。登校していた学生たちの大半も犠牲となっていました。

　学校も教える生徒もいない。呆然と立ち尽くすしかない日々。
　そんな彼女に米国留学の経歴を耳にした米軍よりオファーがかかります。
　GHQによる公文書の翻訳、行政に携わる様々な場面での通訳。息つく暇もないほどの忙しさでした。

After only a few days of rest at her parents’ house, Tazu Shibama summoned up the courage to go to the girls’ school where she had been teaching, even though she was too sad to stand up. However, the school building was completely destroyed. Most of the students who had been attending the school were also killed.

 

　There was no school and no students to teach. There was nothing to do but stand there in a daze.

　Then, the U.S. military heard about her career in the U.S. and offered her a job.

　She translated official documents issued by the GHQ and interpreted in various administrative situations. She was so busy that she had no time to breathe.

　その後進駐軍軍属としての任務を解かれた彼女は引き続き通訳としての誘いを受けますがこれを固辞。

時代の要請を背景に、広島市内のこの地に芝間英語教室を開校します。

She was later relieved of her duties as a member of the Occupation forces and was offered a position as an interpreter, which she declined.
She opened Shibama English School here in　Hiroshima City.