However, a former statesman of the Ashikaga clan, Soun TAZAKI took an active role in returning the book collection to the locals from the prefecture along with the western half of the former Ashikaga School precinct including the Confucian Shrine.
しかし、旧足利藩士田崎草雲らの活動により、蔵書は地元に返還され、孔子廟を含む旧足利学校の西半分とともに県から地元に返還された。