Although Kodama's academy was a private institution, his students were all set on becoming professional painters. Highly motivated and self-disciplined, they placed high expectations on themselves.
兒玉畫塾雖屬私人繪畫研究機構，由於門生都以成為專業畫家為目標，一切講求自動自發，自我鞭策得相當嚴格。