New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-28
sCHOOLMASTERS IN CORBA.
THE HERMIT NATION LEARNING MANY
THINGS FROM YANKEES.

THINGS FROM YANkEES
IRON AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THH TRRoNh'I
SEOUL Corea, October l.
30 tho most monument results OF the opening OF
1anan IN Western civilization the school system when
she has adopted and the influence which II exerts oy
upon the political and social life of that nation MOI sa
fed with the possession of fine National University he
has introduced the study Of English into her primary ana
intermediate schools she rs nation escapes inc e'
results of that conservatism which makes many OF her
Monrolan neighbors proud to copy from nations OF
the West Such being the Importance OF the educatohh
uovementn Japan 1t is of interest to watch an eo'
tional movement which Is Just beginning Ill Tue Hup'
Corea which, although not at present so wealthy OF pow"
erful rs Japan held the preeninence over MI he
neigbors IN the arts and sciences This educaoha Id
sution is the interesting being the hrst "hoy
fr institution i'm the land To be sure the MARION mas
had the aid of China In her customs department "u'
ONLY temporary supervision. as the English couu" "
Chinese customs only temporary matter i"o W
Enlistment of elegraphic system aud the erecuoh OF
powder mill have required foreign help but tue hr'
permanent national institution wholly nnoer 'e eo"
OF foreigners Is the Royal College of Corea
During the period Immediately preceding the disturb
apces of 1884 and 1885, great interest was exclten Ill tue
Investigation of foreign institutions ana customs ino
embassy which sent to the United States maze care
fu study of various schools and colleges and reported OH
the same when they returned just at that ume WIG"
the advancement of Corea seemed an assured TACT an
American citizen residing in Seoul holding office under
the American Government, suggested 10 his eioes' ~
advisabty of establishing national schooi io 'no pun
pose OF teaching the English language ana 'ne SUI
euces 40 that the might have trained men W
rv On viii, understanding the business Of the nation
and 10 sustain properly foreign relations The plan
met the hearty approval of His Majesty and the Foreign
Office was instructed to apply the American Govern
ment through its representative here for three men W
come AMI inaugurate such an institution
The American Government at once put tie ina,'oi o
the hands of its Commissioner of Education BY him three
men we're selected Mr. ID. A. Bunker, a graduate VI
Oberlin College Mr.. G. W. Gilmore, OF Princeton anu
Mr. IL B. Hubert g Dartmouth. But Immediately upon
their appointment the news OF the oioody S'oo
tou Of December 1884, and as its result was uS''-
TO the existing Liberal party feared that the nego
atons for teachers would be of no avail But the CoTean
Government had already elegraphed that the teach
ers had been appointed and the the Foreign Office did not
choose TO 20 back upon its request so the men were
summoned To the HELD
OF course Corean Government did not kno" INC
exact nature OF the school which was needed nut icfI
the decision of this point entirely with the instructors
giving them orders simply " make the school like the
American schools This little corps teachers took with
them p set of sample copies of school books from the
lowest to the highest On their way across the continent
they visited various educational Institutions, one pelhg
the School OF Agriculture and the Mechanical Arts at
Manhattan Kan where many useful facts we're gathered
which will help if such school should ever be con-
for Corea After crossing the Pacific the ed
cationa status of Japan carefully examined and dis
cssed and OF success there noted as well AZ e
requisites for success in Corea The phenomenal al
vancemen of Japan during the last ten years Is encou
agement enough work In Corea, especially when inc
mental and racial similarity between the two nations Is
considered The Corean OF to-day has the same enaclty
If memory which characterzes the japanese This
quality is a great encouragement but on te oer hahu "
is true that like the japanese is not naturay
lgca But what else be expected after centuries Oh
thu haitr af Wis a
commit to memory Chinese characters and the maxhs
Of Confucus and criterion OF literary merit Is the
number of lines poetry man can write III an hour ire
! spectve of their merit
The three instructors arrived at Seoul on July D. Suit
ohle buildings were in course erection for their accom-
nodotion and school building The King and Govern
ment were cordial in their welcome and enthusiastic III
the nlan for work which laid before them hut the
paee OF cholera settled down. and while the CITY was
business Was suspended, and the city was almost silent
save cry Of the mourners as they ACE ss
especially unfortunate that the cholera came ~ une
waen 5ns Snen the plague ended and deadlock
! VS. hroken the Government found Itself I'M
able 70 transact its business result r Esayywhs ns
Chinese began to fear that Corea was eanihg 700 ia
toward foreign customs and through their influence iour
f tSe most uen the nation were sent into
temporsry Punishment ore Of them was the ocla Wno
Was p dav and for time thugs looked decidedly blue,
but work s went slowly and at last sne %
ugrD
terferencc finally died out and the four oansea Men Men
we're recalled Just that time the United states NH
ix,sr IN Cuea was recalled and LIEUTENANT George y.
FoIlk was placed in the Legation NICE ne Is nm h
who enjoys the utmost confidence OF the hhS anu an
Government change was apparent az once IN NV
activity on the school question The King VINO nau III
vent In the dark in regard Ia the nonOpening VI ue
shoo Immediately ordered that the thlrty.nve men VINO
had been selected pupils should be IN ther p'ces u,
the students dwelling house In ten days or theii parents
| would lie punished. -. ar, proe,
on September 10 the American teachers mel the rs,-
dent of The Home Office and his stan in the school pud
ing aud the pupils were introduced Justice conpels me
10 say that cleaner brighter more gentenany sci OF
ellaxs could not be picked from the OF
American college. quick Intelligence marked every
feature and an intense enthusiasm was evident III the
eager gaze and breahlcss interest which they TOOK In
f,e ntoceedings. 1t novel presentation Doth Ia
o and Ia the teachers None OF them had ever shaken
sads hcfoye and they received their first lesson in
nertcou manners seeing how that operation Ia per
rncd The udicrous side OF the proceeding was evident
a. ,hem and their laughs at the teachers poor attempts ot
s,a Ccrcau language ~ frequent " the teacnefs
s,niIes nj the and trembling Vita which
me nn,,s put forward their hands TO SNAKE Tor ue
hr IT, snross aim of the Government in forming this
schno - n ~ men by the study OF the English language
and cusfoins and by study OF tne hsciu pancncs vi
knowesce 10 serve the Government AS foreign ministers
and diplosats that fail OF that dsncuon VIII
be given important work nj home. Inc course OF stny
present contemplated In u cover sp'eo oi sih
years. unless special capacity shall make snorter tm
sufficient The pupils have been seiectea ~itn specii
reference 10 thcr Intelligence and Willingness % work.
or the thtyve studsnta fourteen ae bctween te ages
Of twenty-five and thirty and men OF rank Inc re-