Evening star., 1909-06-27

Chinese classics were the only standards
OF scholarship. Today our modern studies
have taken the place Of the classics, and
all Korea is studying the multiplication
table.
Just now there is some excitement
among the missionaries on account of an
imperial edict which provides that all pri-
vate schools shall be under government
direction. The authorities require full in
formation as to the names and character
of the teachers, and also as to the re-
ceipts and expenditures. All books have
TO be passed upon by the educational de-
partnent, and the teaching must be as
the government directs. This seems rather
severe. and 1t causes unfavora BILE COM
ment.
The Koreans have always been a lit
erary people. Much of the old learning
of Japan came from them, and they still
hold scholarship In the highest respect.
Indeed. the common word here for Mr..
is ''Schoolman." The Koreans cali each
Schoolman Kim, instead Of Mr.. PAX, Mr..
Ye or Mr.. Kim. In the past the better
classes OF the people have been well up
in Chinese. and I have seen picnic
parties OF young Korean gentlemen en-
gagged in writing Chinese poetry under
the trees They would take a text and
try who could make the best rhymes.
Such young men are now studying the
modern languages and sciences. They
have laid aside Confucius and Mencius
and are reading the New Testament
which has been translated by the mis-
sionaries, and also a number of other
books which are being turned into
Korean. A life of Garfield was recently
published. and also the STORY of Madam
Roland" popular book is Bunyan's
Pilgrims Progress, which was translated
by the late Mrs Gale and a young
Korean named -Ki-Taik. who re-
Gently had some trouble with the Jap
anese government. This Pilgrims Prog
ress has had large sale. and it is
going into a new edition. I underst and
that several Korean novels have been IS
sued, the two most popular now current
being spirit Voices" and Dead Tree
Flowers
Americans In Korea was the making of
the Korean English dictionary. This
was done by DIR. ]. 8. Gale, a Preshy-
terrain missionary He began 1t IN 1S9E,
after four years residence in the country,
and completed it within five years. Prior
20 that there was no means o. inter-com-
murication between tie foreigners and
the natives except through the Chinese
language. The work of making the die
tionary was enormous. The definitions
were IN Korean. Chinese and English, and
every character had to be just so. for tho
variation of a stroke or point might
perhaps turn the word Lord into
devil" The original edition of the die
ticnary has long since been sold out and
a new one is now being prepared DR..
Gale tells me that this is necessitatcd by
the thousands of new words which have
come into the language. caused by the
changes IN civilization and life OF the peo-
pie. Scientific words. such telephone. tele-
graph, dynamite and radfum, have had
TO De added. All of these have now their
Korean characters and they must be de-
fined. The new edition Of the dictionary
is being printed in Yokohama. and the
proofs are sent here TO DR.. Gale for cor
rection. have seen some of them.
Four readers go over every sheet and
the greatest care is taken that each
character is right. This is done by Chi
nese and Korean scholars. After this DIR.
Gale sends the proofs to the girls of the
Presbyterian mission school. They have
sharper eyes and quicker brains than the
OLD scholars and they find mistakes which
the latter have overlooked. At first Dr.
Gale offered to pay l cent for every cor
rection. After a number of sheets had
come back he figured up the account and