Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-07-16
SEPARATING RELIGION
AND EDUCATION IN THE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF KOREA
ASSOCIATED Press Correspondence


Seoul, Korea, June In. Komatzu,
director of the foreign affairs bureau OF
the government general, does not agree
with American missionaries that the new
educational regulations. recently effec-
tive in Korea, are tanamount to a sep
aration OF education and religion In the
schools. The principal object Of the
legislation, he recently told CORES
pondent of The Associated Press, was tc
apply to private schools. including az
mission schools, the general principles
Of national education which are enforced
upon government institutions. 80 that all
institutions. whether governmental o.
private, shall cooperate to promote the
general education OF the people.
This" he said, means that private
schools shall adopt the curriculum and
subjects of study arranged for the gov.
ornamental schools. No religious study is
included In the new curriculum; merely
the teaching of morals. OF course the
mission schools will be affected more
than the other private schools, but mas.
much as the mission schools were estab-
lished to fill an educational need and that
can now expend the funds hitherto ap.
propriated for education to the direct
propagation of religion by increasing the
number of churches and establishing ad-
ditional Sunday schools and Bible socie-
ties"
Rev F. Heron Smith. OF Seoul has
explained the new regulations. 10 years
of grace having been granted in which
to comply with them. by saying that the
mission schools may still be conducted
but their teachers must not teach re-
ligion in them. The new rules. he added,
affect mission schools also in that all
teachers in the elementary schools must
have licenses from the government and
that such licenses can be secured only
after the teachers have passed examina-
tons in morals. the national language,
history and other studies.
DR.. Smith concludes his study Of the
new regulations by saying that they will
be accepted and an honest attempt made
to obey them. He adds: The hope that
that part which forbids religious teach
ing in mission schools may be rescinded
will be shared by all the Christians and
csc Empire
Writing in the Japan Evangelist" Dr.
Smith expresses the opinion that it is
the policy of the government to Japoni.
cize the Koreans and that the govern.
ment realizes that this must largely b.
done in the schools. He quotes Governor
Terauchi as saying: The ways and
means by which civilization can be ad
vanced and the foundation of state con
solidated are not limited in number blu,
the most important thereof is, withou,
doubt, the educating Of the rising gener-
alton. 1T is also a fact that 1t is diff
cult if not impossible for the mission
aries who have supervision of the private
schools and the Koreans who have
charge of the private secular schools tc
Japonicize their pupils even if they are
anxious to do So They are permeated
with the spirit and ideals of their owr
civilization, and they unconsciously
transmit them 20 their pupils. Nor are
these teachers, foreigners and Koreans
always filled with admiration for the
Japanese
Several missionaries are quoted ir
newspapers as favoring the establish.
ment of Sunday schools instead of com
men schools because all the people might
be invited on Sunday while only Chris
tian converts were likely to attend the
mission schools. They agreed with MIR
komatzu that the mission boards were
obliged to establish schools for elennen
tary education because the former gov.
eminent had NOT done so.