제주의 근대 교육운동과 신성여학교 연구

Abstract

In the Modern period, the education of Jeju has undergone an extreme change. There were three types of modern schools: public schools constructed by Japanese policy, private schools established for spreading of modern education, and mission schools founded by Catholics for missionary purposes. This study focused on the Shinsung Women's School, which is the Catholic missionary school. Before the Shinsung Women's School was built, 'Jeju Women's School' was considered to exist in the previous researches. However, through the situation of Jeju and the data of Catholic Church at that time, it revealed that there was an orphanage operated by the Saint Enfance rather than 'Jeju Women's School'. In 1901, a 'Jeju anti-Christian movement' occurred in Jeju due to the conflict between Jeju residents and Catholics. As a result, hundreds of Catholics lost their lives. Eventually, the missionary, called Lacrouts, who led the Jeju Catholic Church, had no choice but to change his missionary policies. He sought to establish a modern school in Jeju as a way of mission. At that time, establish movement for school took place, and modern schools were being established. In addition, even Protestants started to construct the schools. Lacrouts, who is inspired by the situation of the Catholic Church in Jeju and the movement to establish schools, decided to found a school. Finally, the Shinsung Women's school was built in 1909. Because most of the Catholics were poor at this time, the operating capital of Shinsung Women's School was solely in charge of the missionaries. They had secured operating funds through various methods to supplement the lack of capitals; support from overseas monasteries; request for aid directly, and collect church operation cost from the parish church for operating school cost. Based on these funds, they bought or repaired and expanded the school buildings. In addition, they bought educational equipment or used school payroll. With managing finance the Shinsung Women's School was able to run more stable by 1914. According to the operating the method of the Shinsung Women's School, we can ascertain two characteristics: One is the management of infant and primary education, and the other is the education targeted at Women. Most of the schools run by the Catholic Church had a school system which is a level of elementary. The Shinsung Women's School also run the school focusing on infants and elementary education, but occasionally provided secondary education for their students. Despite having entered the modern era, women living in this period had little opportunity to learn. Moreover, there was no official education institution for women in Jeju. Since the Shinsung Women's School was established as the first female education institution in Jeju, it was possible to start female education in Jeju. Plus, it influenced the expansion of the opportunity of women for social activities and the change of perception about women. The priest did not directly teach students, especially females. Therefore, in Shinsung Women's School as well, the priest did not instruct his students. Instead of him, two nuns who were trained to educate students at Chartres, Sisters of St. Paul de were assigned as teachers. Compared to regular teachers, they received two to three times less wages. Therefore, by employing nuns it was helpful to reduce personnel expenses, which accounted for a significant portion of the spending. And there were male teachers, but only one to three people worked. They usually taught the nationalistically perspective to their students. In the beginning, some students grew up in an orphanage. But later the majority of students were grown up in families. As the reputation of Shinsung Women's School improved, even some students living far from the school wanted to enter. Since the Shinsung Women's School provided a dormitory, they were able to accept those students as well. However, the school closed seven years after its opening in 1916. In previous studies, the cause of the closure was regarded as the oppression of Japan. But there was a rule in the Private school rules revised in 1915, which is the basis of oppression by Japan. Because the licensed schools were allowed ten-year grace period, it was not directly related to the cause of the closure of the Shinsung Women's School. The actual reason of closure was in the empty area of Jeju. In 1914, French priests living in Korea were mobilized for World War I. The priest, Lacrouts, also left Jeju. Jeju ended up becoming an empty area without a priest. Without a priest who was in charge of the overall operation of the school, the school was not able to manage, and forced to be closed. However, after the closure of the school, the students graduated from the Shinsung Women's School, Jeju residents and Catholics has remembered the Shinsung Women's School and tried to re-open school in their own way. Finally, the school could be reopened under the name of 'Shinsung' after Korea's liberation from Japan's colonial rule.