This study aims to examine the overall circumstances concerning education in Pyuang’an Province of Korea, by conducting an analysis on documents regarding three hundred fifty-four private schools founded from 1895 to 1910 in the area. By examining them, this study explains how the schools in this area had been established, by whom, with what kind of purpose.
When it comes to regional characteristic in the Pyuang’an Province, because of distinctive socio-economical features to the southern provinces, it is difficult to find a strong leadership by local gentry(Sajok) in this area. Traditionally, Hyang’in the middle class in local politics, mainly controlled local affairs, including education, and local bourgeois who accumulated wealth began to participated in local policy-making in the 19th century. In addition to the socio-economic characteristic, Pyuang’an Province, where Christianity was the most powerful in Korea, accommodated western culture and education more easily. Consequently, Pyuang’an Province became the area where the most schools had been established than any other provinces in Korea, and witnessed flourishing educational business at the time.
In respect to the period when private primary schools were founded, it is possible to classify the periodic trend into three groups. Period from 1894 to 1900 could be defined as ‘The Formative Period’. In this period, most of schools were established near big cities. Next, ‘The Developing Period’, from 1901 to 1905, the movement of establishment spread to rather small cities. At last, ‘The Golden Period’, since the Korea-Japan Treaty of 1905 the movement to establish a school was flourished than any other period in reaction to the treaty. Statistics also confirms that, as more than 80% of schools had been founded in this period, from 1906 to 1910. It is also analyzed that more than one school was established in every single counties(郡) of the Pyuang’an Province in this period.
Generally, private schools published a prospectus when it was established. By examining that, this study confirms that most of schools were established on the purpose of ‘Enlightenment’, and ‘Self-Strengthening’, by which nation become more powerful to gain independence from Japan.
Otherwise, few schools aimed at technology education or proficiency on specific skills. In some cases, some schools exploited the prospectus paper as an advertisement to ask financial aid.
On the other hand, with respect to the founders of schools, there were various kind of classes who established a school, such as missionaries, Christians, local bureaucrats, and local leaders including Confucian scholars, Hyang’in, and merchants. In respect of private schools, each of classes above tends to found a school respectively, or in some cases, in cooperation between two or more bodies. First, in the case of missionaries who played an important role at the first phase, they founded schools in the Pyuang’an Province, in the sense that Korea must be redeemed by Christianity, and must learn western civilization. However, this trend had been changed gradually, as other classes began to join the movement to found a school spurred by spread of western education. In addition, foundation of scholastic societies from 1907 accelerated the movement, and contributed to bring the ‘Golden Period’ as well.