Teachers From American Innocent Abroad: The Establishment of the First Girls’ School in Korea

• In Event: Data and Discourse: Diverse Approaches to Analyzing Teachers’ Work in History

Abstract

This paper concerns the establishment of the first girl’s school in Korea that was launched by American missionaries in the late 19th century. Drawing on the case of the first girl’s school in Korea – Ewha Haktang – the paper examines the tensions and conflicts between white American female missionaries and Korean education policymakers surrounding both the operation of the schools and the pedagogical practices deemed appropriate to the education of civilized students by the American missionaries. In sum, American teachers and Korean education policymakers shared an idea that educated women should be helpful to men or their nation. It provides the hidden effect of the civilizing mission of the American missionaries in the late 19th century.

Authors

• Wooyeong Kim, Sangmyung University

• Sangjun Jeong, Jeonbuk National University