식민지기 여성 고등교육의 지향점으로서 교사 양성 - 이화여자전문학교를 중심으로 -

Abstract

Modern-style Higher education for Korean females were initiated by Protestant missionaries during the Japanese Occupation period. From the year 1910 through 1937, Higher education for women was only conducted at the Ewha Hakdang Collage and the Ewha Women’s Special School -which were schools aligned with the Protestant church- for 28 years. Status of the latter was unique, earning the school a reputation duly recognized by every school girl who aspired to be enrolled at the school. Ewha Women’s Special School conducted American-styled Cultural education and Major education, through individual schools dedicated to respective majors such as Liberal arts, Music, Housework and Childcare, etc. Primary goal of this fashion of higher female education was to train teachers who could teach and serve in the future at Protestant schools. Ewha Women’s Special School was able to turn out countless teachers who would perform education in various areas, not only as kindergarten teachers (which had usually been females anyway) but also as Music teachers who could engage in missionary activities, Housework teachers who could teach students the role of modern-style females at home, and English teachers who could teach them the Western culture. Graduates of the Ewha Women’s Special School continued to teach at kindergartens and private women’s high schools all around the country. At the time females were only able to cultivate limited careers in the society, but Ewha Women’s Special School graduates who became teachers proudly considered themselves as female intellectuals, and the society too considered them as such. As time progressed, more females chose higher education, became teachers, and advanced their own careers in the society.