Bosung Girls` Middle and High School, a pioneer of Korea`s modern education, celebrated its centennial anniversary on Wednesday.
The Christian mission school, currently located in Seoul`s Namsan area, was founded in 1907 by Norman Whittemore, a Presbyterian missionary. It is one of the oldest contemporary schools in Korea.
"I`m really impressed through this trip to Korea, and the development of this beautiful country impresses me," Arthur Whittemore, grandson of Norman Whittemore, said.
He is currently visiting Korea with his wife Nona Whittemore to participate in the commemorative ceremony.
"My grandfather established the school for two reasons; medical training and educational provision. When I see more than 30,000 graduates of the school, I think it`s the future my grandfather had dreamed of in the early 1900s," he said before the ceremony. It was attended by more than 2,000 graduates and other invitees.
Norman Whittemore established the school with help from other American missionaries Cyril Ross and Alfred Sharrocks, and some of Korea`s nationalist leaders including Rev. Yang Jeon-back.
Yang was one of the 33 national representatives who led Korea`s March 1 Independence Movement in 1919.
The school was first built in Seoncheon, North Korea.
During Japanese colonial rule, many Bosung graduates devoted themselves to fighting for Korea`s liberation.
In the 1930s, the school was closed down by the Japanese because it refused to pay homage to a Japanese shrine. The Bosung school was reestablished in Seoul in 1955 after the Korean War.
Founded at the dawn of Korea`s modern era, the school sought to assist Korea to develop, an endeavor which came to fruition in the latter half of the 20th century, said an official of Bosung Academy, which runs the school. Its motto is sincerity, love and holiness.
Whittemore said he plans to contribute photos and other memorabilia from the early era of the Bosung Academy to the school.
"I wish I could do something special for this school. I will send back the memorabilia to the school when I get back home," he said.

By Jin Dae-woong

(davidpooh@heraldcorp.com)