Mennonite Vocational School (1953-1971) - Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) - Korea
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Mennonite Vocational School
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HOME: Dedication to... > MCC in Korea > The Analysis of the MCC's Economic Justice Policies toward South Korea > Economic Justice Policy for Education >
Mennonite Vocational School (1953-1971)
From its beginning, MCC has been concerned about child welfare. The minutes from a 1920 MCC meeting in Chicago state that “orphanage work may be opened on the field if such seems needed and advisable.”46 MVS was MCC’s largest project in Korea. MVS was founded in October 1953 near the town of Kyung San in Kyung Sang Book Do soon after the Korean War cease-fire.47 A seventy-eight acre plot of land was purchased by MCC for the establishment of a vocational school at the junior and high school level for older orphan boys. The site was originally planned by the Japanese (during the period of Japanese rule ending in 1945) to be used as an agricultural college. With the withdrawal of the Japanese forces from Korea, many of the twenty-seven buildings were never completed.48 the first program of this school was the agricultural program. The objectives of the farm program were to provide practical agricultural work experiences for all students, to help with financial support for the educational program, and to serve as a model to neighboring farmers and thus aid in the extension of service.49 Older orphan boys were taught agriculture and worked in the rice farming project.50 Christian Children’s Fund (CCF) helped in partial support of some of the younger orphan boys, while major support came from MCC “sponsors” in the U.S. and Canada.51
In 1954 MCC Korea started to repair many of the buildings. They were assisted in the task of rebuilding and repairing the physical plant with grants of money and materials from UNKRA (United Nations Korea Reconstruction Agency), UNCACK (United Nations Civil Assistance Command of Korea), and AFAK (Armed Forces Assistance to Korea- the organization through which the various branches of the U.S. Armed services in Korea gave aid to schools, hospitals, and other welfare institutions).52 The farm project consisted of a physical plant of more than 60 tillable acres of land with some 40 buildings and a native staff of more than 20 people.53 This included teachers, vocational instructors, farm personnel, laundry workers, cooks, etc.54
The objectives of MVS were to teach basic academic skills, vocational skills, and Christian moral education. The technical educational program included academic subjects and training in metal work, printing, carpentry, and agriculture.55 The Christian moral education program provided spiritual and moral guidance so that a graduate can be a positive and in many cases Christian, influence in society.56 In 1959, the first class of 23 students graduated from MVS.57 In 1961, MCC bought a house that served as a Boys’ hostel for graduates from Mennonite Vocational School (MVS) in Taegu. On March 1, 1961, twenty–one graduates moves into the hostel. Graduates could live in the hostel until they found a job and a house.58 In spring of 1963 the building programs got underway with the arrival of Walter Rutt. Walter Rutt was a supervisor to this construction program.59 Through this project a new principal’s house, the Byler dormitory, and kitchen and dorm parent’s rooms were built for MVS, as well as two churches within one mile of the school.60
Mennonite Vocational School added a new class in typing in 1965, and a class of electronics – radios and basic electronics, in 1966.61 In 1967 MVS had changed to a three-year school for only high school age boys.62 MVS applied for accreditation from the government as a technical high school, because without an official diploma it was difficult to enter or gain employment. This was a very serious problem for MVS students. In December, 1962, a conference was held at MVS, reviewing problems and suggestions for possible changes. The main topics of that conference were government accreditation, clarification of objectives of school program, the guidance of students, teacher-pupil relations, etc. Unfortunately, however, MVS was not able to obtain sanction as a technical high school for orphans from the Korean Government. All of MVS’s properties and responsibilities were turned over to the MVS national board of directors on July, 1969.63
A total of 332 students graduated from MVS. MVS principals included L. Robert Kohls, Kenneth Brunk, John Zook, Leland Voth, and Dong Keun lee. Even thought MVS was changed, its efforts and results during its 20 year history were very admirable. By the survey of MVS graduates conducted by Prof. Man Choon Kang on June 21, 1965, the employment and income level of MVS graduates were higher than those from other vocational schools. By Professor Kang’s survey, 26.9% of those employed are in clerical type work, as compared to 6.3% for KAVA (Korea Association of Voluntary Agencies); 11.5% are in management type in contrast to KAVA’s 7%. This was primarily because many of MVS students had English Ability in speaking and writing including technical ability.64 While 88% of MVS graduates claimed to be leading a religious life, only 72.2% from KAVA claimed it.65 And 9.5% of MVS and 18.1% of the KAVA groups left their faith after being taught it.66 Now many graduates are working as engineers, business managers (including top managers), teachers, pastors, artists, and so on.
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References
46. “Monthly Aid Helpers 1000 Children,” The Mennonite, November 9, 1965, p.698
47. MCC Korea 15th Anniversary Brochure, 1968, p.10.
48. See The Report on the Kyug San Mennonite Vocational School for Orphan Boys Submitted to the United Nations Women’s Guild, May, 1955, and The Asia Foundation, January, 1956.
49. See The Report of MVS Conferences held at MVS, reviewing present program and suggestions for possible changes on Dec. 1962, found in the file entitled “MVS Reports 1954-1970,” Box 1, File 41, in the “MCC Korean Files, AMC.”
50. The Annual Report of the MCC, 1953, Relief Section, p.12.
51. Ibid., p.12.
52. See The Report on the Kyong San Vocational School for Orphan Boys Submitted to the United Nations Women’s Guide, May, 1955; The Annual Report of the MCC, 1955, Relief Section, p.2.
53. Ibid., p.12.
54. The Annual Report of the MCC, 1954, p.2.
55. The Annual Report of the MCC, 1956, Relief Section, p.6.
56. See MVS Report Operated by MCC Korea, Feb. 27, 1963, pp. 2-3, found in the title of entitled “MVS Reports 1953-1963, Box 1, File 41, in the “MCC Korean Files, AMC.”
57. The Annual Report of the MCC, 1959, Relief Section, p.A-8.
58. The Annual Report of the MCC, 1961, Relief Section. P.A-19.
59. Reports and Statistics for 1963, p.A-19.
60. Reports and Statistics for 1964, p.A-24; See “Couple in Middle Sixties Complete Korea Service Term,” in The Canadian Mennonite, April 12, 1966. Mrs. Gladys Rutt was suffered in a near fatal illness at the beginning of 1964. However, the Lord answered and restored her to health. She taught English at MVS.
61. The Annual Report of the MCC, 1965, p.A-22; The Annual Report of the MCC, 1966, p.A-15.
62. The Annual Report of the MCC, 1967, p.A-18.
63. The Annual Report of the MCC, 1969, p.A-11.
64. Some MVS students would participate in a national English speech contest. Two students won second and third prizes on Jun 13, 1959.
65. Chung-Suk Chung, a student of MVS, demonstrated his vocational school life as follows: “A conversation of my life had come in Mennonite Vocational School. I had an examination to enter Mennonite Vocational Middle School and I passed. It was an agreeable place to me at my first sight. It seemed so peaceful enclosed with small mountains and short pine trees on them and houses and buildings with tiled roofs. In this wonderful place my closed eyes upon the world of Christianity began to open and I found my Shepherd, nay, I was found by Him and given the vision that I could see the path to heaven.” See Chung-Suk Chung, “Story of a Korean Boy,” The Mennonite, September 25, 1962, pp.621-623.
66. The Recommendation on MVS and Orphans by Kang, Man Choon, found in the file of entitled “MVS Reports 1950-1970,” Box 1, File 41, in the “MCC Korean Files, AMC.”
