兪吉濬의 敎育活動에 關한 一考察

Abstract

矩堂 兪吉濬은 開港 이후 우리나라가 近代化를 劃策하던 時代에 生存했던 先覺的인 開化思想家였다. 그는 일찌기 日本 및 美國留學을 거쳐 開化思想을 폭 넓게 터득하고 西遊見聞은 著述하여 우리나라 開化思想의 체계적인 이해를 시도하였고 특히 그의 開化思想을 實踐的으로 現實社會에 적용시키고자 甲午更張의 주역으로 활동하였다. 그러나 甲午更張 실패 후 일본으로 망명하여 그후 11年 間의 亡命生活을 청산하고 귀국한 뒤에는 국정의 刷新과 改革은 國民의 각성없이는 불가능하다는 것을 깨닫고 政治와는 인연을 끊고 1914年 59세를 一期로 세상을 떠날 때까지 오로지 敎育活動과 社會活動을 통해서 國民啓蒙에 온 정열을 쏟았다. 더우기 그가 주력한 敎育活動의 思想的 基盤은 그의 開化思想에 의거하여 종래의 漢學과 倫理 및 道德위주의 전통적인 儒學敎育에 반대하면서 「實狀學問」을 강조하고 近代的 敎育을 實施함으로써 국민을 啓蒙함에 있었다. 그리고 兪吉濬은 그가 會長이었던 韓國 최초의 地方自治團體的 組織이었던 漢城府民會를 통하여 國民敎育普及에 주력하고자 하였고, 많은 著述活動을 통하여서도 國民을 啓蒙하고 覺醒시키고자 노력하였다. 그는 오직 敎育實踐에 全力을 傾注하였던 것이다. 그러나 당시의 時代的 狀況과 관련하여 「愛國啓蒙」의 民族的 側面이 제 1 次的 과제로 책정되어야 함에도 불구하고 오직 近代化를 위한 「實狀學問」을 제 1차적 과제로 제기하고 있는 점이 말하자면 兪吉濬 敎育思想과 敎育活動이 가지고 있는 한계점과 취약성을 나타내고 있는 것으로 보여진다. 한편 興士趣旨書에서 유길준이 이른바 「政·敎分籬」의 원칙을 표방한 것은 兪吉濬이 政治의 前面에 나서지 않고 오직 敎育에만 全念하겠다는 그의 의지를 엿볼 수 있는 반면 그 것이 統監府의 「政·敎分籬」주장과도 모순되지 않고 兪吉濬은 오히려 그러한 狀況마저 감안하여 장차 民族韓部를 養成하기 위한 知識과 技術향상을 획책하고 우리 民族의 일상 생활의 실용과 이용후생을 지향한 것으로 보여진다. 그러나 兪吉濬의 敎育活動은 앞에서 지적한 바와 같은 限界性의 있음에도 불구하고 兪吉濬은 사실상 國權상실의 條下에서 적어도 主權的으로는 國權回復을 위한 敎育救國活動에 적극 노력했던 實踐的인 敎育者로서 우리나라 敎育史에 있어서의 그 位置가 자못 돋보이고 있는 것이다.;You Kil-jun was a leading and enlightened thinker who lived in the time our nation planned modernization after opening ports. He understood the enlightened thought broadly through studies in Japan and America, and wrote a book 'suyookyunmun' to enlighten people. Also he played an important role in the revolution named Kap-o-kyungjang to put his thought into practice. He took refuge in Japan with the failure of Kap-o-kyung-jang. He returned home after 11 years' exile. He realized that the reform and innovation of Government could not be accomplished without wakening of people, so he broke off all the relations with political affairs and devoted himself to enlightenment of people through educational and social service. His thought of education was based on an idea of practical science. He objected the past traditional impractical theroy. - traditional Chinese study, Ethics and education which put great importance on morality. His assertion was that knowledge must be applicable to our real life. He organized a purely educational group named Heungsadan, and made effort to practice his educational thought through this group. The activities of this group were administration of compliation of text books and organization of educational club. Among these, school administration activities can be estimated affirmatively in the respect of cultivating many talented men our society in those days needed urgently. These schools are Yunghee School (the name of the school came from that of the era of Taehanjekuk), measurement school, Yungheung training school of agriculture & Foresty. Also the work of text book compliation organization of educational club can be estimated as one of the efforts for development of education. He exerted himself to carry his educational ideas into practice. Through Hansungbuminhoe-Korea's first local self governing organization, he himself was the 1st chairman of it-he endeavored to enlighten people. Considering the situation of the time, national side to arouse patriotism must be emphasized first, but he suggested the practical & applicable education as the primary task. It seems to be the limitation in his educational idea & activities. He declared "seperation of education from political affairs" in his prospectus of Heungsadan. His intention can be interpreted two ways. First, this showed his strong will to devote himself to education only, not involving in political affairs. Second, the Government-general also insisted on the separation of education from political affairs. Using the situation wisely, he intended to educate national leader for the future, and enhance national prosperity by technical improve-ment. Though he worked for recovering national rights through education under the difficult situation of nation, his educational work had some limitation. But he, who intended to educate national leader and develope nation, was on outstanding man in education in our history.