국립서울대학교설치안과 미술대학 - 미군정시대 국립서울대학교설치안을 통해 본 예술대학 미술부 설립과정 고찰 -

Abstract

This is paper attempts to provide an historical account of the educational reforms in the relationship between the plan of the establishment of Seoul National University (SNU) and the College of Fine Arts under the United States Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK) from 1945 to 1948. is period is a serious topic for scholars who focus on the political, military, and economic aspects of the U.S. occupation. To investigate educational reforms of higher education at SNU, this study collected and analyzed an oral history archive as well as historical literature regarding the plan of the establishment of SNU and education reform under the USAMGIK. Record Group 332, a pertinent collection housed at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland, U.S.A., provided valuable historical facts concerning education under the USAMGIK. Additionally, oral history archives consisting of artists memories and testimony on the topic of the art world and art education under the USAMGIK were assessed. After securing liberation from Japanese colonial rule in 1945, the USAMGIK embarked on higher education reforms in Korea. The USAMGIK reorganized the dual higher education system of the colonial regime in Korea into a single-track system. Due to this new single-track policy, a great number of new and existing private higher education institutions were authorized by the Bureau of Education as four-year private colleges or universities. One of the notable reforms by the USAMGIK of the higher education system in Korea was the proposal to rearrange and integrate schools in Seoul and to found a new university, SNU. This plan was the outcome of a revision of what was proposed by an American officer from the Bureau of Education in December of 1945. Under the USAMGIK, there were many observable changes in almost every aspect of higher education, including the curriculum, the management of school affairs, the composition of the faculty and the students, and the conditions and culture of college life. However, while a case can be made that this expanded the opportunity for more students to gain an education, it also brought about a lowering of the quality of higher education. Additionally, during this period, art education as a part of higher education was added by many universities in Korea. SNU worked to achieve higher education in art within the context of the university, hiring professors and admitting students. However, the plan of the establishment of SNU was attacked by both professors and students because they considered the timing and situation to be inappropriate. Nonetheless, from these difficult circumstances, the College of Fine Arts came to be established as a modern higher art education system.

우리나라는 마침내 일본(日本)의 쇠사슬로부터 해방(解放)되었다. 삼십육년간(三十六年間)이란 기나긴 세월, 갖은 굴욕(屈辱)과 폭학(暴虐) 밑에서 신음(呻吟)하다가 드디어 또 한번 광명(光明)한 날을 보게되고, 잃었던 자유(自由)를 찾게 된 것이다. 그리고 우리는 이제 이 아름다운 강산(江山)에 새 나라를 세울 기회(機會)를 가지게 된 것이다. [중략] 현재(現在) 우리에게 주어진 기회(機會)는 어떤것인가? 첫째로 우리는 이나라 건설에 천흥(天興)할 시민(市民)으로서의 권리(權利)를 향유(享有)한 것이다. 린컨이 말한바 국민(國民)의, 국민(國民)에 의(依)한, 국민(國民)을 위(爲)한 나라가 이제 바야흐로 세워지랴고 하는 때이니만치 [중략] 사람의 가치(價値)를 무시(無視)하는 전제주의(專制主義)에 대한 사람의 가치(價値)를 지상가치(至上價値)로 하는 민주주의(民主主義)의 개선이다. 이러한 민주주의(民主主義)의 승리(勝利)에 의(依)하여 해방(解放)된 우리나라는 필연적(必然的)으로 민주주의(民主主義)에 기초(基礎)를 둔 국가(國家)로서 건설(建設)되어야 할 것은 물론(勿論)이다. 그러나 진정(眞正)한 민주주의적 국가(民主主義的 國家)는 법령(法令)으로써 세워지는 것이 아니라 [중략] 그 국가(國家)를 구성(構成)한 인민 전체(人民 全體)가 아무런 외적 구속(外的 拘束)도 받지 아니하는 자유(自由)로운 이성(理性)으로써 그 국가(國家)의 온갖 정치적(政治的), 경제적(經濟的), 사회적(社會的), 문화적 활동(文化的 活動)을 운전(運轉)하는데 천흥(天興)할 수 있는 사회(社會)를 일칼어 말하는 것이다