First Public Release of Over 60 Letters from Missionary Horace Grant Underwood

In a significant historical revelation, over 60 letters exchanged between Horace Grant Underwood (1859–1916), a missionary who founded Yonsei University's predecessor, Yeonhui College, and his son, Horace Horton Underwood, have been made public for the first time. These letters, written during the year before Underwood's passing, reflect his aspirations to establish a university in Korea that would match American standards. The correspondence, which includes letters exchanged with Elmer Ellsworth Brown, the president of New York University, spans 14 years and was discovered last year in the NYU archives.

Underwood's letters, totaling 98 pages, express his commitment to advancing higher education in Korea, emphasizing the need for industrial education and a shift in cultural attitudes towards commerce. He argued for the establishment of a university in Seoul, the economic and cultural center of Korea, despite some missionaries advocating for a school in the Christian stronghold of Pyongyang.

In a letter dated May 1915, Underwood shared the exciting news that regular university operations had commenced in Seoul on April 12. He requested updated educational materials from NYU to ensure the curriculum was comprehensive, including departments for English literature, philosophy, and the sciences.

By September and October of the same year, he highlighted the critical need for business education in Korea, advocating for the construction of facilities dedicated to industrial training. He envisioned students learning practical skills such as brick-making and woodworking, emphasizing the importance of preparing future leaders in the country.

Underwood's deep affection for Korea is evident in his letters, where he expressed pride in his son’s rapid acquisition of the Korean language and his commitment to the university's mission. Tragically, Underwood passed away in October 1916, but his legacy continued through his son, who took on the responsibility of running the university.

The letters, preserved thanks to Brown's practice of keeping copies, will be published in a book on April 10, coinciding with Yonsei University's 140th anniversary this year.