Vermont promotes ‘Hulbert-Korea Day’… Review of designation as a historical monument

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Jeong A-ran = A monument and bust honoring Dr. Homer Hulbert (1863-1949), an American missionary and educator who worked hard for Korean independence, was erected in his hometown of New Haven, Vermont, USA.

The Dr. Hulbert Memorial Society, an incorporated association, announced on the 4th that it held an unveiling ceremony for the 'Hulbert Monument and Bust' at New Haven Village Green on the 3rd (local time), National Foundation Day.

Village Green, where the monument was erected, is the former site of the New Haven Congregational Church, which Dr. Hulbert attended as a child. Father Hulbert served as the second pastor of this church.

The monument is 2m high, 1m 10cm wide and has inscriptions in English and Korean respectively.

The front of the monument introduces Hulbert as a “benefactor of the Korean people” and “the pride of America,” defines him as a “symbol of human dignity,” and contains his major quotes and achievements.

The bronze bust, which is 1.8 meters tall including the base, was created by artist Kwon Chi-gyu through talent donation.

The stone for the monument and bust was made in Vermont, and the inscription and bust included in the monument were made in Korea and transported to the United States.

About 120 people attended the unveiling ceremony, including Dong-jin Kim, Chairman of the Dr. Hulbert Memorial Foundation, Jeong-yeol Kwak, Deputy Consul General of the Consulate General in Boston, In-su Ko, President of the Korean Association of Vermont, State Senator Ruth Hardy, State Representative Jubilee McGill, and John Rollu, City of New Haven City Representative. Six descendants, including Dr. Hulbert's great-grandson Kimball Hulbert, also attended the event.

The Memorial Association carried out the construction of this monument with its own resources, including donations, without government support.

At the unveiling ceremony, Chairman Kim said, "Compared to Dr. Hulbert's love and achievements in Korea, we did not have any symbol of gratitude to Dr. Hulbert, his hometown that produced him, or the United States that sent him. I feel like I have repaid a small debt by having a monument and bust erected in my hometown."

During his meeting with Chairman Kim, Senator Hardy announced that he would push for the submission of a 'Hulbert-Korea Day' resolution in order to publicize Dr. Hulbert and strengthen ties with Korea.

Representatives Hardy and McGill also responded favorably to Chairman Kim's proposal to designate the Hulbert monument and bust as a Vermont historical monument and install a roadside marker.

On this day, the Vermont Korean Association and about 40 compatriots from all over the United States sang Bonzo Arirang, which is based on the Arirang first recorded by Dr. Hulbert in 1896. Students from Purmoe Korean Cultural School in Vermont presented a Nanta performance.

Dr. Hulbert, who came as a teacher at Yukyeong Park, the first public English school in Joseon in July 1886, published books, papers, and articles on Korean history and culture. He also carried out activities to inform the international community of the injustice of Japan's invasion of Korea and its colonial policy.

Just before the signing of the Japan-Japan Treaty of 1905, he was dispatched to the United States as a special envoy of King Gojong to deliver a personal letter to President Roosevelt, and the original letter was recently discovered.

In honor of his contributions, the government of the Republic of Korea posthumously awarded him the National Foundation Medal of Independence in 1950 and the Gold Crown Cultural Merit in 2014.