[KS] Publication announcement - Michigan to Korea: Arthur L. Becker

H. H. Underwood hhund at fulbright.or.kr
Fri Oct 2 20:36:34 EDT 2009


Dear List Members:

You may have noticed that Evelyn Becker McCune, author of The Arts of 
Korea, recently observed her 102nd birthday; her birthday was celebrated 
with an article in The Korea Times.  She and her daughter Heather 
Thompson have written a book about Arthur Becker, an early missionary 
who was involved in the founding of more than one modern university in 
Korea.

H. H. Underwood 

------------------------------

Michigan to Korea: Arthur L. Becker
by Heather McCune Thompson and Evelyn Becker McCune

"In 1903, the first scientist and educational missionary went from 
Michigan to Korea. In 1905, Arthur Becker, Methodist, and William Baird, 
Presbyterian, combined efforts to start the first college in Korea: 
Pyongyang 's Union Christian College (Soongsil) which was later re - 
established in Seoul after the war. In 1914, a new college for all Korea 
was planned by both missions and Becker took 20 of his advanced students 
to Seoul to start Chosen Christian College, now Yonsei University . He 
and his wife, Louise, gave nearly a half century of their lives to bring 
science and music to the young men and women of Korea. Becker lived 
through the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese annexation of Korea, and 
the Mansei Movement, as well as getting a Masters in Chemistry and a 
Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Michigan. This is his story."

Evelyn B. McCune, author, lecturer, teacher and daughter of Arthur 
Becker, was born and raised in Korea.  She has written many articles, 
reviews, and books about Asia, including The Arts of Korea.  Evelyn has 
an honorary Ph.D. from Yonsei University and has recently celebrated her 
102nd birthday.  Arthur Becker's granddaughter, Heather M. Thompson, 
teacher and counselor, was born in California and raised in the Bay Area 
and in Washington, D.C.

The book is available at a "Publish on Demand" site, Lulu Publications, 
with the following URL:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/michigan-to-korea-arthur-l-becker/6775168







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