성화학생(2세)의 길 - 207 - 선생님의 소학교시절

[대태양/김현수]

성화학생의 길 - 207
제6장 선생님의 학창시절
제1절 선생님의 어린시절
 
4) 선생님의 소학교시절

학교에 가면 전부 일본말을 배워야 했습니다. 가타카나 히라가나를 공부하던 것이 엊그제 같습니다. 그걸 하루 저녁에 다 외워 버렸습니다. 학교에 가 보니까 3학년, 4학년, 5학년 애들이 일본 말을 하는데 선생님은 못 했습니다. 그때 나이가 들어서 갔기 때문에 키가 컸습니다. 그런데도 일본 말을 한마디도 못했습니다. 그때 그 거북함이란 느끼지 못한 사람은 모릅니다.

그래서 벼락같이 1학년, 2학년, 3학년, 4학년의 모든 책을 보름 만에 다 외워 버렸습니다. 그러고 나니까 귀가 트이더라 이겁니다. (171- 258)

선생님이 공부할 때는 벼락같이 공부했습니다. 몇 년 동안에 하는 것을 순식간에 해치웠습니다. 선생님 고향은 북한입니다. 평안북도 정주읍에서 한 8킬로미터 거리에 있는 농촌이었습니다.

호롱불을 켜 놓고 공부하던 것이 엊그제 같습니다. 두 시, 세 시, 밤을 새워 공부하면 어머니 아버지는 ‘야! 잠자라. 몸이 너무 약해지면 안 된다.’ 이랬습니다. 늘 그랬습니다. 

그때 내가 제일 친구로 가까이 했던 것이 밤벌레들입니다. 여름철엔 밤벌레를 친구로 했습니다. 시골 밤은 참 고요합니다. 벌레들이 고요한 달밤에 우는 소리는 아주 신비롭습니다. 그리고 산으로 들로 돌아 다니던 것이 엊그제 같습니다. (100-161)

선생님은 소학교에 다닐 때부터 교장선생님의 행동을 보고 ‘나는 이렇게 살아야겠다.’ 생각하고 훈련을 끊이지 않고 했습니다. (25-124)

소학교 졸업식 때 답사시간이 있습니다. 그런 때에는 누군가가 졸업생을 대표해서 답사를 하게 마련입니다. 그때 선생님이 마지막으로 단상에 올라가 호소했던 것을 지금도 기억하고 있습니다. 거기에는 경찰 서장, 군수, 교장선생님 등 지방 유지들이 모두 모여 있었습니다.

선생님은 그런 자리를 바라고 있었습니다. 그래서 당당하게 단상으로 올라 갔습니다. 그리고 하고 싶은 말이 있다고 하면서, 소년시대의 교육에 대한 비판과 지금까지의 학교 선생님에 대한 관(觀)을 말했는데, 그것이 큰 문제가 되었습니다. 소학교를 졸업하는 학생이 그런 말을 할 줄은 아무도 생각하지 못했습니다. 그래서 선생님은 그때부터 딱지가 붙여졌습니다. (15-182)

선생님은 머리가 나쁘지 않습니다. 소학교 6학년 때 책 280페이지를 하루 저녁에 외운 기록을 가지고 있습니다. 그런 머리를 가지고 있는 사람입니다. 정신만 집중하는 날에는 한번 보면 압니다. (66-75)

二世の道 - 204
第6章 先生の学生時代
第1節 先生の幼少時代

4) 先生の小学校時代

昔も学校に行くための学院がありました。ソウルにも大学に入るための学院があるのと同じようにですね。そのときでいえば小学校です。国家が認定するそういう学校に入るための前段階として学院があったというのです。その学院に行って勉強して、編入試験を受けなければなりませんでした。そんな中間教育機関として学院がありました。その学院に行くために、従兄弟をけしかけて革命をしたのです。

両親は反対するのです。祖父も「おまえたちが行けば死ぬ」と言うのです。そんな過去があったからです。そんな環境を全部押し退けて学校に行くのです。学校に行けば、皆日本語を学ばなければならなかったのですね。カタカナ、ひらがなを勉強したのが昨日のことのようです。それを一日で全部覚えてしまいました。

学校に行ってみると三学年、四学年、五学年の生徒たちは日本語を話すのにですね…。そのとき私たちが年を取ってから入ったために背が大きかったのです。それなのに日本語を一言も知らないので、それを何といいますか？　

そのときのその苦しかったことは、感じたことのない人には分からないことでしょう。ですから、雷のように一学年、二学年、三学年、四学年、全部の本をたった一五日ですべて覚えてしまいました。そうしてみると耳が開けるというのですね。そんな話…。（一七一・二五八）

先生も勉強するでしょうか、しないでしょうか？（勉強しました）。先生が勉強するときは、雷のように勉強しました。何年かの間にすることを、あっという間にやってのけたというのです。今でも故郷を考えると…。先生の故郷は北韓なのですね。定州から北東方向に約八キロの距離にある全くの農村だったというのです。

皆さんはランプを知らないでしょう、ランプ？（知っています）。ランプを知っていますか？（はい）。どんなものがランプですか？　油をこのようにして勉強したのがついこのあいだのようです。二時、三時、夜を明かして勉強すると、お父さん、お母さんが「おい！　寝ろ。体が弱くなったらだめだ。」このように言ったのです。いつもそうだったのです。

そのとき、私がいちばんの友にしたのは夜虫たちでした。夏には夜虫を友達にしたのです。スッと、このように座って二時、三時までいたのです。静かな夜に…。田舎の晩は本当に静かです。虫たちが月夜に鳴く声はとても神秘的なのです。サッと山で遊び回ったことが、つい昨日のことのようです。昨日のようなのに…。それはどういうことかというと、私たちの人生が短いということなのです。短い人生だというのです。（一〇〇・一六一）

先生は小学校に通うときから校長先生の行動を見て、「僕はこのように生きなければならない」という訓練を絶えずしました。（二五・一二四）

小学校の卒業式のときに答辞の時間があります。そのようなときには、だれかが卒業生を代表して答辞を読むようになります。そのとき、先生が最後に壇上に上がって訴えたことを今でも覚えています。そこには警察署長、郡守、校長先生など、地方の有志たちが皆集まっていました。先生はそのような場を願っていました。

ですから堂々と壇上に上がりました。そして言いたいことがあると言って、少年時代の教育に対する批判と、今までの先生に対する見方を話したのですが、それが大きな問題になりました。小学校を卒業する学生がそんなことを言うとはだれも考えられないことでした。ですから先生は、そのときからレッテルが貼られるようになりました。（一五・一八二）

先生は頭が悪くないのです。小学校六年生のとき、一八〇ページの本を一日で覚えた記録を持っているのです。そんな頭を持っている人です。精神だけ集中すれば、一度見れば分かるのです。私が今、英語の勉強をしなければならないと決心しても、それに集中するようになれずにいます。ですから、英語ができる皆さんをつかまえてさせなければならないのです。

それでは、昼だけさせることを願いますか？「アイゴー、夜は寝なければ。」それでいいのですか？　昼でも晩でもいつでも…。そうしてどうなるのか？　先生がしようと言う通りにしながら、先生に従っていくのです。先生に従っていくようになれば、この世界だけではなく、永遠に先生に従っていくのです。（六六・七五）

The Way For Students - 204
Chapter 6. Reverend Moon's Student Days
Section 1. Reverend Moon's Childhood

4. Reverend Moon's Elementary School Days

In my childhood days there was a school to prepare us to enter a national school, just like in Seoul there are schools to prepare one to enter college. In those days it was equivalent to an elementary school.

In other words, it was a place to learn for those who wanted to enter a school recognized by the nation as a prestigious school. We had to go to that school and study and then pass an exam to be enrolled in the national school. In order to enter that elementary school, I encouraged my cousins and revolutionized them.

My parents were opposed, and my grandfather said, "If you go there, you will die," because there had been such a case in the past. But I was determined to go to the school and overcame all those difficulties.

When I entered the school I had to learn Japanese. It seems just like yesterday that I studied the Japanese language and how to write the Japanese characters. I memorized all the Japanese characters in one day.
When I entered that elementary school I found that all the third graders, fourth graders, and fifth graders were able to speak Japanese.

We were behind them because we had entered the elementary school late and could not speak a word of Japanese. It was very hard for us. You will never understand how difficult it was because you have never experienced it. Therefore I had to study very hard. I memorized all the contents of all the text books used by the first graders, second graders, third graders, and fourth graders in only 15 days. By doing so I was able to speak Japanese. (171-2-258)

Did I also study or not? When I studied I studied like lightening. In other words, I studied in several days the content which other students studied over several years. My hometown is in North Korea, and I lived in a village 8 km north-east of Chonju. Do you know what a traditional lamp is? Do you know what those lamps look like?

In those days we used those oil lamps for light, and I used to sit up till late at night, until one, two, or three o" clock to study. Then while I was studying, my parents would say to me, "Oh come on, go to bed. You will become physically weak." They always said something like that.

At those times, my best friends were the nocturnal insects. In the summer time those nocturnal bugs became my friends. I was studying late at night until two or three o'clock in the quiet night. In the countryside the nights are really quiet.

At night the buzzing sounds of the insects were very mysterious. I felt as if it were just yesterday that I studied and played around like that. Our life, human life is very short. (100-461)

When I was an elementary school pupil I always observed the behavior of the school principal, and I trained myself always by saying: "I must live like that." (25-124)

The elementary school graduation ceremony included a program of one student giving an address in reply to the greetings of the younger students and the principal, so one representative of the graduating students gave a speech. I was chosen to do that. I still remember giving that speech on the stage.

In the hall there were various important guests, such as the police chief, county representative, the school principal, etc. I wanted to speak in such a place. Therefore I went up to the stage with dignity. I said that I had something to talk about.

In my speech I criticized the education which I had received in my boyhood, and I criticized each and every one of the teachers. My speech was seen as very controversial because nobody thought that a student graduating from elementary school would say anything like that. I was so labeled in those days. (15-182)

I am smart. When I was in the sixth grade of elementary school I set a record of having memorized a 180-page book in one day. I have such a good memory. If I concentrate I can do that. And yet now even though I determine to study English, I am unable to concentrate.

Therefore I have to make you study. So, do I want you to study only in the day time? Is it OK for you to say you have to go to bed at night? No! You have to study day and night.

Then what are you going to do? You have to follow me by doing exactly as I say. And if you begin to follow me, you have to follow me not only in this world but eternally. (66-75)