2016.08.01 14:24
My late grandfather
Recently while I was talking about my late grandfather to my children and grandchildren, I remembered that one of his classmates we met at Oberlin college referring him as a Japanese Student. It was when I visited the Oberlin campus in memory of my late grandfather in 1969. I felt it was insulting my late grandfather still being considered as Japanese.
I decided that it is my duty to correct his school file on his behalf regarding to his nationality and finally sent a letter to the president of the Oberlin College.
The archive department responded to my letter informing me of his alumni file already corrected. His file indicated that he was born in Korea and is a Korean.
I was pleasantly surprised finding out that my grandfather himself set the record straight in 1960. He has beaten me to it by 56 years. Probably that was the time he requested to reissue his diploma which was lost during the Korean war. Seong Koo Cho, ‘65
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Below is the letter I sent to Oberlin College. |
2016.08.01 15:49
2016.08.01 18:15
Dear Dr. Cho,
I join our WM in expressing the feeling of being honored by having the story of
your honorable grandfather in this space.
In 1959 when I was staying at my uncle's house for a few months,
I met you in the bus while heading back home.
It turned out your grandfather's house which was a very nice modern home,
was located right across an alley from my uncle's house.
You told me then you were staying with your grand parents.
You and I were total strangers then and just started our Premed. School.
I remember seeing your grandpa in distance once but never got to introduce myself.
He must've been a great gentleman.
Say, like grandson, like grandfather, or vice versa.
2016.08.02 00:20
Dear Dr. Cho:
You do have such a prominent family history of your grandfather's graduation from the Oberlin College in such a long time ago, and of your great effort to change the school record from the infamously false 'Japanese nationality' to our proud Korean Nationality.
I congratulate you for your determination and effort.
You are such a happy person to have stayed with your grandparents through your pre-med years and probably even longer.
I wasn't so fortunate in that my father had passed away during my first grade of high school years, and couldn't find much-needed information on his American education. I am still searching some more information with great difficulty.
Some day I shall stop this search.
Thank you for the great story.
2016.08.02 06:01
성구형:
Website에 실린 성구형의 조부님에 관한 글들과 편지들을 읽고 저의 마음이 뿌듯해 졌습니다. 조부님의 대학교 학사를 바르게 해결하려 하신 성구형(벌써 해결되었지만) , 학교로 부터 편지를 받았을 때의 형 얼굴을 생각해 봅니다. 축하합니다. 얼마나 자랑스러우십니까? 신백효
2016.08.02 08:57
성구형!
요즈음은 손주들사이에서 우리웹에 게으름을 피우고 있네요.
늦깎이 할배임을 양해 해주시기 바랍니다.
성구형의 할아버님에대한 이런 훌륭한 일들에 축하드리며
훌륭하신 조부님과 애국자이신 선친님께 깊은 경의를 표합니다.
이런 좋은 소식을 우리들에게 나누어 주신것에 감사드립니다. 규정
2016.08.02 12:01
조성구가 덧글을 올립니다.
Thank you WM for helping me to post this article.
Without you it would have been impossibe.
My grandfather was the one who embraced the concept of democracy,
freedom of humankind and everything else he learned in U.S.
He was a westernized thinker, way ahead of his time.
In contrast those elite intelligensia of my parents and unlcle's generation
who embraced Zeitgeist, Maxism which became a trend during Japanese occupation of Korea.
They thought it would be a salvation for new Korean society
when Korea regain it's independency.
I remember never ending heated ideological discussion during dinner in my family.
Always many voices against lone voice of my grandfather.
Although I was too young to catch all the nuances and points of discussion,
I believed my grandfather was right and always the wisest one.
Well, if there is one positive development after Korean war was over,
it was having tranquility back during our dinner time.
Somehow the radical or progressive thinkers were all gone away in one way
or another after Korean war.
My grandfather was a true father figure and role model for me in my life
after loosing both of my parents early.
He was a very stylish, true thinker and gentleman, alway reading books in English.
Unfortunately he was heavy smoker, both cigaretes and pipes.
He was diagnosed to have laryngeal cancer in later year.
He rejected a laryngectomy and chose Radiation therapy which was still in its infancy.
It didn't help him much.
In the absence of Hospice-like care in those days, his care at home became the responsibility
of third year medical student, me.
In those days in Korea, I was able to buy just about any medications from local pharmacy
without doctor's prescription. I gave him IV fluid and pain killers to make him comfortable
as much as I can and know how.
Of course, I consulted my medical school sunbaes for choice of medications.
Just before he became unconcious and had some lucid moment,
he thanked me for my dedicated care of him.
It was the least I could do for him who raised me, cared me and encouraged me
to become a doctor.
He was my first patient who was under my total care
and I watched over him untill his last breath.
God bless.
Seong Koo Cho
2016.08.02 12:03
Web Master님,
알 수 없는 이유로 조성구 ID로 Log in이 되지 않아서
우선 제 이름으로 올렸습니다.
2016.08.02 12:52
What a story! Dr. Cho.
The entire class of 65, I am certain, are proud of you.
Thank you for sharing such a moving family history
all your children and grand children must be proud of.
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Doc,
I am really honored to have a story and pictures of your grandfather in our website.
Thank you for sharing the story with us.