Thanks for the further information on her work, Dr. Ohn, I shamefully overlooked it through the years. Indeed, she became active in her literary work in the era of '70 after I left Korea to settle in the U.S., especially after my father passed away. So I vaguely heard/learned her literary work began to receive proper attention/ recognition by many belatedly, but I didn't know its genuine value. Well, good to know more through you!

Dr. Ohn의 正統(정통)한 소개로 많이 알게 되었음에 감사드린다. 

은촌 조애영님께서는 순수한 우리나라 전통문학인 내방가사에 대단히 큰 기여를 하셨고, 또 조선왕조가 붕궤되고 일본이 점령할 때 어린 신여성으로 학생독립운동을 하신 애국자이시다. 

그 당시 여성운동가로 Career를 결정하실뻔 하였겠는데, 부모님의 결정으로 결혼하시고 당연히 가정에 몰두 하셨다. 

夫君(부군)께서 돌아가신 후 놀랍게도 연로하신 중에도 다시 내방가사에 몰두하셨으니 더욱 놀라운 일이다. 

畏友(외우) 이병붕군에게 제의하겠는데, 慈母(자모)님이 남기신 작품을 모두 수집하고, 또 자모님전傳(전)을 영문으로  써서 책자를 만들어 후손에게 전하여 어머님을 추모한다면, 그대가 수만리밖에서 살았기에 다하지 못한 효도를  다 하는걸세.

http://www.gajabook.co.kr/module/book/book_view.asp?book_no=300690

내방가사집 1977 7000원

https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/1282347#home

<…이씨조선 오백년간 봉화를 올려 유명한 곳/한일합방 된 후에는 봄 한철의 나물 터로/궁춘기아 못 이겨서 부녀들이 모두 가네/산에 가서 뜯은 나물이고 안고 돌아오면/남정들은 사랑방에 책상다리하고 앉아/나라 없는 한탄이나 부즈런히 하는 동리/조반석죽 익히는 표 실연기도 서글퍼라/우리조상 무엇 하러 이 산중에 살았을꼬 솔잎 먹고 저 학보고 청렴함만 배웠든가…>
조 여사가 15세때 지어 아버지에게 올려서 경성유학 건을 얻었다는 『산촌향가』의 한 부분이다. 그는 또 『귀향가』에서 어렸을 매의 정경을 다음과 같이 묘사하고 있다.

<…뒷동산에 방소나무 두 가지가 모인 틈에/우리 할매 젖한짝을 뚝떠다가 끼웠드래/산신령이 보낸 사자 호랑이로 화했는지/돌아가신 할매 몸에 젖한짝이 떨어진 채/방소나무 그 밑에서 숨거둔 일 원통하다/나 어릴 때 우리 어매 그이야기 해줄 적에/호구 할매 몫이라며 삼신고리 보여줬네/꿈자리만 편찮아도 정수 떠서 받쳐 놓고/두 손바닥 비비면서 정성스리 비는 말씀/할마님요 할마님요 부디부디 갈지마소/어진 조장 할마님요 이 가정을 편케하소…>

I thank you BOTH, for such unlimited help/recommendations, especially for the 자모님전 (傳) - 영문으로  써서 추모 책자를 만들어 후손에게 전함- to sharing many other sad (?) stories involved to her life we never disclosed, I certainly will take it seriously.

Indeed, I always feel she should have NOT married my father and instead, followed the advice by 이만규 교장 of 배화여고 who gave unlimited and also unconditional help/protection especially through the 삼일학생만세사건 she led for her school, to finish the 이화 전문/대학 first and go to the States to study as her favorite teacher through 배화여고, Miss Dickson advised/arranged, who came to Korea from Georgia as a young woman missionary then and taught her English. Apparently, her father threatened to stop the financial support to let her stay through 이화 전문/대학 and literally forced her to give up the plan to go to the States to study and instead get married to my father.

Regretfully my father never liked her idea to continue her literary works and remain with the social activity so that it caused many difficulties through her marital life especially with her in-laws of Lee clan/영천 시집식구, to make everyone unhappy including me as well. So I kept quite a negative impression on her literary works all along though many came to me telling how valuable her works are for Korean literature.

So, at this stage after such long pause/ignorance, intentionally and unintentionally, for more than a half-century, I don’t know how much I could acknowledge/compensate my guilts through the memoir you mentioned belatedly. Besides, her high school/배화여고 already organized the 기념관 dedicated to her I heard including all the collections of her works as well. Also, I heard 조지훈 기념관 they built at 경북 영양, her birthplace, set aside one part of 기념관 to display her collections(?) for her memories if I know correct.  

All I can say as one of medical students, Professor, is that

your mom gave you good genes that allowed you to contribute 

to the progress of medicine worldwide.

Your mom, I'm certain, must smile and be proud of her son.

"That's my son." She would say whenever you have done the right things

against all odds as your heart, your mom's genes, dictated you.

Congratulations!

Nowadays, everything that was thought to be antiquated is coming alive in Korea.

국악, 전통 악기, 판소리 등등. These things are mixed with western music and 

making beautiful art that has never existed before. It could be parts 

of 한류 sooner or later. 안방가사 has a good chance to come alive as a new form of art.

When it happens her contribution to Korean culture will be greater.

I think she was one of the brightest in her era. I am glad to know her through Dr. Lee.

Thank you.

I think she didn't sacrifice herself by marrying your father. I think she chose a very good decision to have a great family with her children. She accomplished so much. If you make an effort to write a book or simplified biography of hers for your own children and descendants, it is something so valuable and important to her, and it means your 큰 효도 or 효행 to your mother.

First of all, she fully deserves this kind of memorial out of her son(s). 

By doing so, your mom and you will be remembered in your future family and descendants for a long time. 

Thanks, buddy, for such warm advice and I will take it seriously! Indeed, I have never had any special affection to my mother and ignored her many occasions, regretfully. Yes, I will include my memories on her as my own mom when I should write the memoir. Indeed, many friends, mostly Europeans, urged me to write the memoir through years but I always felt silly to talk/write about myself - I was taught the bragging for oneself is one of 팔불출!- but one of my daughters at Seattle is interested in our family story and willing to write but the problem is she doesn't have any knowledge to read Korean stuffs enough to collect so many stories involved to my father-side as well as my mother-side stories.  

I have the same problem: My two sons don't command Korean language at all. 

I belatedly tried to teach them Korean through one retired Korean language professor, but without results. 

It was  too late.

I did write a very short book called "In search of My Family Legacy" with encouragement and help from an Australian English teacher. 

I have known someone through Facebook. She publishes this kind of work. If you are interested in publishing the book, I might contact her for help.

Give some serious thought to this issue. 

Please let me know at your convenience. 

Kwan Ho

Thanks for such kind offer, KwanHo, but I will ask to my daughter at Seattle who showed her interests to organize the memoir for me whether she could spare the time to dig up so many sagas involved to my mother, including her resentments to her in law Lee clans, to write up. Indeed, she already produced two PhD students based on her literary works so that not much new on her literary works but we never touched her personal/private life especially after she became one of Lee clans through the marriage. Will see!