Order of Merit for National Foundation

5th class

nation award

What is  Merit for National Foundation:

A medal awarded to those who have made distinguished contributions to the establishment of the Republic of Korea or those who have made distinguished contributions to the foundation of the nation.

5th class:

William Alderman Linton(🇺🇸 ):

[1883. 1. 23 ~ 1979. 1.20]

Achievements

Educational Missionary in Korea:

  • Moved to Korea in 1912 and engaged in various charitable activities, focusing on education.

  • Conducted extensive self-directed research, including Korean language training, and earned additional degrees from Columbia Teacher's College and Columbia Theological Seminary to better serve his mission.

Fought for Korean Students' Rights:

  • As the principal of Jeonju Shinheung High School, Linton fought for the rights of Korean students under Japanese rule.

  • Resisted Japanese colonial policies by refusing to participate in Shinto shrine worship, leading to the school's forced closure in 1937.

  • Continued to advocate for Korean students' education by seeking recognition from the Japanese Government-General of Korea's Bureau of Education to ensure their access to higher education.

Founded Daejeon College:

  • After Japanese colonial rule and the Korean War, Linton founded Daejeon College in 1956, serving as its first president.

  • Daejeon College eventually evolved into Hannam University in 1982, continuing his legacy in Korean education.

Family Legacy of Service in Korea:

  • His sons, Hugh Linton and Thomas Dwight Linton, continued his mission in Korea by planting churches, establishing tuberculosis clinics, and contributing to Christian missions.

  • Hugh Linton planted over 600 churches and established several tuberculosis clinics during the 1960s.

  • John Alderman Linton, his grandson, became the director of Severance Hospital's International Care Center and invented a new type of ambulance for Korea in 1993. He was granted Korean citizenship in 2012 for his contributions to Korean society.

  • Stephen Winn Linton, another grandson, founded the Eugene Bell Foundation, which has provided medical aid to over 200,000 North Korean tuberculosis patients.

  • Despite the closure of his school and the challenges under Japanese rule, Linton remained dedicated to his mission of educating and supporting Korean students.

  • His efforts and those of his descendants have left a lasting impact on Korean society, particularly in the fields of education, healthcare, and Christian missions.