THE ENCOUNTER OF THE BATAK PEOPLE WITH RHEINISCHE MISSIONS-GESELLSCHAFT IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION (1861-1940) a historical-theological inquiry Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad tot doctor aan de Universiteit Utrecht op gezag van de Rector Magnificus, Prof.Dr. H.O. Voorma in gevolge het besluit van het College van Decanen in het openbaar te verdedigen op donderdag 15 juni 2000 des voormiddags te 10.30 uur door Jan Sihar Aritonang geboren op 22 januari 1952 te Sibolga, Indonesia Promotoren : Prof. Dr. J.A.B. Jongeneel Prof. Dr. Fridolin Ukur (Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Jakarta) Co-promotor: Dr. Th. van den End (Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Jakarta) PART ONE CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND OF THE ENCOUNTER PART TWO DETAILS OF THE ENCOUNTER PART THREE EVALUATION, CONCLUSION AND REFLECTION TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface ix List of Abbreviations xii Map of Batakland during the Period of the Batakmission xv Introduction 1 PART ONE CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND OF THE ENCOUNTER CHAPTER ONE A SUMMARY OF THE HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN INDONESIA FROM ABOUT 1800 TO 1940 10 A. The Dutch Colonial Government's Policy and Practice of Education 11 B. Educational Efforts of Mission Boards 25 C. Relationships between the Mission and Government 32 1. Financial Relationships 32 2. Organizational Relationships 34 3. Relationship of Educational Views 36 Table of Growth of Schools in the West Indies 1800-1940 38 CHAPTER TWO TRADITIONAL BATAK EDUCATION 42 A. An Overview of Traditional Batak Society 42 B. Adat as a System Comprehending All Areas of Life 48 C. Family and Social Education 51 1. Family Education and Value of the Child 51 2. Community Education 60 D. Several Kinds of Knowledge and Technical and Practical Skills 62 1. The Batak House 63 2. Village (Huta) 64 3. Boats (Solu) 65 4. Building Rice Terraces (Parumaon) 65 5. Weaving 66 6. Equipment for daily living 67 E. Datu and Hadatuon Professional and Specialized Knowledge 71 1. Language and Script 78 2. Systems Concerning an Almanac, Calendar and Astrology 79 3. Compass Point Indicator: desa na ualu and bindu matoga 80 4. Materials for Traditional Divination 80 F. Conclusion 82 CHAPTER THREE RMG'S VIEW OF EDUCATION 84 A. The Barmen Seminary 85 1. Views of Its Teachers 85 (a) J.H. Richter (1799-1846) 86 (b) J.C. Wallmann (1811-1865) 87 (c) G.L. von Rohden (1817-1889) 89 (d) F.G.K.E. Fabri (1824-1891) 91 (e) Gustav Warneck (1834-1910) 98 (f) A. Schreiber (1839-1903) 111 2. Barmen Seminary Entrance Requirements 115 B. RMG Relationships with Various Mission-Oriented Bodies in the West 120 1. Relationships with Various Dutch Circles 120 2. Relationships with Other Mission Bodies through Conferences 123 (a) Series of Continental European Conferences 124 E. Reichel - C.H.C. Plath - L. Hesse (b) Other Mission Conferences 130 C. Conclusion 132 PART TWO DETAILS OF THE ENCOUNTER CHAPTER FOUR THE PIONEERING PERIOD: 1861-1882 137 A. The Beginning of the Encounter 137 1. First Steps 137 2. Relationships with the Batak Society 138 (a) The Southern Region 138 (b) The Northern Region 142 3. Relationships with the Dutch Indies Government 147 (a) Competition 147 Fout! Bladwijzer niet gedefinieerd. (b) Support 148 B. School Development 153 1. Types of Schools 153 (a) Elementary Schools 153 (b) Education Especially for Girls/Women 157 (c) Trade Schools 157 (d) School for Church Elders 158 2. Equipment of Learning 158 (a) Buildings and Equipment 159 (b) School Books, and General Literature 160 3. Financing the Schools 165 4. Collateral School Functions 169 (a) Health and Medical Ministries 169 (b) Ministries of Reconciliation 169 (c) Locales for Evangelism 170 C. Education of Indigenous Workers, especially Teachers 171 1. The Parausorat Catechetical School 172 2. Pansur Napitu 175 Excursus: Seminary at Depok 183 D. The Role of the Bataks in Developing in the Educational Ministry 184 1. Elders 184 2. Teacher 186 (a) Daily Activities 187 (b) On The-Job-Training/Nurturing 189 Meetings for Preparation - Conferences E. Statistics 193 CHAPTER FIVE THE HIGHPOINT OF DEVELOPMENT: 1883-1914 194 A. Factors Contributing to Reform 195 1. Expansion of the Working 195 2. An Increase in European Personnel 203 (a) Pastors of Congregations (Gemeindemissionare) 203 (b) Teachers 204 (c) Women Evangelists (Schwester/Sisters) 204 Fout! Bladwijzer niet gedefinieerd. (d) Doctors 205 3. Government Subsidy 205 4. The Batak Community's Desire for Education 210 B. Development in Numbers and Kinds of Schools 214 1. Elementary School 215 (a) Basic or Regular Elementary Schools 215 (b) Elementary School for Girls 215 (c) Elementary School for Chiefs' Children 216 (d) Dutch Language Elementary School 217 2. Vocational Secondary Schools 218 (a) Seminary 218 (b) Industrial or Trade School (Industrieschule; Sikola Hapandean) 218 (c) Nurse and Midwifery Course 219 (d) Agricultural School 220 (e) Weaving and Crocheting School 221 C. Consolidation of Views 222 1. Theological and Missiological Views 222 2. Views of Pedagogy and Method 233 D. Reforming the System and Nurturing of Teachers 238 1. Renewal of the Teacher Seminary Education 239 (a) Rebuilding the Learning Facilities and Increasing Its Capacity 239 (b) Improving of Reforming Elementary Education 245 (c) Reform of the Curriculum and Teaching Methods 251 (d) Reforming Seminary Entrance Conditions and Procedures 264 (e) Enhancing the Cultivation of Discipline 269 (f) Encouraging the Writing of Literature 272 2. Enhancing the Role and Ability of the Teacher 275 (a) Re-examination (Wiederholungsexamen) 278 (b) Examination of Abilities (Befähigungsexamen) 278 (c) Periodic In-Service Training 278 (d) Writing Contest with Prizes (Preisarbeiten) 280 (e) Pastors' Courses 280 E. Statistics 287 CHAPTER SIX "ADVANCE THROUGH STORM": 1915-1940 288 Fout! Bladwijzer niet gedefinieerd. A. The Period's Most Pressing Problems 289 1. The Penetration of Modern Culture and the "Hamajuon" Movement 289 2. The Movement for Autonomy 298 3. Governmental Organization of Education 313 (a) Categorizing the Elementary School as Volkschool and Vervolgschool 318 (b) The Language of Instruction 319 (c) The Status and Ownership of the School 319 (d) The responsibility for the School's Financial Support 321 (e) The Minimum Number of Pupils per School 322 4. Financial Crisis 339 5. Augmenting Its Teaching Staff with Teachers from the Natherlands 349 6. Competion with the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) 354 B. The Batakmission's Schools in the Midst of Crisis 358 1. The Regular Elementary School 358 2. Schools for Girls and General Women's Education 360 3. Dutch Schools 364 4. Trade Schools 368 5. The Education and Nurture of Church Workers 370 C. Table and Statistics 378 Kinds of Schools Operated by the RMG/Batakmission 379 Quantitative Development of Congregations and Schools 1918-1938 380 CHAPTER SEVEN EPILOGUE: 1940-1980 381 Internment May 10, 1940 381 The HKBP Reaction 384 Colonial Government Action 386 The RMG Reaction 390 Development During and After the Japanese Occupation 392 PART THREE EVALUATION, CONCLUSION AND REFLECTION Fout! Bladwijzer niet gedefinieerd. CHAPTER EIGHT THE IMPACT OF THE BATAKMISSION'S EDUCATIONAL A. In the Field of the Church and Spiritual Life of Its Members 398 1. Increase in Numbers of Church Members 398 2. Character and Spiritual Nurture of Lay Persons 400 3. Providing Church Workers 405 4. Autonomy in Financial Affairs 408 B. In the Social and Economic Fields 412 1. Raising Their Social Status 412 2. Increasing Economic Prosperity 416 3. Enhancing the Status and Role of Women 419 C. In the Field of Politics 422 1. Providing Civil Service Employees 423 2. The Rise of Nationalism 424 D. In the Field of Culture 426 E. In the Field of Education 430 CHAPTER NINE REFLECTIONS 439 Bibliography and Selected Sources 455 Curriculum vitae P R E F A C E The role and contribution of the church as pioneered by European mission boards in the advancement of the schooling of the Bataks, especially the Christians, is common knowledge. But were the mission bodies the only agents? What and how extensive was the role of the Bataks themselves? Then too, what was the extent of the Dutch Indies colonial government's role in Batak education, particularly when addressing the educational progress of the Bataks in the pre- independence period of Indonesian people? This writing will try to relate the history of education in the form of schooling among the Christian Bataks based on the hypothesis that their educational advancement was the result of the encounter between the Bataks and the mission boards, and to a certain degree because of the involvement of the colonial government. The mission board chosen as the partner in the encounter with the Bataks was the Rhenish mission (Rheinische Missions-Gesellschaft, RMG), a German mission board whose personnel worked in the Batak area and surroundings from 1861-1940. With this hypothesis as our starting point, this writing attempts to describe the foundation, motivation, goal and content of the schooling which was conducted by the RMG during the time of its presence there. In addition, we shall note the RMG's educational views, and the place and function of education in the whole system of its ministry. From another perspect-ive, we shall indicate the factors which motivated the Bataks to enthusiastically welcome that educational ministry. We shall also consider the role of Bataks themselves in the encounter, their motives and objectives for having the schools along with noting their traditional system of education. In order to obtain a complete picture, it was necessary to utilize the results of various scientific disciplines. Even so, the main focus of this study was placed on theology, especially church history and missiology. This dissertation would not have been completed without the stimulation, guidance and criticisms Fout! Bladwijzer niet gedefinieerd.