1. Need for the Study: The idealization and the indescriminate implantation of ‘things americana’, those American thoughts, institutions, and politics etc., which have characterized a generation since the Korea’s liberation in 1945, inevitably had a grave cultural impact on nation’s educational field, with the result that it has created the current educational reality in Korea, which is often described as ‘aimless’ or ‘in crisis of purpose’. In order to divert our concern from the soly American oriented educational relationship to wider scope of European, namely German, educational context, identifying nation’s educational locus in history, resetting educational direction, and searching valid ways for educational practice based on deep insight in the educational reality, this study is amied at probing and clarifying Johann Friedrich Herbart’s (1776-1841) educational theory as the beginning point of contemporary educational research. 2. Purpose of the Study: The Nation's education, in spite of the heteronomous progress, has made an undeniable progress in the field of practice, which has made a virtual contribution to the nation’s education at large. In contrast to the remarkable progress in educational practice, the nation’s education still exposes a lack in humanistic side (geistes Wissensschaft). This study, therefore, is in historical context, aimed at an intensive probing in the underlying meanings of Herbart’s theory compatible. with the the current educational theories. 3. Methodology: As the target text, Herbart’s main work, “General Pedagogy” (Allgemeine Padagogik aus dem Zweck der Erziehung abgeleitet) has already become an educational classic, the study is directed under the hermeneutic method, which is referred to as ‘interpreting’ (erklarend) and ‘understanding’ (verstehend) method of investigation of classic texts. In addition, emphasis was laid on referring to the primary sources for the study, that is, deliberately selected publications related in Germany are availed in this study for the up-to-date information on the topic. 4. Scheme of the Study. This study consists of three parts: introductory chapter, main chapters (ranging four chapters), and concluding chapter. 5. Major Findings of the Study: Significant findings of the study are as follows: a. Herbart’s theory in education, though met with criticism of being too narrow and schematic in view, so far as ‘General Pedagogy’ is concerned, is flexible and free in thoughts and contains wider variety of possiblities for the future application in the class. b. Meaningful implications for modern education are disclosed in this study and still be disclosed in the future studies. c. Dewey’s criticism on Herbart’s theory of interest is by no means contradictory but can be understood, in a larger sense, as affirmatively developed interpretation. d. Reaffirmation of his pedagogy as the starting point of contemporary educational theory. e. Semantic review disclosed the need for the terminological revision in current Korean translations. f. Possibility of applying his ‘four step teaching method’ as a dominant method in a large sized class in Korea, which is faced with teacher shortage.