People who 'fuel' learning in Uncle Ho's hometown

In Xuan Hoa - a simple countryside in Nam Dan district, there are many elderly people who are diligent and tireless in finding ways to preserve the tradition of studiousness for future generations.

The builder of the stele house of the imperial examinations

That is Mr. Nguyen Manh Tuyen - a retired cadre who is called the "living dictionary" of the commune by the people of Xuan Hoa commune (Nam Dan). He is the one who has persistently collected, recorded, and compiled a list of talented people, doctors, and outstanding figures of Xuan Hoa commune throughout history. At the age of 80, Mr. Tuyen pondered: "I have to do it, because I want the young generation in my hometown to understand the tradition of studiousness, understand the importance of learning, and continue that tradition."

During his diligent trips on his old motorbike, Mr. Tuyen went to each house, asked each person, and searched for old documents to get the most complete list. There were short trips, long trips, beautiful days, and hard sunny and rainy days. Pitying him, his family and relatives advised him many times to rest, but he refused. When he had information and documents, he stayed up all night to write a complete article.

Also from this list, he determined to mobilize the government and people to build the commune's Imperial Examinations Stele House to honor learning. His determination and perseverance came true. In 2021, the Imperial Examinations Stele House of Xuan Hoa commune was elaborately, neatly, and solemnly built on high ground, with a spacious, airy campus, good feng shui, located in the southwest of Anh hill, near Huong Lam pagoda, Thon Le temple.

The project records the names of the commune's scholars from 1918 onwards, including 12 doctors and vice doctors, 45 bachelors, and 104 bachelors; at the same time, records the names of Xuan Hoa's children with doctoral degrees or higher in the period 1919-2017 with 67 doctors; the list will continue to be updated. This is a rare list that not every commune has, and it is also a project that not every locality can do.

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“During the process of building the stele house, to gain the support and consensus of everyone, I also encountered many difficulties. There was no precedent for building a stele house of the mandarin examinations of a commune, so there was a time when I was the only one who persisted with this idea. I hope that the project will convey a meaningful message about the tradition of learning and mandarin examinations, encourage and motivate generations of children to study, and give them more motivation to contribute their talents and intelligence to serve their homeland and country.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Tuyen, Xuan Hoa commune (Nam Dan)

The veteran tells the story of history

For many students in Nam Dan district, Colonel Nguyen Huy Huong is a familiar figure. He often participates in historical storytelling activities for students.schoolin the area. With many descendants in the Nguyen Huy family in Xuan Hoa commune, he is the one who regularly implements programs to encourage learning, encourage, and inquire about the learning situation. After 40 years of dedication to the military, Mr. Huong returned to his hometown with the greatest desire to accompany the younger generation on the journey to preserve and promote the tradition of learning and academic achievement of the locality.

“I joined the army in 1969, participated in the Route 9 - Khe Sanh Campaign, the Ho Chi Minh Campaign and the Southwest Border Campaign. In 3 battlefields, I was wounded 3 times, of which the most dangerous time was in the battle in Cambodia, when the enemy shot me near my heart, which still leaves a scar. My wife was in the army and is also a war invalid,” Mr. Huong briefly introduced himself. During the conversation, he said very little about himself even though he held positions such as Party Secretary, Political Commissar of the Technical Department of Military Region 4, and was one of 30 people with outstanding revolutionary contributions in the whole province. He spent most of his time sharing his concerns about continuing the tradition of patriotism and studiousness of his homeland and clan for the younger generation.

In his conversations with students, patriotism and national pride were vividly “lit up” by him in the fierce battles to gain independence and freedom. The example of sacrifice and bravery of Uncle Ho’s soldiers was vividly “conveyed”.

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“Our ancestors died bravely so that we could live in peace, prosperity, and happiness. You, through your knowledge and study, should continue to write heroic and prosperous pages for our nation. That is the most practical way to repay them.”

Colonel Nguyen Huy Huong - Xuan Hoa commune (Nam Dan)

During his 10 years as Chairman of the Nam Dan District Veterans Association, Mr. Huong gave 20 traditional talks to 30,000 students and teachers of high schools and middle schools in the district.

His story not only helps students understand more about the difficult and heroic period of the country but also shows the great contributions of the people of Nam Dan district in the historical flow of the nation. As the person in charge of education promotion work of the Nguyen Huy family in Hai Phong hamlet, in addition to rewarding children with good academic achievements, Mr. Huong also calls for and mobilizes resources to support and encourage children with difficult family circumstances to continue their studies...

Perhaps because of these concerns, his three sons all achieved high academic achievements and held many important positions at work. They all studied at specialized schools in Hanoi, Nghe An province and Nam Dan district.

New school year, these days, wherever you go in Xuan Hoa commune, you can hear people chatting excitedly about the first day of school, the day of admission of new students. In many localities, choosing not to go to university and working abroad has become a movement and trend of a large number of young people, but in Xuan Hoa, because the "old bamboo" are persistent and diligent in maintaining their habits, studying is still an encouraged choice and a proud path for many families and clans./.