Chapter 329 Village-run Private School
"Jingzhe, I have made an agreement with the village chief that our private school will start classes on August 18th, and you will go to Pingchuan County to invite Mr. Li the day after tomorrow."
After dinner, Tong Huaqiong told her son about the start time of the private school in the village.
Gu Jingzhe and Master Su had already visited Mr. Li in Pingchuan County two days ago. They presented gifts to Mr. Li and talked about monthly silver. Mr. Li was very happy to come to Qinghe Bay.
"Okay, I'll go after the festival tomorrow." Gu Jingzhe was very confident that he could invite Mr. Li.
Tong Huaqiong wrote a post and asked Gu Jingzhe to bring it to County Magistrate Liu when the time comes.
Tong Huaqiong was also very confident that he could invite County Magistrate Liu.
Just for Tong Huaqiong's contribution to the corn harvest this autumn, County Magistrate Liu would not fail to do her a favor.
In addition to the invitation letter to County Magistrate Liu, Tong Huaqiong also took inventory of the gifts that the city brought to County Magistrate Liu's mother, Han, and planned to let Gu Jingzhe take them as well.
Tong Huaqiong also planned to go to Pingchuan County in person after this busy period to ask Han to propose marriage to Lu Zhaoyang.
Village chief Liu Tielian called a meeting for all the villagers as soon as they finished lunch.
The theme of the meeting revolved around Qinghewan's upcoming opening of its own private school.
When the village chief announced that Tong Huaqiong had paid for a teacher to come to the village to teach, the villagers were shocked and delighted.
There is no family in the village that has a son and doesn't want their son to become successful and change their family status.
Just say that why Tong Dajiao was so strong even though her family was so poor? It was because there was a scholar named Gu Jingzhe in her family.
According to the village chief, we don't need to pay for hiring a teacher or building a private school. We just need to pay a tuition fee.
When everyone heard that the tuition was half the price of the private school in town, they all wanted to send their sons to school.
"My son needs to study. I don't ask him to pass the imperial examination. As long as he can read and understand account books, he can find a job outside. It's better than farming at home or carrying sandbags at the dock." Liu Yue'e's brother Liu Shan spoke first.
Since it was a private school organized by the boss and uncle, he, as the shop assistant of Peach Blossom Dessert and the nephew of the village chief, naturally had to support it.
"I haven't gotten married yet. I asked my younger brother to come to school so that we can have a scholar in the future." Ergouzi, a hired worker in Tong Huaqiong's family, made plans for his youngest brother.
“My son wants to study too.”
"So does my son."
"Since there is a private school in the village, there is no reason not to study there. Both of my grandsons are studying there."
Everyone is rushing to let their sons and grandsons go to school.
Some do not expect their children to succeed in their studies, but just want them to be able to read account books and make a living in the city; others hope that their children will be like Gu Jingzhe or even more promising than Gu Jingzhe.
In short, the desire to read made the atmosphere lively.
"I don't have a son now, but when I have one, I will let him go to school. Even if I have a daughter, I will let her go to school," said Qin Qingyou.
Now that Chen Sufen is pregnant, Qin Qingyou is very envious.
Liu Qiaoyun has been married to him for a year but there is no sign of pregnancy. He was not in a hurry before but now he really wants a child.
Some people laughed at Qin Qingyou: "It's fine for your son to study, but is it bad to let your daughter study? Who would accept female students in a private school?"
Simply whimsical.
Qin Qingyou said unconvincedly: "Who said no. Our boss, Aunt Tong, plans to let Maner and Yaozu study in the private school together."
Everyone was stunned and looked at Tong Huaqiong.
Tong Huaqiong nodded and said, "Yes, my son Maner is going to study in the private school with the other boys in the village."
"Tong Da Jiao is really open-minded." After a long silence, a sigh came from the crowd.
The head of the Gu family stood on the sidelines and wanted to oppose Maner's admission to a private school. He thought it was ridiculous for Tong Huaqiong to let his granddaughter go to a private school.
Private schools are places for men. If women enter, they will only bring bad luck and affect men's studies.
He felt that speaking up would undermine the dignity of the clan leader, so he winked at his grandson Gu Dahu.
Gu Dahu understood his grandfather's thoughts and said, "Private schools have always been places for men to study, and women can go to private schools without worrying about bringing bad luck. Auntie, you should give up the idea of letting Maner go to a private school."
Tong Huaqiong didn't even frown as she said to the clan leader, "Da Hu, if you think it's bad luck, why don't you just not send your son to the private school? I run this private school, and Man'er will definitely come here to study. I'll be frank with you, if any family dislikes their daughters going to private schools, you don't have to send your children to private schools."
What bad luck? It's just an excuse.
Tong Huaqiong didn't believe that Maner's admission to a private school would put an end to the chances of other boys in the village going there.
Gu Taohua echoed, "You blame women for everything. You were born by women, so why don't you think it's unlucky? If you have the guts, just die."
The head of the Gu family was so angry that his face turned ashen.
Once Tong Huaqiong and Gu Taohua spoke, no one else dared to speak.
They were afraid that speaking up would offend Tong Huaqiong, who might prevent their children from attending the private school.
Nowadays, the private school teachers in the village are hired by Tong Huaqiong, and the funds for running the school are provided by Tong Huaqiong and the boss. The tuition is half cheaper than other places. Where can you find such a good thing?
Although everyone felt uncomfortable when they heard that girls also had to go to private schools, everything has a price. If they did not allow their own children to study in private schools just because there were girls, then wouldn't that mean they would be cutting off the way for their family to change its status.
Never mind. Anyway, this private school is run by Tong Huaqiong, so she can do whatever she wants.
Tong Huaqiong said: "Not only my daughter Maner comes to study in the private school, but any of your daughters who want to come can also come in."
The villagers shook their heads, saying that this was unnecessary.
Which girl can compare with the girl from the Gu family?
Their girls have to work and take care of the family, so what can they do with literacy? That is only for the daughters of wealthy families.
Farm girls get married when they are fourteen or fifteen years old, and families with spare money will let their girls go to school.
Seeing that the crowd had calmed down, the village chief began to tell everyone that classes would start on August 18, and families willing to study should go to Gu Jingzhe to register.
"......While everyone is here today, we will clean up a room in our Liu family's ancestral hall. Move the desks, chairs and benches for the children to study from our home. Since they are going to start learning, they should prepare all the pens, ink, paper and inkstone. Don't wait until the first day of class and let the children come empty-handed."
The village chief gave everyone some instructions and then led everyone to the Liu Family Ancestral Hall to clean up.
When the villagers heard that the children would have books to read, they became very motivated. Before sunset, they cleaned the Liu family ancestral hall, swept the hall spotlessly, and placed tables and chairs from each family.
Gu Jingzhe hung the portrait of Confucius that he had obtained from Master Su on the wall in front of the classroom.
There was a boxwood ruler on the table at the front of the classroom.
The village chief asked the village carpenter Gu Guangkui to carefully make the ruler.
It looks a bit like a classroom.
Tong Huaqiong expressed her satisfaction.
Tong Huaqiong picked up the registration form in front of Gu Jingzhe. Most families in the village had registered their sons or grandsons.
Tong Huaqiong is already looking forward to the first day of classes on August 18th.