"Do you charge a fee? If you don't charge a fee, I'll sign up. It's so hard to be illiterate these days; I can't even keep accounts properly."
"I've lived for decades and all I can write is my own name, but I'm signing up too!"
"Isn't it enough to just write your name? Why do you need to know so many characters?"
"You good-for-nothing! If you can't read, you'll be a laborer; if you can read, you can be an accountant."
Listening to the discussions in the courtyard, Chen Jun felt a surge of emotions.
Even though this is Beijing, many people still don't realize the importance of reading and writing.
It's not that they are short-sighted, but that throughout thousands of years of history, only a small group of people have been literate, and in ancient times, it was the exclusive domain of high-ranking officials and nobles.
Ordinary people are already lucky if they can fill their stomachs, so why would they waste their labor on studying?
If this is how people live in Beijing, then people in other cities are even more likely to be like this.
"Clerk, how can I not study? I think reading and writing are useless. I'd rather lie in bed and sleep than spend that time learning."
A dark-skinned man grinned and voiced his thoughts.
The clerk at the neighborhood office remained calm upon hearing this, as he had heard similar things far too often in the past two days.
"The policy of teaching you to read and write is not from the neighborhood office, but from higher authorities. Isn't it good to teach you to read for free?"
"If you can read, you can read books and understand many principles that you couldn't understand before."
"He did this because he wanted all of us ordinary people to be like dragons!"
After saying this, the clerk turned his head and glanced around before fixing his gaze on the third uncle.
"Your courtyard house at number 95 has a good foundation. There's a teacher who teaches at a school, oh, right, and a great writer."
"For your compound, setting up a literacy class is not difficult, and it is not difficult for everyone in the compound to learn to read. Liu Haizhong, the establishment of the literacy class is a notice from the street office, and it is also a task given to you. You must complete it seriously."
"Clerk, where is this literacy class held?" Liu Haizhong asked the question that concerned him the most.
If classrooms were set up for classes, it would likely take half a day to study, since the concept of night classes didn't exist back then.
But if it's in the yard, the conditions are much more relaxed.
At that time, wouldn't his second uncle be able to come and go as he pleases?
“Your college has a good foundation, so you don’t need to go outside to take classes. You can set up your own classrooms. It doesn’t need to be too complicated. All you need is a decent table and a few benches. Each household can contribute their own resources.”
After saying this, the clerk continued, "The task has been communicated. Liu Haizhong, you are in charge of supervising it. You must take it seriously."
"I need to go to the next courtyard. You guys discuss it."
Seeing the clerk about to leave, Liu Haizhong quickly nodded: "Hey, don't worry, I'll definitely handle it perfectly."
After escorting the two clerks into the alley, Liu Haizhong returned home with a cheerful smile.
With the literacy class in the courtyard, he could allocate his time freely.
Moreover, since the neighborhood committee entrusted him with this preparation, it's like he gets to make his presence felt every day.
"Second Uncle, what should we do about this?"
No one in the courtyard had left; they were all waiting for Liu Haizhong, the second uncle, to set up the literacy class.
How to do it, when to do it, and who should do it all need to be clearly arranged.
Although a few were not interested in learning to read, they all became enthusiastic when they heard that it was arranged by that old man from above.
Hoping that everyone can be like a dragon—that's an incredibly high expectation.
We can't afford to fall short of this expectation.
study!
You must learn this!
"Ahem, everyone, please be quiet. We need to be careful about this literacy class and make sure it doesn't interfere with our work."
Liu Haizhong waved his hand and said, "Those who want to attend classes during the day, please raise your hands."
Upon hearing this, only a handful of women raised their hands.
They belonged to the courtyard intelligence team. After finishing their housework during the day, they liked to get together and chat. They had plenty of time. If they could attend classes during the day, they would be happy to.
"Raise your hand if you want classes to be held tonight," Liu Haizhong said after glancing around.
Immediately, more than half of the people raised their hands.
Clearly, these people need to work during the day and don't have time to be swept.
"The minority shall obey the majority, so let's set the class time for seven o'clock, when everyone will have time." Liu Haizhong said with satisfaction. He also wanted to hold the class in the evening so as not to affect his work.
"Second Uncle, how do we learn?" someone asked, raising their hand.
Upon hearing this question, Liu Haizhong naturally looked at Yan Bugui, who had remained silent.
"The clerk said that we have teachers in our institute, so the teaching problem should be handled by our Third Uncle."
"Old Yan, you're a teacher at the school, so going back to the institute to continue teaching shouldn't be a problem, right?"
no problem?
Yan Bugui's lips twitched a few times.
They arranged this for him without even consulting him?
He is a teacher, that's true, but that's his job; he gets paid for teaching!
As for teachers in literacy classes, they not only receive no financial reward, but they also expend a lot of their energy.
In Yan Bugui's view, strength doesn't come from nothing; it comes from the food he eats, so attending class is a waste of food.
Yan Bugui usually liked to scheme about these little things, thinking that instead of spending time teaching the people in the courtyard, he would rather go fishing after work.
"Well, there are quite a few literate people in our department, like He Yushui and Lin Yao, who are both outstanding students in school. Teaching some basics shouldn't be a problem for them," Yan Bugui said tactfully. His meaning was clear: I can teach classes, but you can't rely on me alone.
"Sigh, they're still students, how would they know how to teach others?"
After a pause, Liu Haizhong changed to a serious tone and said, "This is a task assigned by the street office, and we, as the people in charge, must shoulder the responsibility."
"You don't want Director Wang to know that our literacy class can't find a teacher, do you?"
Wow!
Liu Haizhong even made a threat.
Yan Bugui's face darkened: "Then I'll be in charge of teaching, what will you be in charge of? I can't be the only one doing the task of literacy education, can I?"
"Liu Haizhong, you don't want Director Wang to know that you didn't contribute to the literacy class, do you?"
Ouch?
Counter-threat?
Liu Haizhong looked at Yan Bugui with a complicated expression, then suddenly laughed and said, "How can we let you do it all by yourself? How about this, we make a duty roster, you teach on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and others teach on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays."
"Well, Chen Jun counts as one, Lin Yao and He Yushui count as one, but we're still one short."
After much deliberation, Liu Haizhong couldn't find many suitable candidates.
Count me in.
Just as Liu Haizhong was worrying, Yi Zhonghai stood up straight and stepped forward.
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