Chapter 119 The Birth of Hope Polytechnic and a Nationwide Literacy Campaign...
As the Hope Brand second-generation canned goods were neatly loaded onto the truck, ready to embark on their unknown journey to the south, Lin Yue's tense nerves finally relaxed a little. He unusually became a hands-off manager, wearing a large straw hat woven from reed leaves, and inspected the various workshops with his hands behind his back.
However, after this round of travel, his initial joy at the successful mass production of canned goods was shattered by a series of unexpected events.
With construction commencing simultaneously in Hope Town and Blackrock City, the scale of the operation expanded rapidly, exacerbating the labor shortage. Left with no other option, Lin Yue authorized Li Ge and Kaven to recruit a group of contract workers in Blackrock City with more generous compensation. These workers had undergone rigorous screening and possessed decent character and skills.
Although these people are not yet official residents of Hope Town, their arrival has greatly alleviated the pressure of labor shortage and brought more fresh blood from the outside world to this closed town.
The addition of new members has also brought new problems.
When he walked up to the waterwheel, the sight before him almost gave him a heart attack.
Two young workers from Blackrock City, their faces flushed, were straining with all their might to try and pry open a huge gear stuck in the mud with a short, thin wooden stick. The fragile stick had bent into a dangerous arc under the immense pressure, creaking and looking like it was about to break on the spot.
"Stop! Do you two want to die?"
Lin Yue roared, startling the two boys who quickly let go of his grip.
He rushed forward, pointing at the cracked wooden stick, his anger flaring: "Who taught you to do this? Can't you see this stick is about to break? If it breaks right now, the force of the rebound could knock out your front teeth. If you two strain your backs from using too much force, or fall and hit the back of your heads, current medical technology won't be enough to treat you."
As he cursed, he found a thicker and longer iron birch lever nearby, placed a sturdy stone block under it as a fulcrum, and then said to the two still bewildered boys, "Watch closely, this is called the lever principle. Find the right fulcrum, use a long enough lever arm, and you can lift even a bull."
As he spoke, he simply exerted a little force, and the huge gear that the two of them had been unable to budge even when they worked together before suddenly rose up.
Before he could catch his breath, another gasp and a pungent, burnt smell came from the rubber workshop on the other side.
He ran over and saw Norm frantically using a damp burlap sack to extinguish the black smoke rising from a clay pot. Inside the pot was a charred lump of rubber emitting a nauseating odor.
"What happened?"
“Mayor…Mayor…” Norm’s face was also covered in soot. He pointed to the broken pottery jar and stammered, “I…I just wanted to try…if I could add a little bit of earth-fire crystal powder during vulcanization, to see if I could…make the rubber more heat-resistant…”
"Then what?"
"Then...then it...it caught fire..."
Lin Yue held his forehead, feeling his blood pressure soaring.
He knew Norm meant well and admired his adventurous scientific spirit. But, my goodness, you don't even have the most basic chemistry knowledge, you can't even tell the difference between a catalyst and a combustion accelerant, yet you dare to mix and heat this nuclear-fuel-like substance, geothermal crystals, with flammable rubber? Are you doing research? Or are you trying to give our Hope Town a spectacular fireworks show ahead of time?
As the day progressed and the projects became increasingly complex, more and more newcomers joined, and similar unexpected events and "surprises" unfolded one after another in each workshop.
Lin Yue watched as the workers, lacking basic knowledge of physics, chemistry, and even mathematics, repeatedly made basic mistakes, wasting valuable resources and nearly causing safety accidents. A strong sense of crisis and lingering fear gripped his heart.
Lin Yue suddenly realized an extremely terrifying problem—he himself was the biggest technological bottleneck in Hope Town.
Whether it's the design of waterwheels, the vulcanization of rubber, or the development of gunpowder... all the core technologies and theories of all of this exist only in his mind.
He was like a dictatorial technological tyrant, and everyone could only passively carry out his orders and copy his blueprints, but no one truly understood the principles behind them.
If he leaves, or something unexpected happens to him, wouldn't the technological development of the entire Hope Town instantly regress to the Stone Age?
What will happen if I'm gone?
This thought echoed repeatedly in his mind like a spell.
No! Absolutely not! The future of Hope Town cannot rest on his shoulders alone. He must find a way to spread the seeds of knowledge from another world within his mind. He must establish a truly self-sustaining and self-renewing talent development system. He must ignite the first prairie fire called "science" on this alien land.
...
After pondering for several days, Lin Yue finally revealed this bold idea at a routine meeting.
"I want to start a school. I want to build our own school in Hope Town. A place where everyone can read, do arithmetic, and understand the most basic scientific principles."
“Run a school? Mayor, we have so many things to do right now, we don’t have time for anything like reading and writing. Isn’t that something only nobles do? We’re good at carrying bricks and building walls.”
“Yes, Mayor,” said Old Bud and Old Barton, both elderly men, with concern. “It’s fine to let the children learn. But we old folks can’t read a single word, our brains are all stiff, how can we learn those complicated things? We don’t want them to not learn to read and end up neglecting our work.”
Although everyone understood that reading and writing were a great thing, they were filled with deep worry and lack of confidence about whether they could learn them.
Lin Yue looked at them and shook his head.
“You are all wrong. Knowledge is not the privilege of nobles. It is the most powerful weapon that can enable us to survive, and to live better, just like the iron tools in our hands and the grain in our fields.”
"Brother Li, let me ask you," he looked at Brother Li, "are you building walls much faster and stronger now than before?"
"Of course." Brother Li patted his chest proudly.
"That's because you've learned to use a spirit level and a plumb line, and you've learned to calculate the optimal mix ratio for cement mortar. These are the most basic physics and math concepts."
He then looked at Kailan's deputy: "Isn't the furniture you're making now more sturdy and uses less material than before?"
The people at the furniture factory nodded.
"That's because you understand the mechanical principles of mortise and tenon joints and have learned how to build the most stable support with the least amount of material. These are also forms of knowledge."
“And you, Norm,” he said, turning finally to the inquisitive young Silent One, “Do you now understand why you can’t heat the Earth Fire Crystal and the rubber together?”
Norm's face flushed instantly, and he lowered his head in shame.
“Because it’s a chemical reaction.” Lin Yue emphasized, “Knowledge can help us avoid making mistakes, improve our efficiency, and enable us to create things we never dared to imagine before. It’s not some ethereal thing; it’s in every bit of our work, in every act of creation.”
“I hope,” he said, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, “that everyone in the town not only knows how to work, but also understands why they do it. I hope that one day, even when I’m gone, you will be able to improve the waterwheels, develop new tools, and create a better and stronger Hope Town than it is now.”
"What! Mayor, what do you mean by 'you're gone'?"
Why aren't you here?
"Have you fallen seriously ill, Elder Farador? Please take a look at the mayor!"
...
You guys know how to grasp the key points. Lin Yue was embarrassed: "Stop, stop, stop. I meant if, and I don't have any serious illness. It's just a hypothetical situation. What I want to say is that you need to study more so that you can create better and become more independent."
Thus, under Lin Yue's strong promotion, a highly informal yet significant primary education system named "Hope Institute of Technology (Correspondence Courses from Kindergarten to Senior University)" was officially established.
The establishment of the school fully embodies the meaning of "making the best use of people's talents and resources".
Based on age and needs, the town's residents were clearly divided into three classes.
The youngest class, or kindergarten class, is cared for by elderly women who, though no longer able to do heavy physical labor, are full of love and patience. During the day, they gather all the preschool children together for unified care. They teach them nursery rhymes, tell them bedtime stories filled with themes of truth, goodness, beauty, and the glory of labor, and also help the support staff with tasks like shelling beans and picking vegetables.
The middle class is the primary school class in compulsory education. All children of school age, regardless of gender or background, must put down all their work during the day and enter the classroom to receive the most basic cultural education.
The "Big Class" refers to adult night school classes. All adult residents who are not yet literate must attend mandatory literacy classes after finishing work in the evening.
This decision did initially raise concerns among many people.
"Mayor, my brain is as hard as a rock, can I really learn it?"
"Yes, I can't even write my own name..."
However, Lin Yue announced that all workers who attend night school and pass the basic assessment will receive additional "cultural subsidy" work points, and that all production team leaders and foremen will be selected from outstanding graduates of literacy classes in the future.
Furthermore, the "Hope Town Points Redemption Menu" on the notice board at the entrance of Yihaodian also underwent a significant change overnight.
After all the goods, in addition to the original work points and currency price, there was an extra line of eye-catching small print marked in red dye.
Holders of the "Hope Town Primary Literacy Certificate" will receive a 10% discount on all items purchased from this store!
Those holding the "Hope Town Basic Arithmetic Certificate" can apply for technical positions in all workshops with priority and enjoy an additional 50 work points per month as a technical subsidy!
Those who hold both certificates not only enjoy all the above benefits, but also have priority in allocating new housing, their children in job placement, and even the right to run for leadership positions in various production teams in the future.
The simple and straightforward regulations dispelled everyone's doubts and complaints.
"What?! You can get a 10% discount just for being literate?"
"Learn to do simple math, and you can get 50 work points every month for free?! That's a whole bag of wheat!"
"Can we get priority in housing allocation?" This is the most pressing question for the residents of New Hope Town who have been there for some time, freed from slavery but still without housing.
Suddenly, everyone fell silent; the winds of change swept through Hope Town. A frenzy of studying, filled with all sorts of chaotic scenes, swept through the town.
During the day, the children sit in the spacious and bright classroom built with new wood, watching with curiosity the young mayor on the podium who is wielding chalk (made of lime and clay).
Lin Yue pulled out all his meager savings. He taught them to sing the number song "1234567, where are my friends?", taught them to recite a simplified version of the Three Character Classic "Heaven and Earth are dark and yellow, the universe is vast and desolate", and even drew them a fun math problem: "One apple plus one apple equals two apples".
In the evening, the students in the classroom were replaced by a group of burly men with unshaven beards and calloused hands, and a group of housewives with equally worried expressions.
Looking at the eager yet somewhat nervous faces below, Lin Yue cleared his throat and said, half encouraging and half admonishing, "I know everyone is exhausted from working during the day, and having to learn these complicated things at night is indeed not easy. But let me be frank: some of our comrades, like Brother Li, started learning to read and do math with me a long time ago. But look at your current level, and look at those new workers from Blackstone City. They also haven't been to school, but they're learning much faster than you. If you continue to take this so lightly, you might be swept away by the next generation before long. At that point, you won't even be able to keep your foreman position, let alone your team leader position."
Li Ge, Lao Ba De, and several other veteran students were a little embarrassed. They straightened their backs, picked up the stone slabs in their hands, and their expressions became more serious.
Of course, there are also some heartwarming scenes. For example, children who have learned new knowledge during the day will proudly become their parents' little teachers at night, correcting their crooked handwriting and stuttering pronunciation.
Adults who are looked down upon by their children will try to save face by setting each other up with math problems on the construction site, competing to see who can solve them the fastest and who knows the most characters.
This is how a positive learning atmosphere of intense competition among all members was formed.
Since the start of the course, Lin Yue has developed a new quirk. He always carries a small blackboard and a few pieces of chalk with him. Even when he's not teaching, he'll appear like a ghost, occasionally drifting past the classroom window, seemingly glancing inside casually, before floating away again, scribbling or drawing something on the small blackboard in his hand.
This action terrified all the trainees, but also filled them with curiosity.
"What do you think the mayor is writing down on with that little board every day?"
"Who knows? They're being so secretive. Could they be giving us a score?"
"Impossible, right? We're not children anymore."
Finally, on a day off, Li Ge, A Hu, Tie Niu, and a few other guys with the strongest curiosity, taking advantage of the fact that Lin Yue was being pulled away by the agricultural team to discuss how to raise pigs scientifically, sneaked into Lin Yue's office with a guilty conscience.
They spotted their target immediately—several small blackboards covered in writing were neatly arranged on Lin Yue's desk and the cabinet next to it.
The group exchanged glances and crept closer.
The piece on the table was clearly in progress. It bore the words written in Lin Yue's unique handwriting:
[Hope Institute of Technology Evening School Classroom Discipline Observation Log (Class 3)]
[Student: Ah Hu. Problem: Whispering with his deskmate during class, discussing what to eat for supper, seriously disrupting class order. Number of records: 2.]
[Student: A young man who is a silent thinker. Question: Using his bloodline advantage, he closes his eyes and meditates during math class, pretending to be listening attentively. Number of records: 1.]
[Student: A young man from a construction team. Problem: Sleeping in class, snoring loudly, and successfully drooling onto Aunt Leah's shoulder in the row in front of him. Number of attempts: 3.]
...
When Ah Hu saw his name prominently listed, a cold sweat broke out on his back.
Li Ge breathed a sigh of relief when he couldn't find his name on the blackboard on the table, and even felt a little smug. But he wasn't giving up, so he quietly opened the several blackboards on the cabinet next to him that were already full of writing.
Then, his face instantly turned green.
He found his glorious deeds on the first blackboard, and there was more than one.
[Student: Li Ge. Question: In the first class, when the teacher wasn't looking, he secretly ate some roasted potato chips hidden in his sleeve. Number of records: 1.]
[Student: Li Ge. Problem: Late for the second class. Reason: Assisted the transport team with the birth of a lizard. Record count: 1. (Note: The reason is too far-fetched; its authenticity needs verification.)]
[Student: Li Ge. Problem: Left early during the fourth period. Reason: To grab the limited amount of sauerkraut stewed pig's trotters in the cafeteria. Record count: 1.]
[...]
Finally, there was a grotesque summary drawn in red mineral paint: "[Brother Li, five disciplinary violations. Suggested punishment: Jump around Central Park like a frog.]"
"What is 'frog jumping'?" Li Ge didn't understand the word "punishment," but he recognized the words "frog jumping" without understanding their meaning. His intuition told him that it was definitely not a good thing.
The group, their hearts pounding, carefully put all the blackboards back in their original places, then fled Lin Yue's office as if they had seen a ghost.
That evening, an extremely bizarre scene unfolded in the night school classroom.
Not only was Li Ge the first to arrive, but he also brought a slate and charcoal pencil, which was unprecedented for him, and sat upright in the front row. During class, he listened more attentively than anyone else, and his notes were filled with dense text.
His fellow workers, as usual, kept nudging him with their elbows, trying to talk to him.
"Hey, Li Ge, what are you spacing out for? Why are you so serious? It's okay if you can't learn it. By the way, I heard that the cafeteria is having spicy red-clawed shrimp for supper tonight. Should we sneak away early, or they'll be gone if we go too late?"
Li Ge remained unmoved, not even turning his head. He simply spoke in a serious tone, full of the wisdom of someone who had been through it all, and said in a deep voice, "Da Niu, stop talking. Listen to the lesson. Knowledge can change your destiny."
Da Niu: "...?"
He stared blankly at Li Ge, seriously doubting whether the guy had taken the wrong medicine today.
Of course, it's impossible for Lin Yue to teach academic subjects by himself alone.
He also hired Li Ge, Lao Bade, Norm, Ella, and others as visiting professors at Hope Polytechnic, making them both students and teachers, responsible for passing on their valuable practical experience to the younger generation in practical classes. Although they don't know many words yet and can't articulate profound theories, they will use the simplest and most direct methods to teach their hard-earned practical experience to eager young people.
Li Ge's architecture class was held on a bustling construction site. He would point to a wall under construction and tell his students what a load-bearing wall is, what an infill wall is, and why stronger bricks should be used at the corners.
Old Bard's agriculture class took place in the vibrant fields, where he would grab a handful of soil and teach the children how to judge the fertility of the soil by its color and moisture, and how to identify pests and beneficial birds.
Ella transformed their woodworking and pottery workshops into vibrant art and craft classrooms.
Even in the canteen's kitchen, Aunt Lian began to require the cooks to strictly record the amount of salt and spices used and the combination of cooking time for each dish, in order to find the best flavor combination.
Theory and practice, knowledge and inheritance, are perfectly combined in this small academy.
To improve teaching efficiency, Lin Yue also used newly developed glassmaking and woodworking techniques to create the first blackboard in Hope Town that could be repeatedly erased and rewritten. He also drew simple and easy-to-understand sketches of the most basic knowledge points, such as the lever principle, gear transmission, and plant grafting, and engraved them on polished stone slabs as the first generation of standardized teaching materials for Hope Town.
The results of the teaching were most directly reflected in subsequent daily life and production.
After learning basic geometry and mechanics, the construction workers built straighter walls and more stable roofs. The agricultural team, having mastered grafting and scientific fertilization techniques, produced larger radishes and higher yields of starlight wheat. Even the cooks in the logistics team, after learning basic arithmetic, could accurately calculate the daily needs for ingredients and seasonings, greatly reducing waste.
Knowledge is subtly and gradually changing everyone and every corner of this small town.
The tiny seeds of science sown today will one day burn brightly in this magical and wondrous land, becoming a raging fire that illuminates an entire era.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Lin Yue: Suddenly appeared holding a small blackboard
Li Ge (trembling): "Mayor, I'm... researching food mechanics..."
Lin Yue (raising an eyebrow): "Oh? Then tell me about the parabolic motion of a potato?"
Li Ge (seriously): "Next up is—Food Mechanics: Li Ge's Irresistible Appetite."
Everyone (with disdain →_→): "Get lost!"
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