Chapter 166 Changing the name and leaving it in history
Chapter 166 A name change will leave a lasting impression on history
There are now a total of five higher primary schools in Wuchang, divided into East, West, South, North and Middle Schools. They are collectively referred to as "Five-Way Higher Primary Schools". Each school enrolls about 100 students.
Hua Shifang took Li Yu to a West Road primary school.
Since it is called a "higher elementary school", the students admitted are not children aged seven or eight, but are generally teenagers who have received private school education.
However, considering that many children who have received good education in private schools often come from relatively wealthy families, they may not agree with their children attending new-style primary schools. Therefore, the enrollment conditions for the schools will be relaxed appropriately. Therefore, the overall admission requirements for these higher primary schools are: being able to recite one or two scriptures
Department, proficient in arts and sciences, aged between eleven and fourteen years old.
To put it simply, it can be understood as junior high school, but the learning content is not as good as that of later junior high schools.
Wuhan was one of the relatively westernized cities in China at the beginning of the 20th century. After all, the Hankou Concession was one of the three major concessions, as famous as the Tianjin Concession and the Shanghai Concession. But now it certainly doesn’t sound like something worth showing off.
Since Westernization is relatively deep, the impact of new-style primary schools will naturally be great. Many students in each new-style primary school take the initiative to apply.
After all, you can see the high-rise buildings in the concession every day across the river, and from time to time there are several large ships passing by on the river. This is an impact directly in front of your eyes.
As for the more direct factor, the conditions provided by the new primary school are also very good.
Hua Shifang is now also a person with a good reputation in the Wuchang education circle. After all, she has been a mathematics teacher at the best self-improvement school under Governor Zhang Zhidong for a long time. Schools everywhere know this Huada person.
The schools in Wuchang really want to recruit Hua Shifang, but people nowadays are very local-minded. Hua Shifang will return to Jiangsu soon and teach mathematics in two schools in Jiangsu, and he will become a teacher two years later.
Chief teacher of Shanghai Nanyang Public School.
After arriving at Xilu Primary School, Li Yu saw several parents bringing their children to register.
——Although the timing seems strange, it’s actually nothing, because in today’s new schools, people often come to sign up halfway, and there are no strict regulations such as the September start of school in later generations.
The management of new-style schools is relatively relaxed.
Since the students who come here are all about the same basic level, the classes are well divided. It is normal for students in some classes to be three years apart.
The tuition fees of key new schools are not high, just like the previous Chongshi School in Beijing, the annual tuition is only one or two cents.
In order to recruit students, many elementary schools and colleges not only do not charge tuition fees, but also give money to students who study well, which can be understood as scholarships.
At this time, several parents were chatting with each other:
"Your accent sounds like you're not from Wuchang?"
"Yes, I come from De'an Prefecture (today's Xiaogan). I heard that the schools here are good, but the children are a bit stupid. I don't think there is any chance of being a scholar in the exam. Why not come to a new school, maybe I can make a name for myself.
.”
"Your child seems to be quite smart! My child is not that good. He has gone to three private schools. He is really naughty and the private school doesn't want him anymore. The folks usually scare him with foreign adults. I think he will at least be obedient in the new school."
"Your children have at least studied for a few years. My children are not comparable and have not read many books. But I also know that there is a future in studying. Now I heard that the new school does not charge tuition fees and takes care of food and accommodation. Where can I find this kind of school?
Plant something good!”
"Then you'd better let your child study hard. I heard you can get seven or eight taels of silver every year."
"Baby, did you hear that? If you study hard, you will get money!"
"I see your kids are so old, but mine is just eleven years old."
"What's the point? Isn't it the same if you are several dozen years behind when you get fame?"
…
Anyway, the families who sent the children had various reasons, but when Li Yu glanced over, he couldn't see any girls. This idea was not easy to change.
The receptionist at the registration desk was a foreigner in his thirties, who looked like a missionary.
Nowadays, students from schools such as the Beijing Normal University and the Normal School have not yet graduated. Basically, the schools built in various places will invite some foreigners to come as teachers.
Indeed, they are the only ones who know something about Western learning.
Fortunately, the missionaries were more or less serious foreigners. The missionaries who could come to China at this time had basically received formal education, and in order to establish a good image, they were really serious about education.
The missionary distributed the form to the students, and then said in Chinese: "Dear Chinese friends, please fill in the name, age, and place of origin of your child, and write down the level of education you have received below so that the school can divide you into classes.
Teaching.”
Most of the forms were filled out by parents, except for one child who seemed to be in his teens, picking up a brush and writing.
Li Yu was walking around to look at the school's layout. When he happened to pass by the child, he suddenly heard him whisper: "Oops, I wrote it wrong."
Li Yu took a quick look and found out that he had filled in his age "fourteen" in the name column.
Li Yu originally thought he would ask for another registration form, but he didn't expect that the child would change the character "十" into the character "李", and then add the word "光" after the character "四".
Oh my god, this name?!
Li Siguang?
The child quickly filled in the place of birth: Huanggang County, Huangzhou Prefecture. Then he wrote down his educational experience, which basically meant attending classes at his own private school.
After he handed in the registration form, Li Yu stopped him: "Li Siguang!"
The child looked at Li Yu and said in surprise: "This is my new name, how did you know?"
Li Yu said: "I saw it from the side just now."
Li Siguang scratched his head: "You are not sent here by your father, are you? There is nothing to worry about! I have already agreed with him that I want to learn new things and study abroad."
Li Yu said: "I am from the capital, and my name is Li Yu. Although my surname is Li, I don't know your father."
"Li Yu?" Li Siguang thought for a while, "It's true that the village has never heard of it."
Hua Shifang next to him smiled and said: "If you really study abroad, you will probably hear Li Yu's name soon."
Li Siguang looked at Hua Shifang and asked, "Grandpa, who are you?"
Hua Shifang is now fifty years old. At this time, people generally want to have children early. There is nothing wrong with being called grandpa at fifty years old.
Hua Shifang said: "My name is Hua Shifang, and I used to be a mathematics teacher at Ziqiang School."
Li Siguang said: "It turns out to be Mr. Hua! My father once mentioned you. He said that there are several good Western teachers in the provincial capital, including you."
Hua Shifang laughed loudly and looked at Li Yu: "I didn't expect that I am more famous than you."
Li Yu also smiled and said: "After all, it is Hubei territory."
Then he said to Li Siguang: "So, you came to Wuchang by yourself?"
Li Siguang nodded: "Yes, I came here on my own! But I have already inquired about it, and the new school will take care of food and housing."
"Then you are quite brave." Li Yu recalled the map in his mind, "Coming from Huanggang, the distance is not close."
Although Li Yu has never been to Huanggang, he did a lot of Huanggang test papers when he was in school, so he couldn't help but be familiar with it.
Li Siguang said confidently: "What's the point? I've been running around since I was a child. Don't underestimate me. When I grow up, I have never lost my way, let alone lost my way! No matter where I go, I can know the east, west, north and south."
.My father said that I know the road better than the old horses in the village!"
Well, after all, he is a great geologist in the future. Although he is only a fourteen-year-old child, it seems that dozens of kilometers are really not a problem.
Li Yu asked again: "What was your original name, and why did you change your name to Li Siguang?"
"My real name is Li Zhongkui," Li Siguang said. "When I wrote my name in the wrong place just now, I thought there could only be one registration form. I happened to see a plaque in front of it that said 'Guang Quan Si Shen'. I thought, Si Guang
, which means there is light in all directions and the future is promising! Then it was changed to its current name, Li Siguang. I like this name, and there are many things I want to do in the future."
Although his real name was not Li Siguang, after this unexpected mistake, Li Siguang actually used this temporarily changed name from now on.
"Oh?" Li Yu became interested and asked again, "What do you want to do in the future?"
Li Siguang said: "I came to the provincial capital on a large foreign ship. I will also build large ships in the future!"
Li Yu smiled and said: "I believe you can succeed."
Of course, Li Siguang couldn't see why Li Yu was laughing, and thought he was praising himself: "Brother, just believe me!"
Li Yu also laughed. He didn't expect young Li Siguang to be so funny.
Of course, he later studied in Japan, and at first he studied mechanics. Later, when he went to study at the University of Birmingham in England again, he changed his major to geology.
Li Yu asked curiously: "Your father didn't accompany you here. Does it mean he doesn't agree with your decision?"
Li Siguang shook his head: "My father didn't stop me too much, and later he agreed very much. As for why he didn't come, it's because our ancestors came from the grassland, and the small roads really don't mean anything."
Li Siguang's ancestors were indeed Mongolian, and they migrated from the grasslands to Huanggang, Hubei.
Li Yu asked again: "For so many years, you have been studying in a private school at home?"
Li Siguang nodded this time: "My father taught me this, so he understood me and let me come to the provincial capital."
Li Yu gave a thumbs up: "Your decisions are all correct."
One more thing, Li Siguang's father was also the first teacher of leader Lin of the Northeast Field Army.
The missionary teacher of the Higher Primary School shouted at this time: "All new students, please follow me to go through the admission procedures."
Li Siguang said to Li Yu: "I'm leaving."
Li Yu said: "Go ahead and see you later."
After Li Siguang left, Hua Shifang asked: "Why did you talk so much with this child?"
Li Yu looked at his retreating back and said, "This kid has a future."
Hua Shifang also said: "A fourteen-year-old child who has the courage to come to the provincial capital independently does have a future."
Li Yu asked again: "Does the school really give money to children?"
Hua Shifang said: "Of course, as long as you pass the exam, you will have money. If you get into the top five, you can also study abroad, and the school will pay for it."
The school under Zhang Zhidong's rule was really generous.
Although it may not work in a short time, only if you are willing to spend money on education can you have a future.
Li Siguang was indeed a top student at Xilu High School. He was always among the best and received scholarships every time.
Moreover, his learning ability is really strong. Originally, the primary school education lasted for four years, but in less than two years, Li Siguang got the opportunity to study in Japan.
The two of them looked around the school again. Although the new school seemed completely incomparable with those of later generations, as it was the beginning of the 20th century, they couldn't force too much.
The key is to take care of food, housing, housing and pay, and to be able to study abroad after studying well. This is basically a prosperous road.
But even so, many wealthy households are not willing to let their children attend such schools. After all, vested interests benefit from the imperial examination.
Therefore, in the early days, almost all the children who went to the new-style primary schools were poor children. The boarding system offered by the primary schools, free food and accommodation, and the system of earning money if they studied well were really very attractive to them.
Most of the children of the poor have no good impression of the Qing government or a sense of belonging, so many of them will choose the path of revolution in the future.
There seems to be some faint causal relationship.
Although the original intention of the Qing government in opening new-style primary schools was to make themselves stronger, they certainly could not have imagined that the new-style schools that were blooming everywhere were like digging a grave for the decadent Qing government itself.
Anyway, it's rotten to the root and can't be cured, so just bury it in the ground.
After looking at the primary school, Hua Shifang took Li Yu to look at the Lianghu Academy and the Craft School.
It seems that the biggest difference is that the students are around 20 years old, and the content of their studies is similar, but there are more subjects.
Anyway, it is almost at this level now, and it will take at least a few more years for the situation to change.
The next day, Hua Shifang took Li Yu to the laboratory of Hanyang Steel Pharmaceutical Factory.
Xu Jianyin does know chemistry, and the test tubes inside look decent, but it's a pity that not many people can use them to their full potential.
In a trance, Li Yu felt as if he had returned to his chemistry class in middle school.
Although Li Yu knew that the aluminum and fertilizer industries were not easy, he still had to let Zhang Zhidong see some small results.
There are several students from the technical school in the laboratory, and they only know how to use test tubes.
The principle of making aluminum is relatively simple. Li Yu led these students to do several redox reactions in high school chemistry, and obtained the material for preparing electrolytic aluminum - alumina, which is aluminum oxide.
It was actually a very simple experiment, but these students were dumbfounded when they saw Li Yu's skillful operation.
After Li Yu taught them in detail several times, they mastered it skillfully.
But this is just a step in the principle, and we can only talk about it later after we have electricity.
There is some hope for aluminum production, but as for the synthetic ammonia industry of chemical fertilizers, it is a bit troublesome.
And to be honest, the process of synthesizing ammonia is still a high-level secret in Germany, and other countries did not understand it until World War I.
But no matter how secret it is, Li Yu understands the principle.
And the key is to have a catalyst. This is the secret among secrets. Li Yu only vaguely remembers that the key component of the catalyst is iron oxide. Fortunately, knowing it can save a lot of detours.
As for now, we can only let these students know that the saltpeter in their hands still has many uses.
As for more in-depth matters, they are not yet in control, and they don't have the conditions yet.
But just like that, these students were overjoyed. They never imagined that saltpeter has so many uses.
Li Yu could only smile bitterly: "Now the most important role of saltpeter is to make explosives."
During World War I, almost all saltpeter was used by the military industry, but even so, it is better to let them understand. After all, chemical industry is a core of heavy industry. Even if it cannot be done on a large scale due to conditions, at least it should be allowed to them.
Understand.
These students did not know that they had learned secret techniques that had been studied by the German chemical community for many years.
As for application, Li Yu sighed lightly. No matter what, it's just one more step.