Revolutionary imprints under the old school roof

In the early years of the 20th century, the French-Vietnamese Primary School in Nha Trang and Ninh Hoa became the base for teachers - revolutionaries Ha Huy Tap and Ngo Duc Dien to spread patriotism and Marxism-Leninism, leading to the birth of grassroots party organizations in Khanh Hoa. Up to now, those schools with a hundred-year history have not only entered history books but also become red addresses to educate revolutionary ideals for today's young generation.

From the historical site of the French-Vietnamese School Ninh Hoa...

The French-Vietnamese Primary School in Ninh Hoa is now the Traditional House and Political Center of Ninh Hoa Town. Established in 1922, the French-Vietnamese Primary School in Ninh Hoa is one of the revolutionary cradles of the province. According to Mr. Nguyen Van Luong - the official in charge of the Traditional House of Ninh Hoa Town, when teacher Ha Huy Tap came to teach in Nha Trang, in the period of 1925 - 1926, teacher Ngo Duc Dien also came to teach at the French-Vietnamese Primary School in Ninh Hoa and spread revolutionary ideology here. Those influenced by teacher Ngo Duc Dien were assistant teacher Duong Chuoc and comrade Le Dung - the leaders of the demonstration to occupy Tan Dinh Street on July 16, 1930. More than 100 years have passed since its construction, the French-Vietnamese Primary School in Ninh Hoa still retains its ancient architecture. The stone stele with the names of those who contributed to the school's construction is still preserved here. In 2013, the French-Vietnamese Primary School in Ninh Hoa was ranked as a provincial historical and cultural relic. Currently, the main building of the school is used as the Ninh Hoa town's revolutionary tradition house. There, today's young generation can see the revolutionary seeds that teachers Ngo Duc Dien and Duong Chuoc planted have grown to maturity as written on the provincial historical and cultural relic stele : "Here, in the years 1925 - 1926, two teachers Ngo Duc Dien and Duong Chuoc (members of the Tan Viet Party, the predecessor of the Communist Party of Vietnam ) taught and propagated revolutionary ideology to teachers and students; some of them later became leaders of the local revolutionary movement".

Historical site of French-Vietnamese Primary School Ninh Hoa (now the Traditional House of Ninh Hoa town).

Inside the Traditional House is a revolutionary historical flow that continues right on this land. Mr. Nguyen Van Luong introduced to us the portrait of comrade Le Dung - a member of the provisional Provincial Party Committee in charge of the Tan Dinh District Party Committee right after the Party Committee was recognized as established on February 24, 1930 and his house (now located on Tran Quy Cap Street, near Dinh Bridge) was the place where the meeting to discuss the plan to organize the demonstration on July 16, 1930 in Tan Dinh Palace took place. This day was chosen by the Provincial Party Committee as the traditional day of revolutionary struggle of the Party Committee and people of Khanh Hoa province. The revolutionary historical flow continued with the uprising to seize power in 1945 in Ninh Hoa, the revolutionary bases of Da Ban, Hon Heo..., the heroes of the Ninh Hoa people's armed forces, and the heroic Vietnamese mothers of this land.

Mr. Nguyen Van Luong introduced the revolutionary history of Ninh Hoa with the strong imprint of the French-Vietnamese Ninh Hoa Primary School.

The French-Vietnamese Primary School in Ninh Hoa has long been a red address for educating revolutionary ideals and patriotism for cadres and people in Ninh Hoa. In the political training program for cadres, party members and outstanding people, the Ninh Hoa Town Political Center always organizes for students to visit the town's Traditional House and learn about the historical relic of the French-Vietnamese Primary School in Ninh Hoa, associated with the birth of Communist Party organizations in Khanh Hoa.

To the mark of teacher - revolutionary Ha Huy Tap

Teacher Le Thi Hang introduces to students the engraved lines marking the revolutionary Ha Huy Tap's mark at
French-Vietnamese Primary School Nha Trang (predecessor of Nguyen Van Troi High School).

Leaving Ninh Hoa, we returned to Nha Trang to visit Nguyen Van Troi High School, the predecessor of Nha Trang French-Vietnamese Primary School (established around 1920). According to the History of the Provincial Party Committee, teacher Ha Huy Tap (later General Secretary of the Indochinese Communist Party) taught at this school during the period 1925 - 1926. During those years, besides teaching, he spread patriotism and revolutionary ideology to a number of intellectuals and workers in Nha Trang. In Nha Trang, he organized 3 classes for about 150 workers to study. The ostensible purpose was to eliminate illiteracy, but the real purpose was to gather workers to facilitate the propaganda of patriotism and revolutionary spirit. The first establishments he established were Mr. Bui Giao - an employee of the Luc Lo Department and Mr. Nguyen Khac Tai - an employee of the Railway Department...

Following Mr. Huynh Vinh Khang - Principal of Nguyen Van Troi High School, I visited the school's tradition room. It was a small room but very scientifically arranged. Right next to the entrance was the image of the old French-Vietnamese primary school stained with time, the portrait of teacher - revolutionary Ha Huy Tap, the image of teacher Ha Huy Tap in Nha Trang... When we arrived, teacher Le Thi Hang was introducing the school's tradition to the newly enrolled 10th grade students. " Around 1925 - 1926, teacher Ha Huy Tap taught at this school and spread patriotic and revolutionary ideology to a number of intellectuals and workers in Nha Trang... The revolutionary seeds that teacher Ha Huy Tap "planted" continued to flourish in Khanh Hoa ", Ms. Hang enthusiastically introduced and continued following the flow of history with a plaque honoring the school's cadres who sacrificed their lives in the two resistance wars against France and the US; The list of martyrs who were students of the school who went to fight to protect the northern and southwestern borders of the country. The story continues with the achievements that generations of teachers and students have strived to achieve over the years, most notably the First Class Labor Medal awarded by the President in 2022. Listening to the story, the students' faces showed emotion and pride when they learned that the school they studied at had such a long history.

The lines recording the revolutionary activities of comrade Ha Huy Tap are engraved at Nguyen Van Troi High School.

Over the years, the vestiges of the old French-Vietnamese Primary School in Nha Trang have almost disappeared, but the pride of a revolutionary base has always been preserved and passed down through many generations of teachers and students of Nguyen Van Troi High School. Continuing the spirit of overcoming difficulties of the previous generation, in recent years, although the facilities are still somewhat limited, the collective of teachers and students of the school have always strived to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Most recently, in the 2022-2023 school year, the school had 22 students winning prizes in the provincial excellent student competition; the high school graduation exam results reached 100%, 17 candidates had a total score of 3 subjects in the admission group from 27 points or higher, more than 98% of students were admitted to university in the first round. In addition to teaching and learning, the school always pays attention to political education, ideology, ethics, lifestyle, and life skills for students. "After the historical changes, the vestiges of the old French-Vietnamese Primary School in Nha Trang are no longer preserved. However, we always remind each other to teach so that today's students know the golden pages of history about teacher - revolutionary Ha Huy Tap, as well as the revolutionary spirit of hero and martyr Nguyen Van Troi, whose name the school is honored to bear. And that is also the motivation for the students to strive to study, so that in the future they can contribute to building a rich and beautiful homeland and country," said teacher Huynh Vinh Khang.  

According to the Provincial Party History, in the years 1925 - 1926, two teachers Ha Huy Tap and Ngo Duc Dien (both from Ha Tinh) were assigned to teach in Khanh Hoa. Mr. Tap and Mr. Dien were patriotic intellectuals who participated in the Phuc Viet Association (founded in July 1925), later changed to Tan Viet Revolutionary Party (Tan Viet Party). In addition to teaching at school, Mr. Tap and Mr. Dien also spread revolutionary ideology, leading to the development of Tan Viet Party bases in Nha Trang and Ninh Hoa. Later, during the development process, Tan Viet Party reformed and became the Indochinese Communist Federation. On February 24, 1930, comrade Ngo Gia Tu, representative of the Provisional Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, signed a decision to recognize the Indochinese Communist Federation as a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam. This day was also taken as the founding day of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee.

THANH NGUYEN

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/chinh-tri/202308/dau-an-cach-mang-duoi-mai-truong-xua-70770b6/