Sacred corner in the middle of school

Growing up under the same roof

Duong Thai Communal House is located in Phuc Thanh Commune (now Phu Thai Town, Kim Thanh) and was built in 1884. The communal house has a traditional Dinh-shaped architecture and is a place to worship Thanh Hoang Nguyen Thuy Huong and three generals of the Ly Dynasty who fought against the Song invaders. Not only is it recognized as a provincial relic, the communal house is also a revolutionary base, where Viet Minh cadres used to meet and print documents during the pre-uprising period.

In 1959, the communal house was requisitioned as a place for teaching. Before that, this place was the place to organize popular education classes, contributing to eliminating illiteracy for the people in the early period of building the revolutionary government.

Mr. Do Trong Lam, former Principal of Phuc Thanh Primary School, was one of the first students to study under that roof. Nearly 70 years have passed, but when recalling those days, his voice is still filled with emotion.

"The facilities at that time were still lacking, just a few shabby tables and chairs. The communal house grounds were divided into two classes, the sound of reading echoed throughout the worship room. Studying in the communal house was a source of pride, that space was majestic and sacred, like the respect for words," Mr. Lam mused.

In 1991, Mr. Lam was assigned to be the principal of this school. “Standing in the middle of the communal house yard, I felt like I was reliving my childhood. Each brick and each ironwood column evoked so many memories, where I learned how to be a human being,” he shared with emotion.

In 1996, when the new school was built, some classes still studied in the communal house. Mr. Tran Van Hai, one of the last batch of students, still clearly remembers the feeling of studying under the roof of the communal house, the chirping of birds on the lake shore and the time playing under the banyan tree, which became unforgettable memories.

"We kids at that time didn't know we were living in such a special space," Hai said.

For many Duong Thai people, the communal house is not only a sacred place to worship the village's tutelary god, where important events take place, but also a place that has accompanied them throughout their journey of growing up, from the first day they learned to write until they became adults. Over the decades, thousands of students have studied and grown up under this communal house, and then carried those memories with them to all parts of the country.

When the communal house roof continues to "sow letters"

Duong Thai communal house has now become a provincial relic but continues to “teach” in its own unique way. Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, the school’s principal, said: “Since 2000, the communal house has been included in local educational materials and has become a compulsory subject. For first graders, right from the beginning of the year, they learn about the communal house, where previous generations studied. What’s special is that they not only learn on paper, but also experience it directly on campus.”

The proximity and presence of the relics in the school has helped traditional education become more natural and vivid. Even young students can feel the specialness of the school they are attending.

Currently studying in class 2C at the school, Tran Anh Dai, son of Tran Van Hai, proudly boasts: "I did not study in the communal house like my father did, but I know it is a very important place through what my father told me. Every time I step inside, I feel very solemn and peaceful."

Not only students but also teachers consider the communal house as part of the educational journey. It is a place to inspire love for the homeland and traditions, helping them understand more about their roots and appreciate the value of the simple things around them.

Amidst the changes of time, the communal house still maintains its role as a place of inspiration. Not only for those who studied under its roof, but also for today's generation.

The communal house is now part of the local education program, integrated into the curriculum for students of all levels in Phu Thai town.