How did Weng Zhenhua cooperate with the literacy movement?

In July 1951, Weng Zhenhua was sent to Dayi District, Changshu City to serve as a full-time teacher for farmers’ part-time education.

In 1953, Weng Zhenhua was appointed as the principal of the Dayi District Literacy Center and received a letter of appointment issued by the county magistrate.

Weng Zhenhua said that the literacy center school is equipped with a teaching director and several full-time teachers. This school is located in the vast countryside.

Weng Zhenhua recalled: At that time, after the land reform, farmers were the masters of the country and made a comeback economically and politically. But 80 to 90 percent of farmers are illiterate, so improving farmers' literacy has become an important task in rural areas. Farmers were very enthusiastic about learning culture, so they set up winter private schools.

The main courses of Winter School and Democratic School are literacy classes, politics classes and singing classes. Although the purpose is literacy, political classes must be taken. Farmers generally like singing classes. Without singing classes, the winter school would not be able to run.

Weng Zhenhua said that because there are no teachers, he advocates "one-word teachers", where those who are literate teach those who are illiterate.

Teachers in private schools are collectively called mass teachers. Every year after autumn, before the winter school is held, districts and counties hold mass teacher training.

In 1953, the central government proposed to "closely follow and closely integrate the cooperative movement in rural areas" for literacy work.

Weng Zhenhua recalled:

At that time, Qi Jianhua’s rapid literacy method was promoted nationwide and was piloted in Xinyi Township, Dayi. It is characterized by using pinyin as a crutch, emphasizing the classroom as a battlefield, emphasizing concentration of thoughts, like fighting, and giving good literacy classes.

The county has dispatched a literacy team composed of about 20 full-time personnel, and every village has set up accelerated literacy classes. During this period, a number of illiterates were indeed eliminated. After taking off their hats, the farmers will be awarded literacy diplomas by the principal of the literacy center.

In 1954, we opened the first part-time middle school in Changshu called Workers and Peasants Middle School in Xiaoyi Town. The tables and stools were sponsored by people from all walks of life in Guoshu Street, Xiaoyi Town. I asked the principal of Xiaoyi Center and others to give lectures on a voluntary basis, and I took political classes.

After that, the Bureau of Culture and Education sent a full-time teacher, but due to various reasons such as students joining the army and going out to find jobs, the number of students decreased, and it was closed down after more than a year.

Weng Zhenhua said: "In 1955, the central government formulated a forty-point program for rural development, one of which was to eradicate illiteracy. In this way, literacy work has received widespread attention.

Dayi District is in the party committee With the emphasis on literacy, we proposed to complete literacy in four years. We also used open-air movies and publicity on the importance of literacy on rural walls, and the literacy work has made great progress.”

< p>At the same time, taking advantage of the large number of decentralized cadres in Baimao Township, Huang Shengzhi, the editor of the Changshu County Newspaper, was asked to compile a "Three Character Classic" as a literacy textbook. This "Three Character Classic" collects 1,647 commonly used characters. After reading the "Three Character Classic" and being able to read and write, you will meet the requirements for becoming illiterate.