The earth building in junior high school - an everlasting memory!

In my hometown of Zhangjiafan, Macheng City, everyone born in the 60s, 70s, and 80s knows about the old earth buildings in the town (Tianjiazui)! It carries the youth of several generations, the dreams of several generations, and the struggle of several generations. Often in dreams, in memories, and in chats with old classmates, she is always mentioned - Lao Tulou. It directly touches the tears of those of us wanderers scattered across the country. We lament the passage of time and cannot forget the lush years, joys and sorrows there.

When it comes to old earth buildings, we have to talk about the past and present life of Zhangjiafan Town. I heard my father tell me during his lifetime that he was the first batch of students in the newly completed Zhangjiafan District Central Primary School. At that time, it was only divided into junior primary school and senior primary school, and my father attended the senior primary school. The school at that time was made up of several private houses pieced together, and the private houses were also relocated by the villagers named Tian in Tianjiazui. At least there was a place for the school. During the few years that my father was studying there, in addition to the teachers and students doing it themselves, the government also slowly helped the school to renovate it several times, and it began to take shape, and it looked a bit like a school. From the information I looked up, my father's story was also confirmed.

The school’s predecessor was the Baishuifan Central Primary School founded in 1949. It was located at the Xiang Clan Temple in Xiangjiafan Village and the Li Clan Temple in Lijiachong Village. At that time, there were only a few hundred students. In 1953, it was moved to Ding's Temple and Feng's Temple behind Zhangjiafan Street. The number of teachers increased to 13, and the number of students increased to more than 300. In 1955, it was moved to the current site of Zhangjiafan Town Government, and the school was renamed Zhangjiafan District Central Primary School. In 1958, the school was renamed Macheng County No. 11 Middle School, with three junior high school classes. In 1959, the three classes of the junior high school moved to the current location. The school was built on the basis of a low and narrow house with a civil structure built in the original iron factory during the iron and steel development period. All teachers and students were self-reliant and worked by themselves, working during the day and attending classes at night. There is one bungalow and one civil structure building. In the second semester of 1961, all primary schools were moved from the original school to the new school. The number of teaching staff has increased to more than 30, and the number of students has increased to more than 500. At this time, the junior high school and the primary school were merged into one, both belonging to the No. 1 school in Macheng County. No. 11 Middle School, the first principal was Shen Chengxu, and the director of the primary school department was Mei Shaotang. By 1969, the primary school department was decentralized to each brigade, and the academic length was changed from six years to five years. In the spring of 1970, the school added two high school classes, and together with the original junior high school, it became a complete middle school, and the school was renamed Zhangjiafan District Middle School. During this period, the school already has 4 bungalows and 1 building. The teaching area, living area, sports venues, toilets, etc. have been clearly demarcated. By 1982, the high school class was abolished and merged into Ma No. 4 Middle School, and the school was renamed Zhangjiafan District Junior High School. With the transformation from county to city and district to town, the school was renamed Zhangjiafan Town Junior High School from 1986 to 2002. At this time, the country gradually implemented compulsory education, and all primary school graduates entered junior high school.

The current Zhangjiafan Middle School is different from what it used to be. Teaching buildings, rows of student apartments have risen from the ground, brand-new science and education buildings, office buildings, lecture halls, computer rooms, and physical, chemical and biological laboratories. , library, audio-visual education building, everything is available, a clean canteen, warm bathrooms, and a spacious playground. Although it is a rural area, it is no different from a school in the city. The old earth building was converted into a teaching building after 2000. When I return to my alma mater, it is difficult to find the scene in my dream again. Like the fallen leaves in autumn, it will forever become a yellowing memory.

In my memory, I just entered Zhangjiafan Middle School with curiosity and excitement, with pride in being able to study in the town, and with full hope. Within a month, I was hit by the ruthless reality. Due to too many students, there are only two first-grade classes in Zhangjiafan Town's junior high school, with more than 70 people in each class. The first class teacher was Teacher Li Wangzhen, and next semester the class will be led by Teacher Xia Weikuan, with the principal being Xia Yaoqi. We ate coal-steamed rice, and the vegetables were all home-bred pickles, salted beans, and even some peanuts if the conditions were good at home. Dozens of us boys were arranged to live in a tile-roofed house on the east side of the school as a dormitory. The beds were placed against the wall, and two rows of boxes were placed in the middle. Each of us had a wooden box he brought from home to put his own rice and vegetables, and a few more. A change of clothes. With many people and few beds, it was really crowded. Takeshi Emoto and I occupied Xinhai, and the three of us squeezed into a lower bunk that was nearly one meter wide. Wang Chenguang and another classmate slept on our upper bunk. Every night I basically slept against the wall, unable to move. The weather was hot and mosquitoes wanted to join in the fun. I slept well there, but none of my classmates complained and focused on studying. As we all know, at that time In society, it is not easy for every family to provide for a child to go to middle school. Being able to study in the town is a great honor, and it makes my parents happy. Therefore, no matter how miserable we are, we will never complain.

When I was in the first semester of junior high school, my third brother (Li Xinwen) was in the second year of junior high school, and his dormitory was in the old earth building of the school. In order to take care of me, my third brother asked me to sleep with him. From then on, I formed an indissoluble bond with the old earth building. Until I graduated from junior high school, I slept in the old earth building.

The earth building is a brick and wood structure, with several pillars supporting the corridor, and wooden railings on the stairs and the second floor. There are four classrooms below and five dormitories above. Below the center is the corridor and four teachers' dormitories. My third brother's class is in the middle of the earth building, and right below is the dormitory of their class teacher, Mr. Zhang Jianhui.

Every dormitory in Tulou has the same layout. Entering the door, there are Datong shops on both sides, with boxes lined up in the middle to form an aisle.

Every day, after self-study, the dormitory is like a big stage, with people chatting, singing, eating and drinking, and farting... There are all kinds of things in the world, and every night there is always until Zhang Jiansu The teacher roared a few times below, and then everything ceased, and there was silence. Occasionally, there were whispers. It was not until very late that the thunderous snoring could be heard, and everyone fell asleep.

In the third brother's class, the best students are also in this class. For example, the current leader basically has three good students every year. Students like Deng Wujie are mostly good students who are neither good at study nor naughty. They are good students who are obedient. But there are also more good-looking people. It feels like they are not focusing entirely on their studies.

I remember one day in the twelfth lunar month of winter, everyone finished their self-study and went back to the dormitory to sleep. When they opened the door, they were all surprised to see snowflakes floating in through the cracks in the tiles. The bed was completely white. There was no electricity or lights at that time, so everyone had to shake off the snowflakes on the quilt, wrap themselves in the quilt, and fall asleep as usual.

When I reached the second grade of junior high school, our class also moved into the old earth building. Li Hao, Xiang Zhiping, and Yu Lunqiao and I were grouped together. Crowded beside us were Xia Yuankang, Xia Xiaodong, and Lu Xueqiang. In my memory, when I lived in a tulou, the most talked about thing every night was the word "eat". Everyone was on the verge of hunger and not having enough to eat. Because there was "no oil or water" in my stomach, I was always growling with hunger at night. I had no change, no snacks, and my stomach was ravenous. I could only starve myself and force myself to fall asleep until I could have breakfast the next day. The situation at that time was beyond the imagination of today's young people, and they wouldn't believe it if told, but it was indeed the case. The long river of history rolls forward unhurriedly. Although it will never come back, the depth of memory cannot erase the childhood scenes, which are still vivid in our minds until now. I remember that at that time, every time Xia Xiaodong would compete with Xia Yuankang to eat pickles, Xia Yuankang would severely criticize him, but we were still good friends and no one would quarrel or fight.

Since there is no bathroom upstairs, students usually get up in the middle of the night to relieve themselves and have to run down to the public side to relieve themselves. But after a long time, everyone became lazy and eager to relieve themselves in the middle of the night. Some people just followed the pillars in the corridor for convenience. Even though the teacher kept telling us, it didn't help. Everyone still went their own way and followed the instructions correctly. Over time, there will be a strong smell of urine downstairs, but after smelling it for a long time, I got used to it.

I remember that Li Hao studied very hard at that time, and his intelligence was obviously higher than ours, so he was always among the best in his studies. Once, Li Yuansheng (then the dean of students) praised him at a general meeting of teachers and students and asked all students to learn from him. The biggest characteristic of classmate Li Hao is that he sat there with his eyes closed, shaking his head and reciting the textbook. His diligent spirit has always been fresh in my memory.

The old earth building, which has gone through decades of ups and downs, has carried the hopes and dreams of generations of hometown students, and has seen batch after batch of students walk out of school and travel across the country and even overseas.

Although the old earth building is no longer there, I believe that every one of us who has lived in it will unconsciously think of it and have a lingering deep impression. No matter where you are, you will silently bless the people in your hometown and be deeply impressed by it. Loving this yellow land that gave birth to us, raised us, and educated us is a knot of nostalgia that will never leave us in our lifetime, and a feeling of hometown that we will never forget in our lifetime!