vrcanaries Chapter 130 Reform of Clan Schools
Chapter 130 Reform of Clan Schools
Jia Daihua laughed and said:
"I heard you went to the clan school today. How did it go?"
Jia Hu and the other two sat down. Jia Daishan knew they were coming, so he had already prepared their favorite pastries and fruits.
Jia Zhen and Jia Zhu were already hungry. They didn't dare tell their elder brother that they didn't like the food at the clan school that day either, but they ate after seeing their elder brother eat.
Upon seeing the snacks and fruits she loved, she immediately began to eat them.
While eating pastries, Jia Zhen heard his grandfather's question, quickly swallowed the pastries, and answered first.
"Grandfather, it's quite lively inside, and there are a lot of people, but I still prefer to study at home."
Jia Zhu also raised his hand and said, "Grand Uncle, I also think it's better to stay at home. Although it's lively there, there are too many people, and I can't be with my brothers."
Jia Zhu was a little unhappy. Although she had made a few new friends, she still wanted to be with her brothers; that was more fun.
Jia Daihua smiled and nodded at the two of them.
"You guys just want to stick together so you can play together."
Jia Zhen immediately objected and accused his grandfather.
“Grandfather, we didn’t. We were studying together and we did it seriously. If you don’t believe me, go ask the master.”
Jia Daihua smiled and shook his head, no longer trying to play with his grandson.
He knew that since his grandson came here to study with Hu'er and Zhu'er, he had indeed grown a lot.
He used to be unreasonable and stubborn, and once he made up his mind about something, he would never change it. No matter who said it, he wouldn't listen. At home, he was too spoiled, which made him feel that if he made a fuss, everything would be his. Now that he's here, after studying for so long, he's become so much more sensible. Even his daughter-in-law often marvels at the changes in Zhen'er over this period of time.
When Jia Zhen saw his grandfather, he shook his head and remained silent, thinking that it was he who had persuaded his grandfather. He was very happy, so he sat back down in his chair, munching on his snacks and swinging his little feet.
Jia Daishan watched with a smile, thinking to himself, "Truly, there's someone for everyone."
"Hu'er, how are you feeling today? You wouldn't let me tell your great-uncle in advance if he found anything wrong."
Jia Hu shook his head and said, "My great-uncle is very dedicated. The clan school is well managed, and the teachers are very responsible. Most of the children in the clan are very ambitious and study hard. Even if there are a very few who seem to be just going through the motions, the overall atmosphere is positive and uplifting."
Although Jia Daihua and Jia Daishan had already conducted their investigation, hearing these evaluations from Hu'er reassured them that the clan school was functioning properly.
Jia Hu thought for a moment and said, "Grand Uncle, Grandfather, I'd like to make some reforms to the clan school. I wonder if it's feasible?"
Jia Daihua exclaimed in surprise:
“Hu’er, please tell me.”
Jia Daishan also said:
"Hu'er, what reforms do you want? Tell us about them."
Jia Hu sat up straight.
"Today I visited the students of the clan school. The difference between rich and poor is huge. Although they are all descendants of the Jia family, their circumstances are very different. Some students complained that the food at the academy was too bland and there was not much to choose from. On the other hand, the students from poor families liked it very much and were very grateful that the clan school provided the meals for free. I was quite moved by what I saw."
Hearing this, Jia Daihua and Jia Daishan also had their own thoughts.
As the patriarch of the Jia clan, Jia Daihua should be responsible for the Jia clan members. However, the Jia family has been divided into several generations with many branches and members, and he cannot take care of everyone.
Jia Daihua knew that some of his clansmen were in trouble, and he could only do his best to help, but there were simply too many of them.
Jia Daishan shared the same idea: there are too many members of the Jia clan now, and by establishing a free clan school, he wanted to find a way to help them.
Jia Daihua asked:
"Hu'er, do you want to help them?"
Jia Hu nodded; he did indeed want to.
Seeing Jia Hu nod, Jia Daishan assumed that Hu'er was kind-hearted and incapable of understanding these things.
“In that case, I will use the money to help the poor members of the clan.”
Upon hearing this, Jia Daihua immediately became anxious.
“They are all members of the Jia clan, so you shouldn’t have to pay for this. If there is a real need, it should be me, the clan head, who should pay for it.”
Jia Hu looked at his two grandfathers, who were suddenly vying to contribute money. He was a little bewildered, as he hadn't asked for any money himself. Why was he suddenly asking for money?
"Grandfather, grandfather, I didn't say we were going to give them money directly!"
Jia Daihua and Jia Daishan stopped arguing and asked each other about who should pay the money:
"What does Hu'er think?"
Jia Hu:
"We can't just give them money directly. Money that comes too easily will breed parasites and make them complacent."
If we foster this mentality of wanting something for nothing, and let their appetites grow, then if we don't give them what they want, they'll turn around and blame us, creating enemies instead. That's wrong. A small favor can be appreciated, but a large one can breed resentment!
Jia Daihua stroked his beard. They hadn't done this before, perhaps because they had considered it.
Jia Hu continued:
"What I'm thinking is that ethnic schools should also hold regular exams, instead of just having classes all the time."
There should be a quiz every week, and an exam every month, every six months, and every year.
Weekly and monthly tests can be small tests, while semi-annual and annual tests can be large-scale exams. There should be rewards for each test, and students who make significant progress and those from truly impoverished families should also receive appropriate rewards.
Such a reward is something they earned, not something we bestowed upon them.
It can also increase their gratitude towards the Jia family.
Similarly, if a student in a clan school passes the preliminary examinations, the county-level examinations, or even higher examinations, the clan should have corresponding reward policies. This would also encourage those who are only interested in coasting along; rewards provide motivation, and there should be both rewards and punishments!
Jia Daihua and Jia Daishan nodded repeatedly as they listened, finding it quite good.
Jia Daihua praised:
“What Hu’er said is quite right, let’s do it that way. But what does Hu’er think about the punishment? After all, they are all members of our Jia clan, we can’t just kick them out.”
Jia Hu:
“Punishment doesn’t mean punishing someone who ranks low in the exam. Rather, it means that for students who consistently fail exams and have character issues, their parents should be contacted. If warnings are given but there is no change, they should be advised to drop out.”
Although it's a free tribal school, we can't let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch. This way, we can motivate them and create healthy competition.
Jia Daihua was very satisfied.
"Do as Hu'er says."
Jia Hu laughed and said:
“Grandfather, this is just a preliminary idea. The specific details still need to be discussed and decided by the elders, so I will not participate. However, I will provide the reward money.”