CHAPTER II :
Flourishing time (1955-1975)
1- A glance on the panorama of the flourishing time
Put a landmark for the flourishing time 1955-1975 is not to deny the Brothers’ flourishing works in the preceding years . There are, however, reasons . The Agreements of Geneva in July 1954 separated the VN into two areas : The Democracy of Viet Minh ( Vietnamese communists, expression used before 1954) takes over the North till the 17th parallel . It is the end of the brothers’ works in North VN. Br. Provincial wrote this to Rome : “ being forced to suspend our works in action in Tonkin (North VN), so exposed to political difficulties, the College Puginier in Hanoi, with 1425 children, and the College Saint-Joseph in Hai phong with 1097 schoolboys were closed on Sept. 15th 1954” [1] . The brothers who worked in the North left sorrowly and regretfully what they and their predecessors had built and moved to the South, bringing their young juvenists, the future of the district: College of the Mission,( free school), founded in Hanoi in 1895; school Saint Thomas d’Aquin school in Nam Dinh, with its cabinet of Physics and laboratory, founded in 1924,” a zealous hostel of religious and sacerdotal vocations”[2]; Phat Diêm school
founded in 1932; Saint-Mary school , founded in 1937 in Bui Chu; Notre Dame day school ín937 in Nam Dinh ; Hai Phong free school in 1952. The words of Br. Junien Victor, Assistant of br. Superior General, to his familiars after his visit in Indochina in 1934, must persuade us about the good and influences of the brothers upon the Youth in Tonkin : “ I was so happy about this voyage, I visited twice each of these communities and I believed that may visit made well”[3] , and the ones of Albert Sarraut, former Governor General of Indochina: “ Only Valuable men could be sent in Colony”[4] .( photo,p.235).
The reception Center Mossard, a brothers’ school in Thu Duc, suburds of Saigon opened its gate to welcome the first evacuees from the North, the seminarists of Phat Diem and juvenists of the Brothers. More than 5,000 refugees were logged in Saigon and surroundings. A new page turned. The life taken back its life. Little and little, all were settled down. New foundations flourished : 1956: Lasan Kim Phuoc (Kontum,Centre); 1957 : Lasan Binh Loi (Qui Nhon, Centre) ; 1958 : Lasan Ban Mê Thuât (southern Centre, Highlands )
Seven years after the school evacuation of Tonkin , the brothers had enough time to be stabilized and developed in South VN. It was in 1962 that the visit of Br. Superior General Nicet Joseph put on “ a feature nearly triumphant”[5]. In big cities ( especially in Saigon and Nha trang) where are located the brothers’ schools, he was welcomed like a king in visit with convoys of cars leaded by the police ones “This made him full of pride, even in his own words, it is to see the Vietnamese brothers always respond better to the needs of the population”[6]. The chief of the Institute could then admire and certify the development of the Institute in VN, “ wonderful Lasallian province “ [7] Thanks to the fortification of the evacuated brothers ,may be, or thanks to the decision of regaining what are lost, but thanks to the “ fertile land” of the South as well, that 31 new works appeared during a period of 20 years, from 1954-1975.
|
Foundation |
Place |
Opening |
Closing |
1 |
Bénilde school (La San Ba Ninh) |
Nha Trang |
1954 |
1975 |
2 |
Saint Joseph school (free school) |
Nha Trang |
1956 |
1975 |
3 |
Nghia Thuc school (Free école ) |
Saigon |
1956 |
1975 |
4 |
Kim Phuoc school ( at Highlands) |
Kontum |
1956 |
1971 |
5 |
Binh Loi school |
Qui Nhon |
1957 |
1972 |
6 |
Thu Duc Juvenate |
Gia Dinh |
1957 |
1975 |
7 |
La San Mai Thon (ferme) |
Saigon |
1958 |
|
8 |
Ban Me Thuot school |
Highlands |
1959 |
1975 |
9 |
Scolasticate university |
Da Lat |
1959 |
1975 |
10 |
Technics school |
Da Lat |
1960 |
1975 |
11 |
Van Coi school (Free) |
Bien Hoa |
1961 |
1975 |
12 |
Phu Vang school |
Hue |
1961 |
1968 |
13 |
Chanh Hung school |
Saigon |
1962 |
1975 |
14 |
« Têrêsa » school (St. Thérèse) |
Ban Mê Thuot |
1963 |
1963 |
15 |
Primary school (centre) |
Qui Nhon |
1963 |
1972 |
16 |
Bao Vinh school |
Hue |
1963 |
1964 |
17 |
Sainte Famille House |
Saigon |
1963 |
|
18 |
My Xuyen school (south) |
Soc Trang |
1966 |
1972 |
19 |
Ghênh rang school |
Qui Nhon |
1967 |
1967 |
20 |
Hiên Vuong school |
Saigon |
1967 |
1975 |
21 |
School of the blind |
Saigon |
1967 |
1975 |
22 |
Cân Tho school (South) |
Cân Tho |
1967 |
1975 |
23 |
Provincial house |
Saigon |
1967 |
1975 |
24 |
University Hostel |
Da Lat |
1968 |
1975 |
25 |
Qui Duc school |
Qui Nhon |
1969 |
1972 |
26 |
Sciences of Education Institute |
Saigon |
1970 |
1970 |
27 |
Thành Nhân University |
Saigon |
1970 |
1975 |
28 |
Thanh My school |
Saigon |
1970 |
1975 |
29 |
ChuProng school(ethnics minority) |
Nha Trang |
1972 |
1975 |
30 |
LangBiangschool((ethnics minority) |
Da Lat |
1974 |
1975 |
31 |
La San University |
Saigon |
1974 |
1975 |
This Table showed that schools were developed especially well in South VN between 1954-1975.
On the contrary , in North VN no lasallian schools present since 1954.
Itinerary of lasallian Education
The Writing “ Conduct of Lasallian Schools” by Mr de La Salle was considered as a handbook of the first Brothers. Mr de La Salle’s intention was indicative, expressing the educational relationship based on the high regard, esteem of the children, and the tenderness he‘d like to be widespread in schools.
Some words revealing this behavior were often repeated in his writings : Goodness (222 times), “ touch the hearts” (25 times), Sweetness (56 times), Tenderness {79 times)….This is therefore, in accompanying the children for him then, that tender emotion and attitudes of goodness- sweetness-tenderness that permit to
run into the children in the deepest and the most personal inside them : the Heart.[8]
Yet, the 5 transversal dynamics still pertinent today that the brothers always put them in use in their schools throughout ages, appearing in “ the Conduct of Schools”. All these can be shortened in the scheme below:
The human formation always occupies the first place in the lasallian education. According to Mr de La salle, the effectiveness in Education depends on the quality of “ 12 Virtues” of the teather:
a) Interiority : severity, silence, humility, piety;
b) Self-control : Caution , wisdom, patience, detention, sweetness;
c) Commitment: vigilance, zeal, generosity;
The next scheme presented by Br,
Leon lauraire summarizes all the itinerary of the education of the brothers’
schools.
Throughout the history, the schools in the Lasallian network in the World, and particularly in VN, tried to
cleave to these original intuitions of their Founder.
2-Flourishing time 1955-1975 : A very successful Past that made false the Image of a Brother
A glance upon some lasallian schools ( photo,p.238)
At the beginning, all the schools were free. With the time, the schools were developped, and litle by litle some began being paid. It was normal because the self –sufficiency , helping construct classes, set laboratories, libraries,couldn’t find out any other issue.
However, the tradition of supporting the most disadvantaged classes was never forgotten. Near by the paid schools, are free schools or reduced free ones. Moreover, at the paid schools, it must have a certain percentage of children admitted freely, totally or partly .
In fact, among the 31 scools founded from 1955-1975 and the ones existing yet before 1954 such as Taberd, Duc Minh, Mossard, Adran, St Joseph My Tho, and others in North VN, there were only a few
standing out against the world of education by their majestic property and their quality of education as well. Several VIP of ancient Regime chose Taberd or Mossard or Adran to confide their children, the ones of Ngo Dinh Nhu, Nguyen Cao Ky for instance.
Nothing is comparable in this domain of domestic premises between the schools in provinces and the ones of Taberd or Mossard. However, the brothers in both free schools and paid schools tried to live the spirit of their Founder by bringing their children a complete education in accordance with the means, sometimes so humble,of their social and economical situations.
Institution Taberd
Taberd is one of the biggest and the most famous schools among the 31 ones run by the brothers in the South VN. ItS nice place, located just in the very center of Saigon, next to the Cathedral and the central Post,always attracted the choice of parents for their children, At the beginning, Taberd had boarders and Semi-boarders and externs . At the end of the years 60s, Taberd had only externs.It was a school composing the primary,the first and second Cycles.Children and young from the far-east Orient countries came there with their most diversity, origin, race and different believing. ( photo,p.236)
As for education, Taberd taught both in parallel French and Vietnamese programs “ following the natural development of the official programs during the years. In 1900, subjects of Certificate of Studies; later the ones of Brevet, and soon of Baccalaureate, adding in the commercial and technical studies”[9] .This made the brothers more and more self-confident, and this also made the children now and then proud of being Taberians,[10] and being successful in their life. “ So the Taberians occupied nice situations in the Commerce and industry , administration, Army, national Assemblies and so on …till highest posts[11] .
An officer in the Army of the Ancient Regime confirmed: “ We possessed nothing comparable but a house of education”[12]
To respond to the aspirations of the parents, Taberd renovated constantly its pedagogy to make itself conform to the development of the country and in accordance with other nations. The audio-visual was put in use in almost classes. From the First cycle, the children, pleased with their own discovering, started to become familiar with practical works in laboratory. Being conscious of the necessity of a direct conversation with a foreign language, apart from lessons in class , practical applications were often carried favor by the brothers. In order to help children understand better their lessons in class, the brothers improved their comprehension with sessions of domestic electricity, motor and electronics lessons.
He teaching of Brothers in general and brothers of Taberd in particular always aimed the total development of the children under all aspects. After a hard working week in class , children joined to different extracurricular activities. So, apart from class-time ,children met together on Saturdays and Sundays to join the Scout movement both to amuse and to live with others. Musical lessons were plenty of Students, too. Piano , violin, and guitar lessons were continuously opened all academic year long. Those who were interested to Art could follow the painting lessons or photography sessions. In the academic year 1972-1973 for instance, our little painters won a Silver medal and a copper one. At the end of the same year the UNESCO of Korea organized a children painter-Competition. Taberd won the Honor Prize, a second prize, a third prize and lots of other encouraging prizes . Body-exercises were important as well. So, sports movements attracted the most joiners. Every person participated to one or extracurricular activities of their option : ( Basket-ball, Ping-Pong, foot-ball, volley-ball, karate …). Moreover, 5 minutes of gymnastics before the class were impossible to miss.
Re-creative soirees organized successfully during the Main celebrations of the year emblazoned all auditors and viewers: “ some spectacles that , after the show, left you an empty space and, disappointed, you regretted being present. But, there were joyful evenings where you attended with delighted eyes, soul in festival, coming back home with souvenirs which reminded your old happiness. That was such an impression from the re-creative show, organized on Saturday evening (March 3rd ,1959) in the very center of Taberd in Nguyen Du Street, by the Association of the Children’s Parents”[13]
These witnesses from an authorized public could be exempted all comments. The brilliant success of this Soiree encouraged Taberd in his next activities all year long later.
During the year. Taberd organized different meetings for the Traditional Holy Mass, the patronal Celebration day of the Institution (Dec.8th) Christmas Day, the Opening School Day. During these occasions, the VIPs were invited : e.g. in 1971 under the presidency of the National Education Minister, in presence of the President of the Senate, members of Parents’ Association, Alumni, Parents and Friends, and representatives of different schools in Saigon. This Start of the Academic year Celebration ,ceremonial and well-dressed, made the Vietnamese Youth more confident.
Dec.24th of the same year,” in the inside school yard” of Taberd was carried out a magnificent Holy Mass of Christmas whose decoration was particularly taken care : a stained glass sign of 200m2 with the theme “ Peace for Viet Nam “, dominated by a 10m- star .Over 2,600 people joined the Holy Mass. In the afternoon, a musical and artistic Soiree ,under the intention of the young in favor of the war invalids, attracted a number of joiners as numerous as the ones in the Mass”[14]
Let’s see , by this scheme, the augmentation of school people :
The Statistics of Development Taberd till 1969
The most impressive rally in the year 50s was the one of Saint John Baptist de La Salle at the Tao Đan Stadium, in the morning of May 18th , 1958 : Great Rally of Catholic Schools of Saigon to celebrate SJB de La Salle, Patron of all the Educators. Thanks to the diplomacy, in almost a month with policy steps, the Brothers could gather 32 schools sending their children to the Rally and the total number reached
12,000 students. Mr Đê, director of Beaux-Arts college, having the place of honor addressed his impressions as” a total success of the Celebration” to the Minister of Education: “ Being at the meeting of the Public Schools yesterday, it was a mess; Today, It is Order and discipline”. The Minister acquiesced with a smile. [15]
The success of the 2nd Cycle Final exams is not necessary an essential criterium to evaluate the quality of a school. However, under the parents’ eyes, it is always still a visible measure of children’s comprehension when finishing their 2nd cycle and a decisive choice to confide in brothers their children.
Following is the typical result selected by chance of the Baccalaureate at the end of the academic year 1972-1973, a result that fascinated almost all parents :
|
1972-1973 |
percentage |
Mention |
||
|
|
|
Very good |
Good |
Pretty good |
Elem.math |
13/16 |
81,3% |
|
3 |
6 |
Ex.Sciences |
16/21 |
76,1% |
|
1 |
7 |
Bac II vietnamese Série A ( Ex.Sciences) |
70/73 |
96% |
|
1 |
8 |
Bac II vietnamese Série B ( Elem.Math) |
117/117 |
100% |
2 |
4 |
20 |
Bac II vietnamese Série C (Philo.) |
11/11 |
100% |
|
|
3 |
Witness of alumni
About ten years ago, the Alumni of Lasallian Schools gathered spontaneously first to recall their “bad” and good souvenirs, and especially to do something helpful to the young generation in order to “ to show gratitude to our former teachers”, as they often expressed at each meeting. Also in Saigon, in order to look for Alumni of Taberd in the years of 50s, Mr Nguyen Van Cong had the idea to appeal to a contribution of the alumni of Taberd he knew abroad and also inside the country to construct concrete bridges to replace “monkey bridges”[16] in 2004.A sign “ donated by Taberd” suspended at the both ends of the bridge, after the inauguration. To start communicating these news to others old Taberians, they organized a first friendly meal gathering his close taberians from abroad, Mr Ho Ngoc Nhuan and a few other joiners in Saigon and myself. It was this meeting meal that sprouted the so called “ Alumnus of old Lasallian Boys”. A 2nd meeting Meal in April 2005 gathered about 30 taberians of old generation. This time, some VIPs were present: Mr Ngo Cong Duc, father Huynh Cong Minh, Dr Nguyen Huy Diem, Dr Nguyen Dung Chi, and of course Mr Ho ngoc Nhuan. Almost of them had a good position in the Society. Each of them alternatively reminded their good and not good souvenirs with “their” brothers”, but always between amusing laughs and benevolent conclusions.” Brother Humbert,[17] said a alumni, wrote his appreciations in his school report book : zero boy ( exploding laughs). But, thanks to this and by self- respect as well, I made a very big effort to become what I am in Society”. Such small stories continued , mixing educational remarks of lasallian schools before 1975 and analysis of the degradation of today education reaching to a final proposition : “open a school and confide it to the brothers”. At the same time, the Federation FALAISE was established in France , composed of ancient Taberians having the goal in principle “ to help the aged brothers and the works of the brothers in Viet Nam “.
The assembly of the federation of FALAISE[18] was carried out on June 5th 2005 in Paris 13th at the Restaurant Chinatown-Olympiads, under the form of a GALA, organized the first time for this goal. In this occasion ,Mr Hoai Viet read officially his poems, considering them as hearted words of ancient Taberians and being addressed to all the Brothers:
“…Anyway, my dear brothers, let be proud
Your pupil profited well your teachings
And He was successful at University and in life as well
He tried also to do what You taught him:
“ To Love his compatriots, to serve his Country
To shut the Hate up, to spread the Love out
Never to give up, but to struggle till the Day
Where Justice and Fraternity come in true “[19]
Hoai Viet NVH
This is during this period that the alumni of “ Taberd 74” had the initiative to create a Budget to help each other and to provide scholarships to poor children. It is the lasallian tradition to look after associative relationships but not only school ones.
Similarly in Hue, the Alumni of “Pellerin” did the same : visit the sick, aged people, open classes of love (free classes) to teach children to read and write, give professional apprenticed lessons of sewing, of fixing mopeds….At the centenary Anniversary Foundation of this school (1904-2004), they organized a meeting rallying about over 100 alumni before 1975. A great number of alumni inside and outside the country felt the willingness to shake their hands and to do something helpful. (photo,p.237)
Lasan Duc Minh School
At the beginning of 1923, the Vicar of Tan Dinh parish founded a school and invited the brothers of Taberd to run it.The inauguration dated on Nov 18th 1923 with the participation of the Bishop of Qui nhon and Saigon. The new school was named “St Louis de Gonzague School “ It is at the number 146 Hien Vuong street, District 3, Saigon. (HCMC)
The school began with 120 children , divided in 4 primary classes . The classes as well as the children got bigger constantly year after year. The last primary class was opened in 1926 with 14 children. 12/14 of them got the “ Certificate of Primary studies “ ( C.E.P ) at the end of the year..
At this time, St Louis de Gonzague School was considered as an annex of Taberd School.This is why, the brothers teaching there had to come back to Taberd for the night. The first Director of this school was Bro, Ildephonse who brought to this new opened school a valuable progress .
By the year 1931, the number of children amounted to 320, under the direction of Bro, Peter Quy ( 1930-1944)
In the War time of 1945, the school temporarily ceased its activities. The brothers of Taberd ,with the agreement of the vicar, came to St louis de Gonzague for a year. The region where the school located was the suburbs of Saigon, a place both quiet and secure.
It was re-opened in 1946 and a majority of the children re-joined their old school . As Director, the bro. Urbain Luu constructed new classrooms and oriented the children , in accordance with their capacity to either Vietnamese CEP or French CEP.
In 1948, the brothers celebrated the 25th anniversary of St Louis de Gonzague School. The number of children amounted to 700.
In 1951, Bro Jourdain was Director of the Community and since then, the school became independent of Taberd . The brothers did not came back to Taberd for the night. A new Community was founded. And from 1952, Saint Louis de Gonzague had the new name” La San Duc Minh” in memento the Founder of the Institute. ( de la Salle ( La San ) and the martyred Saint Philip Minh ( DUC MINH). And the First Cycle was created that year.
Bro, Harman Tuan continued the work of his predecessor successfully : change of the French program into Vietnamese program, more comfortable environment and an entrance to the school was well properly covered with tar.
In 1961, La San Duc Minh presented its first candidates to B.E.P.C and got an encouraging result :38/48 passed , 79%, a high percentage compared with 30 % , the average one of other schools in Saigon at the time.
The successor of Br. Harman was Bro. Felicien Luong who ran the school during 6 years with a lucid spirit and discretion, this created a total confidence of parents and a good spirit of teachers. He constructed new classrooms to satisfy the needs of children that increased each year.
The Bro, Elie Khoa, successor of Br. Felicien, opened the Second Cycle in 1968. He ended the construction of a new 1 floor- Block with 6 new well- aerated and lighted classrooms .
The brother Gerard Ho tan Phat, he who changed his vocation to be a priest in 1972, succeeded Bro. Elie, finished the work of his predecessor, by adding a second floor to the building. Bedrooms for Brothers were also ameliorated. The number of children amounted to 3 000 this time.
Since the new direction of Bro. Constant Huu in the academic year 1972-1973, La San Duc Minh had taken a apecial atmosphere. The Staff worked zealously and united. The disciplined spirit took place more and more in the school. The prefects of studies and supervisors were re-juvenated. Everybody was glad and believed firmly in an assured Future. The re-juvenated educational Team of this year prepared the 50th foundation Anniversary, 1923-1973. The celebration was solemnly organized in presence of VIPs, Both civil and ecclesiastical, with the participation of the brothers and Sisters’ schools and the schools of friends as well. Spots competitions of Basket- ball, table tennis, and Volley-ball lasted one month before.
The guests marveled at the Expo of different activities, both religious and extracurricular, of the school since its foundation. The Festival ended with a recreative séance that made an everlasting souvenir in the heart of joiners.
Almost the Pupils of La San Duc Minh belonged to the average and modest condition class. So, it always kept the tradition of the Institute to look after particularly the poor by offering yearly 300 scholarships to the children of difficult financial families.
La San Duc Minh tried to develop all the potential capacities of the children by well-organized activities : musical lessons ( organ, guitar,drum), sports practices ( Basket-ball, table–tennis, volley-ball) with competent monitors . A national ping-pong champion was an old boy of Duc Minh. The brothers never forgot to provide a christian education to their children. Preparation of Classes for The First Communion and the Confirmation were annually organized for the catholic children.
Duc Minh got then the reputation of doing well about Religious and sacerdotal life among their children. It is necessary to remind here the virtues of Br. Aimé Duc who tirelessly loked for vocations and sent them to the Seminaries or Brothers’ House of formation.
The day before the falling down of Saigon in 1975, the Staff of Duc minh was composed of 14 brothers and 120 lay teachers with 3 300 children from Morning to evening.
La San Ky Thuat Da Lat Technics School of Da Lat )
The precedent name of the school in the 60s was “ The workroom of Saint Nicholas” in memorial of the Rev . Father Fernand Parrel , both Director of the school and Vicar of the parochial church of Dalat.
The school was situated on 25 Yersin street, at the same side and near the parish church, now became Cathedral of Dalat. The creative idea to found this school was from Br. Cyprien Gam in 1956, the first Provincial Vietnamese Visitor. However, it was only executed by his successor, Br. Bernard Buong.
After 3 months of preparation: and in June, July, August 1960 the installation of equipment of apprenticed classes under the direction of Br. Guillaume Khai, the school was ready to run. The new Director, Br. Alexander Le van Anh, engineer of ECAM ,Lyon, France, started running on August 3rd 1960 and receiving the application competition of admission for the academic year 1960-1961. Over 200 demands from different provinces : Nha trang, Pleiku (Highlands) ,Quang tri (Center VN) and Saigon…as well. However, a severe selection shortened the list with 43 first Children at the inauguration Day whose 25 boarders (13 vietnamese,19 Montagnards,2 French) and 28 Day- children, allocated in different classes according to their following aspirations : Carpentry (18 ) , Fittings ( 8), boiler work ( 6) ,Smithy ( 5 ), welding, pewter, auto gene, electricity ( 6 ) . Being conscious of their educational Mission of the poor, the brothers never forgot to favor the apprenticeship access of the financial difficulty young. The number of the first children were minimal. Among them,12 benefited the free school fee : 12 boarders whose 10 ethnic minorities and 2 Vietnamese.
In 1961, a year later, the school encountered the first difficulties: 2 brothers , main actors were mobilized and became and became teachers at the military College of Dalat, they could not continue their haft-teaching. The new Director, Bro. Cyprien decided to remove the boarding house. The number of children suddenly reduced to 14. Considering the needs of the young and the insistence of the parents, the Community council had to come back on the decision. The number of children mounted up 45 at once at the beginning of the academic year 1961-1962. At the same time , to respond to the young’s needs, 4 new sections were opened: Automobile Mechanics, industrial electricity, industrial drawing and metal turning.
In this year 1961, the school local was upgraded : on Sept 16th 1961, inauguration of a workroom 12m x35m in the occasion of the patronal day of Bro. director. This new construction was from the initiative and collaboration of Bro. Guillaume Khai, a brother-lieutenant officer. Also, thanks to the good acquaintances of the 2 brother-lieutenants Alexander Le van Anh and Guillaume Nguyen Phu Khai, the school-yard were embellished by a construction of a basket-ball yard, inaugurated on Nov,11th 1961.
Coming from all over the country, social situations and from different classes of families, these first children made lots of progress higher and higher in their human education : a new spirit of Association , mutual help , discipline and of comprehension reigned among them. To help them accustom to the discipline, to assure the result of work, to get a creative spirit, to take conscience of their responsibility, the brothers put in use the method of Team-working everywhere : studies, games, sports, pleasure time, even in going out and picnics. Lots of visits of VIPs encouraged the brothers and their children a lot, a positive mark of adequacy of the first technical school in Dalat. Let’s cite some : Mr Nguyen Ngoc Tho, vice –President who visited the school on July 29th 1961. He himself confided his son to Adran, Dalat, took an hour and a half to see all the classes and workrooms with observations and questions to the brothers about activities of such a new initiative that he appreciated so much. On Dec. 12th 1961, Mr Nguyen Duoc, Head of the Ministry of the Techniques section, paid a visit to the School, simply to show that “ La San Technical School” had put in use “ the smallest details “ of the projects of the Ministry in the domain of Techniques.
1962-1963, year of renovation . The Staff was modified. But the most important renewal was the one of the program of studies in order to make it in accordance with the Teaching of the State. The number of children of this year mounted to 92. All had to submit to an entrance Test of admission to the level 6 and 7 ( class 6 and 7 ). Those who failed, continued the lessons of apprenticeship as before.
The visits of high VIPs promised a more brilliant future that previewed and resounded the ready reputation of this small school. The first one was the visit of Bro, Nicet Joseph, superior General of the Institute, with his Assistant Bro. Lawrence O’Tool, during the Summer vacation. The 2nd was the Visit of the Bishop Dossing, head of MISEREOR, who came to judge and decide the subvention of the New Building of the school. The 3rd Visit was an unforgettable Souvenir of NGO DINH DIEM, the first President of the Republic of Viet Nam, on Oct. 2nd, 1962. The president had visited every Section, all the workrooms, putting questions to the Children who were doing their practical works. And, finally to express his pleasure, he took out of his pocket 5 000 piaster ,as a donation, to the school and , at the same time, he gave his notes and his signature on to the Benefactor Notebook . However, the fact that surprised the brothers the most, was that he added an unexpected Gift of two lots of land to extend the school.
The time passed. The school made great efforts to embellish the property. The number of children increased year after year. In 1969, the number was 490 ,whose 49 boarders. In 1971 with 794 whose 42 interns . Important works were taken in. A new Building was constructed and almost finished at the re-entry of the academic year 1972-1973.
For the academic year 1971-1972, the academic results were hopeful :
- CAP ( First Cycle of Techniques and professional exams ) : 43/89 , be 48%
- BAC I ( series techniques ) : 39/45 be 86,7 %
- BAC II ( series Techniques ) : 12/12 be 100%
However, the needs were still numerous and the financial resources were limited . Intending to respond to the biggest profit of the children, the community and the school contracted a small debt because the fast raise of price occasioned unexpected expenditures. But the brothers hoped they could acquit it next academic year 1972-1973.
This Part of my work was done by a processes mixing comments and souvenirs of investigated people and trails and documents of the Institute in Viet Nam and Rome . So, maybe an epistemological danger when using such procedures that were different and listed in human sciences. However, qualitative approaches allowed this mixture of categories so that a precise situation in a definite time could be called up.
Let’s come back to the statistics : these here are the number of children’s frequentation according to the academic years.
N.B. In 1971, the number of boarders declined because of the insecurity of th Saigon- Dalat route and also of the expense of life.
The few above quotations about the school running typically lasallian before 1975 had the goal to give readers a global view of What a brother’s school is…Some aged people who had known the brothers showed somewhat regret of their absence in the educational world today, this is to say partly to the young generation, that their education was efficient. I do not pretend for all that the lasallian education in VN was perfect.The evidence is that recently on internet, a gentleman named Quan Nguyen, reflecting as « old boy » of the brothers, launched this litle fortifying article :
« I came to the Brothers at the age of 11. The majority of « Brothers » are still young and had become religious in order to run off the military service, being so afraid of the « viet cong » ( vietnamese communist) that they dressed up in religious to avoid the military service. Being so,they liked vice versa hitting their children to exhibit their power in front of other teachers, children and especially towards young teachers. Only one small violation enough to get claps on ears and knocks with rattan dropping on backs and buttocks of the culprits,[..] However, they turned a deaf ear on the fault of great family’s children, they never dared touch them and even close their eyes when these boys persecuted and hitted their classmates who dared to offend
them [..]. At the age of 15, I asked my father to change school . May be he,at this moment he felt the brothers were not good at all,then he agreed my request at once. »
The above lines reflected a little the deceptive appearance of the lasallian education in the years before 1975, But , in writing these lines : « the majority of brothers were still young and became religious to escape from the military service, being so afraid of the « Viet Cong » that they masqueraded as religious to avoid the military service » ,does the writer himself take enquiries or at least base on existing documents ? Or else is it simply a psychological revenge or a pointless deduction because he himself received « half lived half dead » ratten hits from his father as he told it in another paragraph ? In all events, to praise somebody blindly with so many compliments to raise him onto the sky or to insult frantically to submerge him into the mud showed finally a false conception of one’s image.
It is true that evaluating an education is not an easy work at all. As such,this is yet one of the « three hardest jobs » (Durkheim ). However with a 140 –year history of presence in VN, it is a pretty long time, sufficient and favourable to examine the results of our education in the past in order to act better in the future. What are then the criteria on which this evaluation is based ? There are a lot . But, this is the one proposed by Brother Superior Alvaro :
« …If, for these students, the success consists only to become men and women « for themselves and their family » and not « for others », particularly for the poorest and excluded ones, the education we took will not reach its goal … ».
[1] Frère ALBAN, Histoire de l’Institut, Éditions Générales F.S.C., p.526
[2] Idem. p. 520
[3] Idem. p. 520[3]
[5] Frère ALBAN, Histoire de l’Institut, Editions Générales F.S.C., p. 528
[6] Idem.
[8] Voir aussi « : Eduquer par l’amour, non par la crainte (F. Léon Lauraire), Revue Liens LA SALLE, Mars 96, et les autre numéros : Déc. 94, mars 95, Juin 96.
[9] Frère ALBAN, Histoire de l’Institut, Éditions Générales F.S.C., p. 514.
[10]Tabérien signifie élève de l’école de Taberd.
[12] Idem., p. 513
[13] Texte paru dans le journal d’Extrême-Orient le lendemain de la fête intitulé « Brillante soirée à l’Institution Taberd ». Voir le texte intégral aux annexes
[14] Lien Lac 1971 (Informations sur les activités du District de Saigon avant 1975), p. 26
[16] Bridge built only with bamboos or coconuts tree,for the use of pedestians only
[17] Frère Humbert Vu Van Cuong, docteur en biologie, professeur de l’ISAB, Institut Supérieur d’Agriculture de Beauvais. Il est décédé en France en 1998.