A committed generation
I still remember the third grade class (currently 10th grade) in the 1966-1967 school year, we published a student newspaper with 100 copies. At that time, this was a "huge" number and we boldly met the Governor of Quang Nam Province to... ask for a newspaper license.
The provincial governor let us meet his personal secretary and was given enough paper to mimeograph 100 newspapers, and to use the camera; we had to take care of the hard paper for the cover ourselves. Although it was hard work and we had to figure it out at the same time, the newspaper was finally completed and... disaster struck.
In my so-called editorial article, titled “Today’s School Ethics Issues,” there are two original lines as follows: “If the top is not righteous, the bottom will be in chaos. It is true to think about it” and “Meanwhile, life teaches us more than books.”
Two professors who taught English and History analyzed the article and concluded: “Disrupting the school and inciting students to join the Viet Cong in the jungle.” The school’s disciplinary board met. Fortunately, thanks to the tolerance of Principal Hoang Trung, Mr. Thong, Mr. Danh…, the “pardon” vote was 5/8…
Recalling personal memories is just a small "illustration" in the broader context of school activities in many cities in Southern Vietnam during a special historical period of the country.
In the 60s and 70s of the 20th century, it was worth noting that the student newspaper movement had appeared right from the 7th and 6th grades (currently 6th and 7th grades), collecting good essays in class, self-written and self-presented. But when entering high school, the student newspapers at that time could be called newspapers, with many genres such as commentary, research, composition... The news section alone had low capacity, only briefly recording some activities in the school.
When the urban struggle movement rose in the late 60s and 70s, the news section had many reflections on strikes, hunger strikes, street protests, etc. It can be said that one of the starting points of student newspapers was the birth of literary groups and writing groups at the high school level in the southern cities. During those years, a whole student journalism movement was formed through hundreds of newspapers such as: Tiếng đi học sinh, Đất nước, Thái hòa, Hòa hợp, Đất mới, Tiếng đi sinh sinh, etc.
This is a phenomenon that has not existed before and will not appear again. Many research works in the past decades have concluded that the struggle movement of the people in the southern cities has contributed significantly to the overall victory in the national defense of the whole nation. In this movement, the role and effect of the youth and student press is very important.
Voice of patriotism
Particularly in Quang Nam and Da Nang , many young “amateur” journalists at that time later became professional journalists. These include: Cung Van, Hoang Thoai Chau, Vu Duc Sao Bien, Tu Huy, Huynh Ba Thanh, Vo Nhu Lanh, Tran Pha Nhac, Tran Ngoc Chau, Huynh Son Phuoc…
This fact is perhaps understandable, when placed in the context of the continuation of the patriotic tradition, and in this land where "it has not yet rained but has soaked in", one can recall the first names.
That was Luong Khac Ninh (1862 - 1945), from Dien Ban, editor of the newspaper Nong co min dam (1901 - 1921). That was Phan Khoi (1887 - 1959), from Dien Ban, who wrote for the purpose of renewing literature, founded the weekly newspaper Song Huong (1936 - 1937); the one who started the new poetry movement with "Gia Tinh" and was a journalist who raised fundamental issues in contributing to changing the spiritual life of the nation.
That was Le Dinh Tham (1897 - 1969), the founder of Vien Am (1933), the first newspaper of the Central Vietnam Buddhist Association. That was Huynh Thuc Khang (1876 - 1947), from Tien Phuoc, the founder of Tieng Dan (1927 - 1943), the newspaper that "shouted the voice of the people" amidst the censorship of the French colonialists...
The successors include Phan Thanh, Phan Boi, Luu Quy Ky, Phan Thao... and especially the large team of Quang Nam journalists who have matured from 1975 to present...
Recalling the time of student journalism, then mentioning the names of journalists whose hometowns are on this land, what is the purpose? Simply to say that, nothing other than the love of country - love of people, the spirit of fighting for peace - independence, associated with the pride in the tradition of the land and people of Quang Nam have created the truth and historical value. And to preserve, to leave as a necessary luggage for the next generations today and tomorrow.
Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/thuo-lam-bao-ngay-xua-3157002.html
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