Duc Thanh School (Vietnamese: trường Dục Thanh, trường means school) was built in 1908, during the Duy Tan movement, an anti-French and pro-independence society in Vietnam, by Phan Chu Trinh to expand people’s knowledge. This private school, then the most progressive in Binh Thuan, was founded by Nguyen Quy Anh and Nguyen Trong Loi (son of the patriot Nguyen Thong). The school teaches the Vietnamese alphabet and the characters of Chinese and French. The school also instills a spirit of patriotism among the younger generation and has become a popular tourist attraction in Lam Dong.
Overview of Duc Thanh School
Duc Thanh School is recognized as a cultural and historical relic of great value in Vietnam. This monument was created to respond to the Duy Tan movement of patriotic scholars such as Phan Chu Trinh, Huynh Thuc Khang, and Tran Quy Cap.
The entrance of Duc Thanh School
Duc Thanh School is also the place where the youth imprint of the Vietnamese nation’s leader, Uncle Ho, with the name Nguyen Tat Thanh, was reprinted. In September 1910, Nguyen Tat Thanh (later President Ho Chi Minh) had decided to get a job here. At 20, he was the youngest teacher at the school. He taught the Vietnamese alphabet, Chinese characters, and also physical exercises. However, in February 1911, he left Duc Thanh School and continued to pursue his passion.
Duc Thanh School is associated with one of the important milestones in Ho Chi Minh’s revolutionary life, when he began to be exposed to the patriotic and revolutionary ideas of contemporary scholars.
Architecture of Duc Thanh School
Duc Thanh School attracts tourists with its ancient appearance, moss nestled in meticulously manicured green trees. Although it has existed for more than 100 years and has undergone many changes, the architecture of Duc Thanh School remains intact, as it was at its inception.
Visitors to Duc Thanh School will enjoy the place’s beauty and clearly feel the atmosphere the ancients experienced. When coming to the Duc Thanh Truong relic site, visitors will not be able to miss the following architectural areas:
Main classroom area
The main classroom area is the largest building at the Duc Thanh School relic site. This architecture features a bold Asian style, with bright red tiled roofs and polished ironwood pillars. The main classroom area has endured hundreds of years of history, weathering many ups and downs, yet it still stands firm, giving visitors a sense of familiarity, closeness, and peace of mind.
inside the classroom
The classroom area is divided into 3 spaces: 2 classrooms and 1 upstairs. Like many other traditional classrooms, there is a blackboard above and rows of student desks and chairs below. An interesting architectural feature in the classroom area is the honeycomb-shaped wall. This design allows natural light to enter the classroom more easily, making the teaching and learning process more convenient.
Ngoa Du Sao
Another architecture at Duc Thanh School that tourists cannot miss is Ngoa Du Sao. This is considered a building used to receive guests and discuss the political affairs of patriotic scholars at that time.
Ngoa Du Sao is not too big, but the architecture is meticulous in every detail.
Fisherman’s house
The fisherman’s house was built next to the main building in 1906. This is the place where Mr. Nguyen Thong’s family stores fishing nets and some fish sauce-making tools. It was not until Duc Thanh School was established in 1907 that Ngu House was requisitioned into a boarding house for teachers and students in remote provinces. This is also where Uncle Ho stayed while teaching at Duc Thanh School.
Garden, star fruit tree, and water well
The lush green garden, laden with fruit, is a scenic feature visitors cannot miss when visiting Duc Thanh School. In this garden, many trees are more than 100 years old; they were planted and cared for by young teacher Nguyen Tat Thanh.
Especially, the star fruit tree at Duc Thanh School was planted more than a century ago by Mr. Nguyen Thong’s wife. While teaching at Duc Thanh School, Uncle Ho often used well water for daily use and to water the garden plants. The star fruit tree has been cared for since 1910 and continues to bear fruit year-round.
This star fruit tree is now called by the local people in Phan Thiet an extremely endearing name: “Uncle Ho” star fruit tree.
The old well has been operating for more than 100 years.
Useful information about Duc Thanh School
- Address: 39 Trung Nhi, Phan Thiet Ward, Lam Dong Province.
- Opening hours: daily from 7 Am – 17 Pm.
- Entrance fee: free
- Tourist sports near by: Mui Ne sand dunes, Mui Ne Fishing Village, Ke Ga Cape, Van Thuy Tu…
Source: collected by An
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