Chapter 2 study abroad fever

Fifty or sixty years ago, there was a strong enthusiasm for studying abroad throughout the country, and its momentum was by no means less than it is today.Studying abroad affects the hearts of thousands of young students.I once saw with my own eyes that a classmate trembled all over when he heard that others were going abroad but he had no share, his eyes were stunned, and his face was covered with sweat. It is conceivable that his heart was shaken violently. Why is there such a phenomenon?Carefully analyzing the reasons, some are similar to today, while others are completely different.I won't talk about the same reason here.The different reasons are rooted in different social systems.At that time, there were two famous sayings: "Graduation means unemployment"; "Work hard to grab a job".A college graduate, if there is no back door, still cannot find a job, that is, he still cannot get a job.If a person can go abroad for a trip, it was called "gold-plating" at the time. Once he returned to the country, he would be worth a hundred times, and the golden light would shine, and many places would scramble for him, and he would become a "hot item".

At that time, if you wanted to go abroad, you had to go two ways: one was private expenses, and the other was official expenses. Only the children of wealthy businessmen, great businessmen, high-ranking officials, and prominent eunuchs could do the former.There are two types of the latter: one is the national government fee, such as the fund for studying in the UK and the US; the other is organized by the provinces.Both are subject to examination.The number of these two kinds of official fees is extremely small, only one or two.Among all students, taking this road is more difficult than a camel going through the eye of a needle.Is there anyone who goes through the back door?I dare not say absolutely not.But according to my personal observation, it is generally more reasonable, and there are quite a few handsome talents among the admitted students.This kind of official fee is quite a lot, and it is often enviable to live a very comfortable life abroad.

Of course, I also suffer from study abroad fever, and its severity is by no means inferior to others.It's a pity that I was reincarnated in the wrong place. My family was a poor peasant in the countryside, but a civil servant in the city, not even a petty official.Ordinary days, barely  NC043  mouth.When I graduated from college in 1934, my uncle was unemployed, and the family was practically bankrupt. One can imagine how poor he was.I haven't even thought about studying abroad at my own expense. I, a toad, don't want to eat swan meat at all. I haven't been so confused yet.As for studying abroad with government fees, at that time only students in science and engineering were sent, and social sciences were discriminated against.Discrimination against social sciences today has a long history, and we social science scholars have been handed over to Huagai, so we have to blame our lives for suffering.

All in all, as soon as I graduated from university, I was unlucky. There was no hope of studying abroad, and it was hard to get a job;Mr. Song Huanwu, the principal of my alma mater (Provincial Jinan High School), asked me to return to my alma mater to be a Chinese teacher, which seemed to be my last resort.But I am studying Western literature, and my head is full of Goethe and Shakespeare. Once I change to Qu Yuan and Du Fu, can I change it?At that time, middle school students had the habit of "driving" teachers.The so-called "drive" means to drive away.My own experience of "driving" people is a little bit, but I don't want to get involved with the experience of being "driven".I thought about it again and again, and when I left Tsinghua University during the summer vacation, I gritted my teeth: "If you dare to invite me, I will dare to go!"

Provincial Jinan High School was the only senior high school in Shandong at that time.Chinese language teachers are well paid, one hundred and sixty yuan per month, double that of a university teaching assistant, equivalent to today's RMB, which can be equal to at least three thousand two hundred yuan.This is quite attractive.Why did such a "fat" rice bowl fall into my hands for no reason?The reason is a little.Although I read Western literature, I liked to play with my pen and ink since I was a child. I published a few essays, so I was considered a writer. At that time, writers were considered to be able to teach Chinese, so I became a teacher of Chinese.However, like a person who drinks water, he knows whether he is warm or cold, and I know that I can eat a few bowls of dry rice, so it is inevitable to feel guilty.I really walked on the podium like walking on thin ice.

However, the reason why President Song really hired me is not as simple as that.At that time, the struggle for jobs among middle schools in Shandong was extremely fierce.Often when the headmaster is changed, a large number of teachers are dismissed.A headmaster has an administrative team around him, including the dean of education, the chief of general affairs, the director of discipline and education, accountants, etc., which are all available, like a cabinet.There is also a teaching team on the periphery.These people all advance and retreat with the principal.At that time, there were two major factions in the middle school education circle in Shandong: the Peking University faction and the Normal University faction.Principal Song was the leader of the Peking University faction, and He Siyuan, the director of the Department of Education at the time, was a classmate of Heze No. 6 Middle School and Peking University, and had a deep personal relationship.Some people say that if Principal Song is a student of Columbia University in the United States, and He is also a classmate abroad, his status will be improved, not just the principal, but the section chief of the Department of Education.

In short, President Song led the mighty army of the Peking University faction to confront the two armies of the Normal University faction.He needs support, he needs an army of visitors.So I immediately fell in love with me, a graduate of Tsinghua University who is beyond the two factions, and a graduate of the first grade of high school.He invited me to be a Chinese teacher and instructed me to organize a high school graduates' reunion to strengthen his reputation.Although I am not deeply involved in the world, I can still understand his painstaking efforts.It's a pity that I'm not born to do this kind of thing. I don't know how to brag and flatter horses, and I don't want to play mahjong with someone's wife.As a result, the class reunion was not formed. I feel sorry, but there is nothing I can do.President Song said to others: "Xianlin is very quiet!" President Song is worthy of being a graduate of the Chinese Department of Peking University. He has a deep understanding of Chinese history and a high attainment in classical literature. , with these two words, the realm will be fully revealed, which is better than thousands of words of others.Unfortunately, I am not an idiot, and I still know a little bit of worldly knowledge. After listening, I understand it; but the rice bowl I hold in my hand is shaky.

Therefore, I must try to get out of here. Where do you go from here? "Looking up and looking at the end of the world", I only saw a vast sea of ​​people without a destination.It stands to reason that my life and situation at that time were quite good.I get along well with students.I'm only twenty-three years old, and I don't know what airs are.Most of the students are about the same age as me, and some are a few years older than me. I think they are partners.I am the chief editor of a literary supplement for a major newspaper, which can publish student articles, which is extremely attractive to students.The relationship with teachers and colleagues is also very harmonious. Almost every week, I go out to a small restaurant with a few like-minded people. Anyway, the salary is good and the price is low. No one is stingy, and the relationship is easier to deepen.From the outside, it looks like a fairy life.

However, I'm depressed and I must try to get out of here. From here, the supreme dream is to go abroad to be gilded.I often face the luxuriant hibiscus flowers in front of the house and the pavilions and rockeries in the small garden, dreaming of going abroad.At the same time, in the feasting and feasting, you will suddenly feel that the rice bowl in your hand is shaking.In his early twenties, he was worried about being a hundred years old.My spirits can't be cheered up anyway.Sometimes I think: just keep messing around like this, anyway, I have nothing to do, and my dreams are useless.As the saying goes: "When a car reaches the mountain, there must be a road."My car hasn't driven to the front of the mountain yet, let's talk about it when we reach the front of the mountain. 

But no.The news of other people's study abroad and gilding came to my ears from time to time.When I hear this news, I tremble like I do when I see other people.I look at Oushanmeishui from a distance, and see those who go abroad like gods and gods.And I am like an ordinary person in the world, "even more separated from Pengshan Mountain". I spent the whole year like this.