The teacher laid the foundation for the house of Archival Studies and Office Management.

Every time November arrives, our hearts are filled with emotion about the important national holiday – the Vietnamese Teachers' Day on November 20th. Around us, we hear poignant words:"The Teacher"...He continued to go about his work quietly, morning and noon. Day after day, drops of sweat blurred the pages of his notebook....", and suddenly, emotions welled up, wanting to express gratitude and honor to my teachers.

Many years have passed, and that teacher no longer regularly stands on the podium, nor shoulders the responsibilities of Chairman of the Scientific and Training Council or Secretary of the Faculty Party Branch. Yet, his image remains etched in the memories of the generations of students he once taught. That teacher is Professor Vuong Dinh Quyen – the man who laid the first bricks in building the foundation of Archival Studies and Office Management.

Associate Professor, Distinguished Teacher Vuong Dinh Quyen

Our brief encounter with our teacher left an unforgettable impression on us. Even in his eighties, he always smiled and told us stories from the past. His memories, though fragmented, were incredibly vivid and moving. He recounted how, as a student, he was trusted by his classmates and elected class president for all four years, earning him the nickname "..."Bung Sukarno"(Bung Sukarno was the then-president of Indonesia and was honored by the Indonesian people as president for life)."

Then there were days when the US was waging a war of destruction in the North, and the school and faculty had to evacuate to Dai Tu, Thai Nguyen, in the former Viet Bac war zone. I asked if he ever felt afraid during such difficult times, and he smiled and said:Despite the difficulties, they weren't bothered; youth is full of joy and enthusiasm."Speaking of which, the teacher recalled memories of his years studying in the evacuation area: living in people's homes, and the classroom was also located in people's houses. His classroom at that time was in Mr. Phan Tho's house, and they had to dig more than 1 meter deep into the floor to place the desks and chairs to ensure safety in case American planes bombed or shelled the area. That's why Teacher Ha Van Tan wrote these humorous couplets:

"Mr. Phan Tho used earth-burrowing."

"Uncle Chu Thien, the clear sky"

Despite the difficulties, Professor Chu Thien's lectures were always engaging, making the students feel optimistic and enthusiastic even in such a cramped and damp environment.

As he recounted his stories, holding the speech he would deliver at the Retired Faculty's reunion: the "70 Years of Literature Faculty Tradition" seminar, his voice trembled as he spoke of his memories of the History Faculty. He held within him a love and admiration for the quality of education and the teachers of the History Faculty, especially the "Four Pillars" – Lam, Le, Tan, and Vuong – along with the teachers from the first, second, and third graduating classes. He confided:"In the context of a country at war, teaching and learning conditions were extremely difficult, yet they were still conducted in a systematic and fundamental way. Many teachers became highly knowledgeable and erudite primarily through self-study and self-training, which is truly admirable."c”

After graduating from the History Department in June 1968, Professor Vuong Dinh Quyen was retained by the department and soon entrusted with the responsibility of Head of the Archival Studies Department. At that time, Archival Studies was a newly established major not only in the History Department of Hanoi University but also in Vietnam, so there were many difficulties for these young lecturers, such as: curriculum, textbooks, theoretical and practical knowledge. He still remembers the words of encouragement from the professors in the Department:Drop it in the water; if you know how to swim, you'll survive."That concise yet profound statement served as the driving force behind the self-reliance, self-learning, and research of the then-newly-trained teacher, who later became a leading Associate Professor and Distinguished Educator, wholeheartedly dedicated to the field of education. When the Department was first established, it had five young teachers, all of whom were highly motivated, enthusiastic, and united. They worked together, supporting and assisting each other in training and scientific research. This solidarity and mutual support created the strength that propelled the Archival Studies Department to rapid development. The teacher often said to his colleagues at the time: “We must strive to catch up in areas where we fall behind other disciplines, and we must build upon our strengths in areas where we excel."That enthusiasm and spirit of the lecturers helped the Department gradually grow stronger, and by 1996 it was separated into an independent faculty, the Faculty of Archival Studies and Office Management - under the University of Social Sciences and Humanities."

As he recounted the journey of the Department's formation and development, we saw that he was visibly moved. Perhaps the Department has become an integral part of his life, as he has dedicated all his passion and effort, along with the other faculty members, to building and developing the Department of Archival Studies and Office Management, training highly skilled and dedicated professionals as it is today. Even though he is now retired, he continues to participate in training Master's and Doctoral level Archival Studies and Office Management staff, always keeping an eye on the faculty and students, and hoping that future generations of students will continue to uphold the tradition and showcase the unique identity of the Department of Archival Studies and Office Management. In him, we see the profound insight of a senior figure, the kindness and affection of a father and teacher, and the sense of responsibility of someone who has made a significant contribution to building the Department of Archival Studies and Office Management as it is today. In our teacher, talent is always present alongside a compassionate heart; a person who has overcome the difficulties of the times and always wishes for the best for the next generation of students. We – the generations of students – realize that we need to strive tirelessly to live up to our teachers' expectations, and we always hope that our teacher will remain healthy and cheerful, chatting as he does now. Although we know that time silently slips away and our teacher will grow older with each passing year, his lectures and his image will forever remain in the hearts of each student.

"A sudden gust of wind blew strongly this morning."
I suddenly noticed that my teacher's hair had turned completely white.
Just tell yourself it's just pollen.
But why does my heart still ache so much?
How many years has it been? How many years have passed, teacher...?
The students leave, but the teacher remains.
Those paddles are made of white chalk.
And the teacher is a diligent ferryman.
Give us guidance for the future.
Time, please stop flowing!
Please allow us to fold our hands and bow our heads once more.
Calling out to the Teacher with all my love and faith...