I was the Founding Father of the United States

Chapter 16 Robin's Pharmacy

Unsurprisingly, the governor's vacant villa mentioned by the butler was just a few hundred meters east of Diana's villa, also located on White Street, specifically at 76 White Street.

Even the size of the house and the garden decorations were similar. It was a two-story red brick villa with a tall chimney, a garden and a vegetable patch in the front yard. Judging from the surrounding houses and passersby, the residents here should be gentlemen and rich people from Providence.

When Chen Wenbin and his two companions arrived by carriage, a red-haired maid, about the same age as Betty, around sixteen or seventeen, had been waiting at the door for quite some time.

In front of Chen Wenbin, the doctor invited by the governor, Mades was respectful and polite, but when facing the red-haired maid, he was a high and mighty butler.

"...Mary! This is Dr. Robin Chen, your new master! You must obey him as you would your lord, understand?"

"Yes, Mr. Matex!"

Upon hearing this, the young maid Mary immediately lifted her skirt and curtsied to Chen Wenbin, addressing him as "Master."

Chen Wenbin was already aware of the hierarchical nature of the North American colonies, so he didn't say anything stupid like "Everyone is equal, you can just call me Robin." He simply nodded slightly to her and then toured the house with Mads's introduction.

He was fairly satisfied with the results of the visit. Excluding the basement and attic, the villa had a total of seven rooms, four upstairs and three downstairs. He planned to use the easternmost room on the first floor as the extraction room for allicin, and the remaining two rooms as the reception rooms for "Robin's Pharmacy".

As for the oxidation lab and the white phosphorus extraction lab... of course, you can't set them up at home, or it would be terrible if a fire broke out!

Since he was going to open a pharmacy, he naturally needed reliable assistants and nurses. Moreover, he found it too tiring to stare at the thermometer while extracting allicin. After Mads left, he sat in the living room and thought for a while, then simply called David, who was clearing out the room.

"...David, sit down. I have something I'd like to hear your thoughts on!"

David immediately asked, "Sir, is there anything I can do for you?"

"That's right!"

Chen Wenbin looked at the young man he had saved from the brink of death and said with a smile:

"...The Jenna is setting sail in a few days. Would you like to continue as a sailor on the Jenna, or come work for me as a pharmacy apprentice and assistant? I can offer you an apprentice's salary of two pounds a month..."

"I do, sir!"

Before Chen Wenbin could finish speaking, David stood up excitedly and shouted, "You saved my life! I don't want your pounds! My mother said you are a hero worth following, and I think so too!"

Compared to the possibility of losing his life at any moment, becoming Chen Wenbin's assistant is exactly what David desires most right now... He's the assistant of a future academician, how could David possibly refuse!

"No need for that, David!"

Chen Wenbin laughed and waved his hand, saying, "Who doesn't like the pound? And I will never let my friends and followers down... How about this!"

You'll start as a pharmacy assistant, with a temporary salary of £2 a month. If you adapt well to the job, I'll give you a share of the pharmacy's profits based on your performance, and your salary can also increase.

After saying that, he looked at the little maid Mary, who was standing to the side with a face full of envy. Mads had already told him about her situation.

She was an Irish indentured maid, bound by a contract to serve Governor Hopkins for another seven years before gaining her freedom… essentially a British version of a servant.

Since he didn't intend to keep the method of making allicin a secret, Chen Wenbin simply asked her, "Mary, can you read?"

If you can read and write English, you can also work as an assistant in the pharmacy, helping me treat patients and learn medical knowledge.

Mary looked surprised upon hearing this, then shook her head. "Master, I only know a few words and haven't received any training... I'm afraid I'm not capable of being your assistant."

"You didn't go to school in Ireland?" Chen Wenbin asked curiously. "Do church schools in Ireland not accept girls?"

A bitter look flashed in Mary's eyes, but she said calmly, "No... Master, my family is very poor, and my parents have many brothers and sisters. They don't have the money to send me to church."

Last year, our Lord Baron Bernard sent me and a group of girls to North America so that our families could have some money to live on. It was only after arriving in Providence that I learned some spelling from our head maid, Lady Caroline.

"...I see!" Chen Wenbin nodded, but did not ask any further questions, instead falling into deep thought.

For Chen Wenbin, a modern person, education and knowledge are as ubiquitous as air and water. Everyone can receive education and acquire a vast amount of knowledge from the Internet.

But in this era, education and knowledge are extremely expensive!

It was so expensive that only nobles and the rich could afford to provide their children with a proper education, while the vast majority of poor people were illiterate or semi-literate!

In the New World, due to its vast land area, sparse population, and the competition among various churches for faith, education was indeed much more advanced than in the Old World.

At least each colony gradually established its own university and church school system. Even a small colony like Rhode Island with a population of only fifty or sixty thousand had two church schools funded by wealthy merchants. Reverend Johnson even said that the colony had been preparing to establish a higher education institution—Rhode Island College—for many years, but the funds had been insufficient, and it was hoped that the funds would be allocated for its establishment next year.

This is the macro level. From a micro perspective, the fact that native New World youths like David and Andrew received basic literacy education in church schools, were able to read books and newspapers, and mastered some basic knowledge of logical thinking and natural science is enough to prove the New World's leading position in education.

So, could I start with education to cultivate a group of elite talents in science, engineering, and humanities who are close to me?

If English immigrants don't work, we can start with Irish and other European immigrants, who don't have much loyalty to the British Empire!

Especially the Irish. Even though Ireland had been incorporated into Britain, the gentry in London never treated the Irish commoners as their own people!

There is no doubt that this approach is feasible!

Running an educational institution is nothing more than money and reputation. Money provides the material foundation, and reputation attracts scholars and students. He has both, so why not give it a try?

Having made up his mind, he looked at Mary gently and smiled, "Mary, you don't need to call me master anymore! If you want to be educated, I can be your teacher and teach you knowledge!"

After saying that, he looked at David and said, "David, you too!"

I want to establish a science school, enrolling at least two hundred students willing to study medicine, natural sciences, philosophy, and law. There will be no tuition fees, but graduates will need to work for me for at least ten years… Would you be willing to be the first students of this school?

"Can...can I really do this? Can I really be your student?"

Mary stared blankly at Chen Wenbin, hardly believing her ears. She was just a lowly maid; how could she be qualified to be her master's student?

"...Before God, every soul is equal!"

Seeing the disbelief on her face, Chen Wenbin remembered that he was now under Jesus's protection, so he immediately brought up God and said seriously, "I believe that God does not want His creations to be ignorant animals without knowledge. Only by possessing sufficient knowledge can we glorify God more!"