The school has become a well-known institution at home and abroad, and has trained a large number of talents. He was elected as the chairman of the first to fourth Council of chinese chemical society, and made contributions to the work of academic groups.
Chen Yuguang,No. Jing Tang. 1893 was born in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province on March 7th. His father Zhan Ming moved to Nanjing to work in the construction industry. He has eight children, and Chen Yuguang is the eldest son. From 65438 to 0905, Chen Yuguang walked into the Mei Cheng Auditorium of the middle school affiliated to Jiang Wen University. 19 1 1 year, graduated from middle school, admitted to the chemistry department of Nanjing Jinling University, and graduated from 19 15.
When Chen Yuguang was studying at Jinling University, it was the successful time of the Revolution of 1911. He believes that this is the progress of the times, so taking the name of "Jingtang" is to envy the prosperity of the early Tang Dynasty. He saw that since the Meiji Restoration, Japan's national strength has become increasingly strong, while the Chinese nation is in a disastrous situation. Because of this, when he was young, he set up the great ambition of saving the country by science. 19 16, Chen Yuguang was selected by Jinling University to study organic chemistry in Columbia University, and received his doctorate in 1922. During his study abroad, he served as the president of the China Student Union in the United States and participated in the American Chemical Society. 19 19 founded China overseas students quarterly (Chinese version) and China overseas students monthly (English version).
During his stay in the United States, Chen Yuguang was filled with indignation when he saw the discrimination against Chinese in American society, so he wrote a poem "Blood flies for revenge, Korea vows to build a country", expressing his strong sense of responsibility for rejuvenating the country and strengthening itself. In the early years of the Republic of China, the theory of "saving the country through education" was popular among intellectuals at that time, and Chen Yuguang was deeply influenced. He believes that "saving the country by science" that does not attach importance to personnel training is empty talk. To make the country rich and strong, we must attach importance to education and build a huge contingent of intellectuals, so he decided to engage in education.
During his stay in the United States, Chen Yuguang was hired as a professor at Beijing Normal University. 1922 In the summer, after obtaining a doctorate in organic chemistry, he returned to China to teach with the ambition of "saving the country through education". He used to be the president of Beijing Normal University, the head of the Department of Chemistry, the lecturer of organic chemistry and the chairman of the school committee. He actively participated in the popular science work of China Education Reform Society, was responsible for the research of science education, presided over Science and Changing the World (published by the Commercial Press) edited by Ke Wei and Shi Luosun, and served as acting principal twice. During this period, he had exchanges and discussions with educators such as Cai Yuanpei, Fan Yuanlian, Ma Xulun and Tao Xingzhi, which made his work in higher education and normal education more effective.
Take the road of saving the country through education
As Chen Yuguang graduated from Jinling University, he should have been hired back to his alma mater on 1925.
Jinling University is a school run by the American Church in China. 1927 the great revolutionary storm swept across the country, and the northern expeditionary army was in full swing, conquering Nanjing in one fell swoop and making Nanjing its capital. At that time, the foreign professors of Jinling University left one after another, and the principal returned to the United States under an excuse, so the Chinese presided over the school administration. The school set up a school affairs Committee, and elected Chen Yuguang and Guo Xianxian as the chairman and vice-chairman to act as school affairs. At the same time, in the process of selecting the president, the board of directors thinks that Chen Yuguang has a deep relationship with Jinling University, is familiar with the situation of missionary schools, and has administrative leadership experience in Beijing Normal University, so he is the most suitable candidate. In June165438+1October of the same year, Chen Yuguang was hired as the president, becoming the first China president of Jinling University and the first China person to serve as the president of a missionary university in China. He has worked in this position for 23 years. Chen Yuguang received the Honorary Education Medal from Columbia University and the Honorary Education Doctorate from the University of California in 1929 and 1945 respectively.
After Chen Yuguang took over as the principal, he presided over the school administration with his profound knowledge, skillful and orderly leadership, self-denial, humility, kindness and sincerity, and his style of teaching by example is more important than teaching by example. He believes that restoring the right to education is a great event for the people of the whole country. However, merely replacing China and president and flying China's national flag can't solve the substantive problem of recovering education sovereignty. The way out for missionary universities lies in the reform of management and education.
1. Recovering the sovereignty of education and reforming school management Jinling University was founded on 1888. It is one of the earliest universities established by the American Church in China, and it is also a large-scale school. At that time, all the textbooks, books and periodicals, teaching instruments and living facilities of Jinling University came from the United States. The principal, provost and dean of the school are all American missionaries. Seeing this, Chen Yuguang was deeply moved. He believes that running a school by foreigners is not in line with China's national conditions, and the right to education should be returned to China. The first thing he did when he became president was to petition the government to file a case. 1928 completed the filing formalities in may, and was allowed to file a case on September 20th. At that time, it was the first national 13 missionary university to request the government to file a case and was approved for the first time, which promoted the successive applications of other missionary schools. After Chen Yuguang filed a case, he made a series of adjustments to the school's administration. He first changed the board of directors to the school board of directors, making the school board of directors in China account for two-thirds; In addition, the deans, department directors and leaders at all levels of hospitals are gradually held by China people, greatly increasing the proportion of China people in the teaching staff. At the same time, he attached importance to carrying forward the Republican spirit and running schools democratically. Strengthen the organization of the school affairs Committee, attract more professors to attend the school affairs meeting, and set up a standing Committee of the school affairs Committee. A dozen members of the Standing Committee meet once or twice a week to discuss and study school affairs. At that time, these measures were opposed by churches and missionaries, but with the support of most faculty and students in China, Chen Yuguang completed these reforms. This is Chen Yuguang's patriotic act of striving for educational sovereignty for the country after he became the first president of a foreign missionary university in China.
2. Advocating teaching reform, striving to "save the country through education" Yuguang Chen, after gaining administrative power over education, based on education reform, in order to realize its grand aspiration of "saving the country through education".
Chen Yuguang runs a school according to the national conditions. The first is to close the religious department and decouple the former Jinling Theological Seminary from Jinling University. Religious courses were changed from compulsory to elective, and religious collective activities were changed to free participation, respecting freedom of belief. The second is to expand departments, change arts and sciences to arts and sciences colleges, and change agriculture and forestry to agricultural colleges. Gavin, Science, Academy of Agricultural Sciences. From 1927 to 10 in 10 in 937,10 departments were added, the equipment was improved day by day, and the school got great development.
Chen Yuguang once put forward the educational policy of "teaching, research and popularization". Among them, teaching is carried out according to the actual situation. Make the trained talents meet the actual requirements. Research is divided into investigation, collection, experimental research, or special discussion or general discussion. Among them, there are long-term and short-term ones. The research results are popularized by strictly trained personnel. If problems are found in the promotion, they will be studied and then used for teaching and promotion. Practice has proved that this trinity system has great advantages and is one of the important factors for Jinling University's achievements. Chen Yuguang also advocates students' freedom of thought, and encourages students to organize various social gatherings, seminars, reading clubs, etc. The purpose is to let students understand the society and accept new ideas. Therefore, the academic atmosphere of Jinda University is very active, showing a thriving scene.
1In June, 937, Jinling University held the inauguration ceremony of President Chen Yuguang on the anniversary of 10, and established the Chen Yuguang Scholarship in recognition of his hard work and contribution to education since he served as President 10. 1937 After the outbreak of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Jinling University moved inward./KLOC-0 resumed classes at Huaxi Dam in Chengdu in the spring of 938, and persisted in running the school under difficult conditions, adding 10 departments of automobile specialty, audio-visual education and welding vocational classes. Despite the difficulties, the number of departments and students is still increasing year by year.
3. Carry forward Chinese culture and cultivate Chinese cultural talents. Although Jinling University is a missionary university, Chen Yuguang believes that it is first and foremost a school for China people. China university students should absorb western science and culture, but they must take China culture as the main body, attach importance to the native culture and choose foreign culture. The Chinese nation has a splendid history and culture. We should study the cultural history of China and cultivate talents in this field. So the Institute of Chinese Studies was established at 1930, which was the earliest scientific research institution established by Jinling University. The institute is presided over by a famous scholar Xu. At most, 12 or 13 scholars applied for the graduate school, many of whom were famous experts at that time. At that time, there were many talented people and the activities of writing books were very active. In the years after its establishment, the rich collection of books and antiques and the publication of many works became spectacular, which made the academic reputation of the Institute of Cultural Studies increase day by day. The Institute has made outstanding achievements in history, philosophy, linguistics, archaeology, ethnology, humanities and bibliography. At present, Nanjing University has a large number of books on China culture, which is rare in universities in China, and a large number of local chronicles, which are among the best in China. At the same time, the institute attaches importance to collection, devotes itself to publishing, establishes the school magazine, vigorously publishes various series, and prospers academic research.
It is worth mentioning that Chen Yuguang once urged John Calvin ·J·c· Ferguson, one of the founders of Jinling University, who later served as a school director, to donate some of his cultural relics collected in China for 40 years to the Cultural Research Institute of Jinling University, thus contributing to the return of China cultural relics to the motherland. As early as before War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Chen Yuguang learned that John Calvin Ferguson loved the ancient art of China, and studied and collected a large number of ancient China paintings, bronzes and porcelain. About 1930, when the school board met, Chen Yuguang talked with John Calvin Ferguson and learned that John Calvin Ferguson confided his longing for the ancient culture of China and collected treasures from time to time. Chen Yuguang immediately expressed his wish to donate money to Jinling University as a souvenir. John Calvin Ferguson made a promise, but it failed to come true because of the outbreak of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. After John Calvin Ferguson's death, her daughter handed over the cultural relics donated by her father to Jinling University according to her will, and now she is in Nanjing University.
4. Safeguarding National Dignity 193 1 year, the "September 18th Incident", the Japanese invaders launched a war of aggression against China, and the news spread to Jinling University, and the whole school was boiling. The school quickly established the "Anti-Japanese National Salvation Association", organized military training for teachers and students, and held a swearing-in meeting. Chen Yuguang led the whole school to swear never to use Japanese goods, which greatly enhanced the patriotic enthusiasm of all teachers and students.
Later, the Japanese Consulate General next to Jinling University instigated and erected a reinforced concrete flagpole as high as the North Building of Jinling University. When teachers and students saw that the Sun Flag on the campus of Jinling University was higher than the national flag, they were extremely angry and thought it necessary to crack down on its arrogance. More than 30 students launched a fund-raising campaign to build a higher flagpole in protest. Chen Yuguang actively supports this action. Under the enthusiastic response of teachers and students, the new flagpole was built quickly, about 10 feet higher than the Japanese flag. The national flag flying in the blue sky and white clouds expresses the patriotism of teachers and students of Jinling University.
1936 there is an American professor in the department of education who wants to be a writer and often sends his works to the United States for publication. Once he took an unsightly street scene, which was noticed by the students and asked him to hand over the film that insulted our country in public and apologize. Afterwards, Chen Yuguang immediately dismissed the American professor and safeguarded national dignity.
Chen Yuguang also practiced and embodied the national spirit in language and customs. I have been in Jinling University for more than 20 years and have never worn a suit. It has a great influence on the teachers and students of Jinling University.
Chen Yuguang adheres to the principle of doing things, and can calmly deal with major changes and take care of himself. For example, in 1939, Japanese planes suddenly bombed Chengdu, causing a large number of houses to be destroyed and many citizens to be killed or injured. Chen Yuguang's mother, Mrs. Huang Tai, and his second sister, Professor Chen Zhujun, were both injured, and Yu Chen Guang himself was slightly injured. However, in order to settle down the teachers and students, he went to school the next day.
1920 During his stay in the United States, Chen Yuguang cooperated with China chemists Hou and Wu to establish the chinese chemical society. 1932 August, chinese chemical society was founded. He was elected as the first president and served for four consecutive terms, which contributed to the establishment and early development of chinese chemical society.
sunset glow
On the eve of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Chen Yuguang had a certain understanding of * * * from the news media and thought that "the light is here". He ignored the instructions of the Kuomintang to withdraw from colleges and universities, declined the persuasion of his relatives and friends, and resolutely decided not to go to Taiwan Province Province on the grounds of "no funds for moving schools". He also called faculty and students and organized a security committee to guard the school building, so that Jinling University could be preserved intact.
After the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC), Chen Yuguang firmly believed in the leadership of the Party and loved socialism. Even in adversity, his faith in the party has never wavered. 1950 to 10 studied at the Institute of Political Science, East China Revolutionary University. 1956 In the spring, 62-year-old Yuguang Chen immediately wrote to the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China after listening to Premier Zhou's report on intellectuals, asking for a job. In March of the same year, I participated in the preparatory work of the laboratory of the predecessor of Shanghai Institute of Light Industry. 65438-0958 After the establishment of Shanghai Institute of Light Industry, he was hired as a chemical consultant and actively assisted the research office. At that time, the plastic processing industry in China was still in its infancy. The Plastic Processing Laboratory of Shanghai Institute of Light Industry developed PVC artificial leather and foamed plastics at the earliest time in China. Chen Yuguang actively investigated the data, and finally successfully developed it in China, and set up a factory to put into production, laying the foundation for Shanghai's plastic products industry. At that time, the leaders of the Ministry of Chemical Industry also proposed that China should actively develop the route of making ethylene from alcohol and synthesize PVC, polyethylene and polystyrene. After the Shanghai Institute of Light Industry undertook this task, Chen Yuguang and the comrades of the research group actively explored the technical route, collected and translated foreign materials, and went into the factory for investigation, so that the research work could be carried out smoothly.
Chen Yuguang, 89, was elected as a member of Shanghai CPPCC with 1980. With the feeling that "the days of serving the country are shorter, and the heart of making contributions has doubled", I published my heartfelt words of "serving the four modernizations and the reunification of the motherland while I still have a breath". He initiated the organization of Jinling University Alumni Association to communicate with alumni at home and abroad, especially on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and devoted himself to the rejuvenation and reunification of the motherland. He worked hard day and night to write the history of Jinling University, sum up historical experience, and carry forward the road of running a school suitable for China's national conditions. 1in June, 982, he crossed the ocean and went to the United States alone, regardless of his age of 90. It lasted two months and traveled tens of thousands of kilometers. He visited more than ten cities, including Washington, new york, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and met with more than 300 alumni successively, actively introducing the domestic situation to the alumni and inviting them to give lectures in China. For example, Li Zhuohao, an alumnus, was elected as an academician of the American Academy of Sciences because of his outstanding achievements in biochemistry. He is also an academician of Taiwan Academia Sinica and director of the Institute of Biochemistry. Under the work of Chen Yuguang, he was invited to visit Beijing and Shanghai for academic exchange in May 1986. At that time, more than 400 alumni of Jinling University in Taiwan Province Province heard that the old president had arrived in the United States and jointly wrote a letter to Chen Yuguang. Homesickness, homesickness and homesickness are everywhere. Many relatives, friends and alumni of Chen Yuguang in the United States advised him to settle in the United States, but he declined politely. He resolutely returned to the motherland before the 50th anniversary of the founding of chinese chemical society, and delivered a speech at the commemorative meeting.
After returning to China, he still devoted himself to the contact of alumni at home and abroad and did a lot of work to unite more overseas patriots. He said: "I am over 90 years old. In poor and backward old China, even if I have the ambition to save the country through science, it is only an armchair strategist. Now the spring breeze of the motherland is mighty, and the whole country is full of weather. Although I am old, I am deeply encouraged in this prosperous time. I said that I would contribute to "rejuvenating China and benefiting the people".
1On March 7th, 987, on Chen Yuguang's 95th birthday, representatives of alumni associations at home and abroad such as the United States, Taiwan Province Province, Shanghai, Beijing, Wuhan and Sichuan, and leaders of Shanghai Light Industry Bureau and Light Industry Research Institute all went to Nanjing to celebrate his birthday. Comrade Sun Qing, Deputy Secretary of jiangsu provincial party committee, delivered a congratulatory message and spoke highly of Chen Yuguang's contribution to education in China. Finally, 95-year-old Chen Yuguang gracefully walked onto the stage to give a thank-you speech. He said: "Holding such a warm and grand birthday celebration reflects the party and state's policy of respecting knowledge, intellectuals, teachers and teachers. I am sincerely happy for this." He sincerely praised the excellent situation of China's reform and opening up, and said that he would spare no effort to work for the rejuvenation and strength of the motherland.
On April 1989, a famous educator passed away. At the last breath of his life, when he was living on infusion alone, he was still thinking about "requesting funds from the Asian Christian Higher Education Council to continue to support China in running higher education well". He devoted all his energy to the great cause of the rejuvenation and reunification of the motherland.