Shi Feixiang

Mr Cai Yuanpei is a great educator and ideological enlightener in modern China. He devoted his life to "saving the country through education" and "saving the country through science", and made indelible contributions to the development of China's cultural and educational undertakings, which had a significant and far-reaching impact. He is an outstanding model of modern intellectuals in China.

191265438+1On October 5th, Cai Yuanpei was nominated by Sun Yat-sen and appointed as the chief education officer by the Nanjing Provisional Government. After the North-South peace talks, Cai Yuanpei became the first education chief in the history of the Republic of China. At the beginning of his tenure, Cai Yuanpei asked Sun Yat-sen about the office space of the Ministry of Education, but was told: "You have to find it yourself, I can't manage it." So Cai Yuanpei had to go to the office by rickshaw with his bare hands. Later, with the help of Ma, then director of the Internal Affairs Department of Jiangsu DuDu Prefecture, three rooms upstairs of the Internal Affairs Department of Nanjing Beiting Lane were lent to Cai Yuanpei as offices, which was the first "Ministry of Education" in the Republic of China. Cai Yuanpei's "pro-president is easy to get printed, wrapped in square inches and travels by rickshaw" has become an anecdote in the history of the founding of the Republic of China.

In the process of establishing the Ministry of Education, Cai Yuanpei adhered to the principle of "diligence and thrift", selecting and employing people, and not setting up redundant staff. At that time, there were more than 100 people in other ministries of Nanjing Provisional Government, and the Ministry of Education only included 30 people. At first, there were only Jiang Weiqiao and the accountant. Later, the second director Jing Yaoyue, directors Yuan and Xia Cengyou, members Xu Shoushang and Lu Xun were added, and there were only more than 30 people (after the quota was more than 70). Department allowance from the section chief to the clerk, regardless of grade, 30 yuan every month. The expenditure of the whole Ministry of Education is only 1000 yuan per month, but the work efficiency is surprisingly high, and the members of the Ministry perform their duties and do their own things. "There is no official meaning." In this "simple and practical" Ministry of Education, Cai Yuanpei only served as the commander-in-chief for half a year, but he carried out a series of system designs in various aspects such as educational policy, educational thought and educational system, thus opening a precedent for China's modern educational system.

1In April, 927, Nanjing National Government established the University of the Republic of China in the central government to replace the Ministry of Education, which was in charge of academic and educational administration throughout the country. /kloc-in June of 0/7, the Nanjing National Government appointed Cai Yuanpei as the president of the University of the Republic of China. Like the former Minister of Education, Cai Yuanpei started from scratch this time. In order to find a suitable office for the university, Cai Yuanpei once again ran all over the streets of Nanjing. Finally, I chose the former site of Jiangning University, which was rebuilt from the Chaotian Palace during the Tongzhi period of the Ming Dynasty, but the house was in disrepair for a long time and it was really unsustainable, so I had to give it up. After a carpet search, Cai Yuanpei finally turned his attention to Chengxian Street. Just as the Kuomintang Central Party Department vacated the office building occupied by the former Jiangsu Provincial Department of Justice, Cai Yuanpei moved it to the university office. Jixian Street is backed by Jiming Mountain, and there is Jiming Temple on it. Every morning, the bells and drums are ringing, which is really "the wind and rain are coming, and the chickens are crowing endlessly."

Cai Yuanpei, president of the university, also adheres to the principle of "simple administration". According to the University Organization Law, the highest consultation and decision-making body of a university is the University Committee. Cai Yuanpei selected Hu Shi, Jiang Menglin, Zhu Jiahua, Li Shizeng and others as members in line with the guiding ideology of "taking scholars as administrative guidance and replacing bureaucrats with academics". There are only "Secretariat" and "Academic Affairs Office" in the specific offices of universities. Xu Shoushang, the Secretary-General, also serves as the secretariat, and appointed Yang Xingfo as the director of the Academic Affairs Office. As the most important business department of a university, the Education Administration Department only consists of four groups: higher education, general education, social education and cultural education. The leaders of each group are experts who are good at learning, influential and successful in academic circles.

1February 22, 927, 1927, Cai Yuanpei and Sun Ke, then Minister of Construction, jointly submitted the Case of Independence of Education Funds to the National Government, proposing that "all provincial school-running funds and various education taxes, as well as all education income, shall be kept by educational institutions, and an independent education accounting system shall be implemented", "Education funds and military and political expenses shall be completely separated, and the economy shall be separated.

Cai Yuanpei tightened his belt and ran a school diligently, but made every effort to ensure the implementation of state education funds. This spirit of integrity is really admirable.