Just then, it suddenly got wind that the Central Plains Bureau was going to run a revolutionary university on the spot. These young people were neither assigned jobs nor sent to North China to study. This rumor immediately caused a big storm among young people. In addition, some people have all kinds of misunderstandings and vague understandings about the * * * production party and the liberated areas, so some unfavorable speculations spread among people, which made everyone feel very depressed and afraid. Some people seem to be silent, but privately, they quickly seek out their fellow villagers and classmates to discuss countermeasures and prepare to find another way out. Others gathered in twos and threes to find the Propaganda Department of the Central Plains Bureau and shouted, "What if nothing happens?" "You promised to send us to Peking University. How can you break your word and lie!" "We came to the liberated areas to move towards the light, hoping to do something for the * * * production party. But you don't assign jobs either. Let's stay here and study. If not, we have to find another way. " The storm has been going on for several days, and some people even left here secretly.
Just as these young people were fidgeting, they were suddenly told that the head of the Central Plains Bureau would give a report in Dabaizhuang, Yangshulin tomorrow morning to answer their questions. This notice immediately aroused everyone's speculation. Which director will give a report tomorrow? What is the content of the report? Can the problems we reflect be solved? This night, many people spent in anxiety.
On July 15, at around 8 am, more than 300 young men, women and faculty members, wearing newly-developed gray cloth uniforms and octagonal hats, sat in the wheat field next to Yang Shulin, waiting for the report of the head. There is a wooden table and a bench borrowed from the farmer's house in the middle of the wheat field. The golden hay around exudes the fragrance of wheat straw, and cicadas in the Woods linger over the venue. When listening to the report, people wait and expect in tension and anxiety.
There was a motor sound from the village entrance, and a jeep stopped in the wheat field in the blink of an eye. A slightly chubby middle-aged man got off the bus, wearing a military uniform, white shirt, army pants and cloth shoes on his arm, holding a big cattail leaf fan in his hand and coming to people with a smile.
"Commander Chen Yi is here!" Someone in the crowd shouted in surprise and applause broke out in the wheat field. Many people stood up. Although they don't know Chen Yi, Chen Yi's name has long been heard. So someone immediately rushed to Chen Yi to shake hands with him and asked him to sign it as a souvenir.
Chen Yi stood in front of a table and introduced himself with a loud Sichuan accent: "Me, Chen Yi, too! The' Chen bandit' you often see in the newspapers in Chiang Kai-shek's area refers to me! It is an honor to meet you today, which is obvious to all. Please take a closer look. Am I a bandit after all? " The humorous opening remarks made people laugh, and the atmosphere at the meeting suddenly warmed up, sweeping away the tension and anxiety before the meeting.
Amid people's laughter, Chen Yi changed the subject and then said, "Chiang Kai-shek, today he said it was a bandit, and tomorrow he said it was a bandit. I think he is a real robber. A bandit who betrayed Dr. Sun Yat-sen! Is a bandit who betrayed the national revolution! It's a bandit in a massacre! Therefore, unless the Chiang Kai-shek clique is overthrown, the revolution will not succeed and the people will not be liberated. This is why we want revolution. "
These short words immediately infected everyone present, and someone stood up and led everyone to shout slogans, which made the atmosphere of the venue reach a climax.
After the slogan died down, Chen Yi began his report. He first reviewed the history of China's oppression by imperialism and feudalism in the past century and the people's struggle for national independence, democracy and freedom. I talked about War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression in the past and the people's liberation war now, and encouraged everyone to take an active part in this great revolutionary movement. "It is my great honor to contribute to the cause of overthrowing Chiang Kai-shek and building a new China."
Then, he talked about the study and work issues that everyone is most concerned about. He said, "This is Dabaizhuang, and it doesn't even have a university brand. The big one is the university; White, humble, how to calculate a university? But in my opinion, the mountain is not high and the fairy is famous. We are running a revolutionary university. " He expounded the purpose and significance of establishing Chung Yuan Christian University, analyzed the essential difference between education in liberated areas and education in Chiang Kai-shek areas, and pointed out the revolutionary educational principles and methods. On the issue of work, he explained: "There are not many people in the liberated areas, but many people. Everyone can work normally, no genius will be buried, and there is the possibility of full development. "
Finally, when answering why Chung Yuan Christian University was established, Chen Yi pointed out: "I heard that some of you want to study in the North University. Going to college is a good thing and should be supported. However, Chairman Mao instructed us:' We will lead the war to Chiang Kai-shek's area.' Recently, a large area of land in the Central Plains has been liberated, and the revolutionary situation has developed rapidly. In the near future, it will go to the south of the Yangtze River to liberate all China. The newly liberated areas need a large number of cadres. At present, cadres in North China and East China all flow south, not north. Therefore, you don't have to go to the north to go to college. You can also run a university in Zhongyuan! I think that with Professor Ji and Professor Wang from Henan University and more than 200 young students from Kaifeng University and Kaifeng Middle School, we will be able to build a big school that people need! "
After three and a half hours, people didn't feel bored and bored with the report, nor did they find it tedious, but found it fresh, vivid and touching. They consciously accepted many new ideas and concepts in the teaching of moving people with emotion and knowing people with reason, and gained a brand-new understanding and understanding of the * * * production party. Many years later, the old man who heard this report described it this way: "From primary school to junior high school, to senior high school, to later revolutionary university, sitting in the classroom, listening to the teacher's lecture, class after class, flowers blossomed, how many classes were attended, and what was the content?" I really don't know, and the road is unknown. Over time, it becomes even more blurred. But there is a class, although half a century has passed, the scene of the class is still vivid, just like what happened yesterday. -That's 1948 July 15. "
At the end of the report, Chen Yi wiped the sweat on his face with a towel, took two sips from the tea bowl, lit a cigarette, shook the cattail leaf fan and said with a smile, "Dear classmates and friends, if you have any questions, you can ask them. I will answer them at the scene in Chen Yi. "
After hearing what he said, someone took out a pen and paper and wrote a note and handed it up. In a short time, a dozen pieces were placed on the table. Chen Yi picked up a piece of paper and read aloud: "I am against the Kuomintang and support the * * * production party, but I just want to take part in the revolution, not the * * * production party. You will not force me to join the party, will you? " Chen Yi after reading, ha ha ha a smile and said, "the kuomintang collective to join the party, don't want to pull. And to join the * * * production party, you must apply in person, and you must go through an organization inspection and approval, and you will never be forced. Please rest assured of this. "
Then, he read another note: "I am a student, please take care of my major when assigning work." Chen Yi said with regret: "This is a time of war, and everything is subject to the needs of the revolution. I studied mechanical and electrical engineering in France myself, but it's useless now, and I have to lead troops to fight! After the national liberation, a large number of scientific and technological talents will be needed for national construction. By then, you will be useful! "
Another note said, "I brought my wife to the revolution. We have a good relationship, please don't separate us. " Chen Yi said humorously: "The mood is understandable. But now we are going to fight. Many comrades in the People's Liberation Army have wives, but we can't take our wives to the front line when we fight, can we? " After a burst of laughter in the crowd, he went on to say, "When you settle down after the war, the organization will definitely take care of it."
Although the questions are varied and varied, Chen Yi still answers them one by one with his unique style, with distinctive personality, modesty and humor. Warm applause and laughter broke out from time to time at the venue, and young people released and eased their restless emotions in these laughter. They sincerely admire General Chen's elegant demeanour, and get the first zero-distance understanding and understanding from the producers of * * *. When leaving, Chen Yi wrote an inscription for the teachers and students: Victory in the Central Plains is the forerunner of national liberation! And repeatedly encouraged everyone to settle down, study hard and make contributions to people's liberation.
Strive to run a school and create the future.
In order to further do a good job in persuasion and reassure people, Chen Yi took the time to come to Dabaizhuang again on July 26th and made a situation analysis report for teachers and students. Deng Zihui also made a report on "The Nature and Task of China Revolution" for teachers and students on 27th and 28th. The reports of the two main leaders of the Central Plains Bureau have aroused great repercussions among teachers and students. After heated discussion, everyone felt that they had gained a lot in their thoughts, improved their understanding of the revolution and strengthened their belief in studying and working in the Central Plains Liberated Area.
The leaders of the Central Plains Bureau not only care about these new teachers and students politically, but also try their best to improve their lives. All the students enjoy the treatment of cadres in the supply system, and receive a monthly subsidy of 200 yuan Zhongzhou currency (equivalent to one silver dollar). At the same time, they are also given daily necessities, school supplies and military clothing, and they are provided with standard meals every day. The students are full and eat well. Many people regret not eating well at home or at school. As for some of the life requirements put forward by the students, although they are trivial matters, they are also seriously considered and solved.
Director Wang, who is in charge of student life, reported to Chen Yi, Deng Zihui and others: "Some students asked, what should I do if my shoes are broken?"
Chen Yi didn't despise this small problem, but seriously said, "This is easy. You put away the leather shoes to be repaired, write down the names of the big families, don't be confused, and send someone to Luoyang to repair them. The repair fee will be reimbursed by the government. What are the difficulties? "
"Female students, take a shower?
"This is a problem." Chen yi nodded. "It's easy for boys, but girls have to do something."
Deng Zihui interjected: "Didn't you seize a lot of gasoline when you hit Luoyang? It's almost used up. Bring it a dozen empty barrels, and a petrol tank will be broken in half to make two bathtubs. Is that enough? The firewood for boiling water is actually sold. "
Seeing that the first two problems have been solved, director Wang boldly put forward the third question: "Students still ask, what should I do if I go to the movies?"
Chen Yi smiled at Deng Zihui. "Foreign students have many ideas." He turned to Director Wang and said, "This is about to find Li Da's chief of staff. Every night, the headquarters is using a generator to show movies, which is the 16 mm projector captured by Luoyang when it annihilated the 206th Division of the Youth Army. This is a movie about American troops invading Indians! "
With the arrival of a group of Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei cadres, the school department formally established an organization with four departments: educational administration, registration, secretary and general affairs, organized 287 students into three brigades, appointed team leaders and instructors, and equipped with several counselors and counseling assistants. The school's work began to get on track. On August 2nd, Liu Bocheng, commander of Zhongyuan Military Region, announced the formal establishment of Zhongyuan University at the commemorative meeting of August 1st Army Day held by Zhongyuan Bureau and Zhongyuan Military Region. At this point, a new revolutionary university was born in the Central Plains.
The purpose of Chung Yuan Christian University is just as Fan Wenlan, the first president, pointed out: "We don't stick to the form of ordinary schools, and we don't rigidly stipulate the courses and study years of departments; Under the principle of applying what we have learned, we are actively creating various new methods so that students can go to work and shoulder the revolutionary tasks entrusted to them after short-term training. " For this reason, students' study time is 4-6 months, and the courses offered are: philosophy, political economy, history of social development, introduction to social science, basic problems of China revolution, mass work, etc. At the same time, we also pay attention to studying important articles such as the Theory of New Democracy, the Theory of Coalition Government, the Current Situation and Our Tasks, and several issues concerning the current Party's policies.
Due to the limited environment, the school buildings are mainly scattered in Dabaizhuang (Department), Xiaoqiying, Handian and other villages. Students live in empty rooms abandoned by local farmers. Wheat straw is a bed, and a board on their legs is a desk. Under the shade, the threshing floor, even stables and ruined temples have become places for classes. Teachers mainly come from some professors of Henan University and cadres in southern Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei. Some leaders of the Central Plains Bureau often come to give political reports to students, such as Liu Zijiu, propaganda minister of the Central Plains Bureau, Xiong Fu, vice minister and others. This practice of combining learning with application, transforming thinking and improving consciousness not only enables students to quickly grasp the basic theory of revolution, but also timely understand and master the current situation and the party's principles and policies.
Although the conditions were poor and life was hard at the beginning of school, the students all had a positive spirit and high spirits. They think they should be revolutionaries now, take notes carefully in class and often debate some issues after class. Although the study schedule is very tight, with large classes in the morning, group discussions in the afternoon and self-study in the evening, after class, teams have set up study gardens, columns and wall newspapers, set up societies, organized literary propaganda teams, rehearsed small songs and dances, live plays and one-act plays, and went deep into the army and fields to perform for soldiers and farmers, which has received good results.
In order to consolidate the achievements, expand the influence and attract more progressive young people to study, 101At the beginning of October, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China decided to be the president of Zhongyuan University, Pan Zinian as the vice president (later the president) and Meng as the provost. At this point, the organizational structure of Chung Yuan Christian University is basically perfect. Subsequently, the school formed a 10 enrollment group to enroll students in Luoyang, Xuchang, Yanling, Yexian and Neixiang. In just a few months, nearly 2000 freshmen were enrolled and several research classes were held.
10 In late June, after the second liberation of Kaifeng, Zhongyuan Bureau considered that Chung Yuan Christian University's stay in Baofeng was not conducive to future development, and the school department was more than ten miles away from each team, which made it very inconvenient for teachers and students to move. So he decided to move Zhongyuan University from Baofeng to Kaifeng and stay in Henan University for the time being (He Da was moved to Suzhou by the Kuomintang government just after Kaifeng was liberated). After Chung Yuan Christian University moved to Kaifeng, Northern University supported a group of teachers and cadres, greatly enriching the teaching staff. In view of this, the school began to set up corresponding colleges according to their majors, and successively established the College of Literature and Art, the College of Finance and Economics, the College of Education, the College of Politics and the Medical College, and the school-running system has changed.
With the development of the revolutionary situation, 165438+ students from the research class and the 1st and 2nd brigades graduated ahead of schedule and were assigned to work in various party and government organs in the Central Plains Liberated Area and the North China Liberated Area. After the Huaihai Campaign started, the school chose from all the teams! 258 people were transferred to form a preparatory branch working group and went to the front to do all the work. In order to cooperate with the battle of crossing the river, the school assigned 65 1 two groups of students to work in the Second Field and the Third Field. At the same time, hundreds of students joined the south working group and went to various places to participate in the construction of local political power.
In this short period of more than half a year, Chung Yuan Christian University has trained and brought up a group of educated and high-quality cadres at a high speed and efficiently for the development of the revolutionary cause. It must be said that this is the strategic vision of the leaders of the Central Plains Bureau, and it also embodies their great efforts. With the liberation of Wuhan, the Central Plains Bureau decided to move the school south to Wuhan to train more talents for Central China. Chung Yuan Christian University moved south in August, 1949, and began enrolling students in Central China in early September. After 1950, with the arrival of the safe construction, the school began to gradually change to a new system, that is, from the original short-term political and ideological training system to the academic professional system.
At the end of 1953, with the large-scale construction of the country, Chung Yuan Christian University announced its cancellation and completed its glorious mission. In the five years since the founding of Chung Yuan Christian University, * * * has trained more than 4000 cadres/kloc-0, which has supplemented the shortage of frontline cadres during the war and delivered a large number of urgently needed builders to Central South China and even the whole country. Most of them later became important backbones of various fronts, such as Liu Zhongyi, former deputy director of the State Planning Commission, and Zhang Kaiyuan, a famous historian, all of whom were excellent talents trained by Chung Yuan Christian University.
After the revocation of Chung Yuan Christian University, its School of Finance and Economics merged with the School of Political Science and Law (after going south to Wuhan, the School of Political Science and Law was changed to the School of Political Science and Law) to form today's Zhongnan University of Economics and Law; The College of Education merged into Huazhong University to form today's Huazhong Normal University. The College of Literature and Art has become today's Wuhan Conservatory of Music and Hubei Academy of Fine Arts; The medical college that stayed in Kaifeng when going south to Wuhan has evolved several times and become the third military medical university today.