Chapter 14 Chapter 6: Falling into the End of the World and Being Proud——Work-study in France

In 1901, Li Shizeng, Xia Jianzhong, Zhang Jingjiang and others went to France to study at official expense.Two years later, Li Shizeng's good friend Wu Zhihui was hunted down by the Qing court for propagandizing against the Qing Dynasty, and fled to England. He and several students studying in Britain worked while studying. In 1907, he rushed to Paris, France to meet with Li Shizeng and others to experiment with frugal living.In the same year, Cai Yuanpei and several classmates went to Germany at their own expense to implement a study abroad program.Under the experimental advocacy of these people, a style of thrift study emerged in the European academic circle.At that time, China’s education was very backward both in terms of quantity and quality, and the requirements of the majority of young people for studying and employment were far from being met. They were very interested in studying in France, and believed that France was the cradle of bourgeois freedom, equality, and fraternity theories. , a model of bourgeois civilization, to establish a republic and import world civilization to the country, one must study in France.However, the government was short of finances and could not send official fees, so in February 1912, Cai Yuanpei, Wu Yuzhang, Li Shizeng, Wu Zhihui and others initiated the organization of the Society for Studying in France and Frugality. Use simple labor to cultivate the nature of diligence and cleanliness." It is stipulated that "those who have studied abroad or fulfilled their obligations in this association, regardless of male, female, young or old, must be members of this association." Books, you must abide by the discipline in the meeting, such as no prostitution, no gambling, no smoking, no drinking, and no doing things that cost lives and money.At the same time, members have to undertake the obligations of the meeting, prepare a certain amount of tuition fees, and explain the procedures for studying in France, the courses they study, the clothes they need, and the precautions.The main task of the Frugal Society is to introduce and contact scholars who want to go to France for frugality. The meeting place is located in Beijing, and there is only one office with a desk and a telephone.After the establishment of the Frugal Society, the book "French Education" was compiled and divided into general education and higher education (referring to general small, middle and university), science education and literature education (ie liberal arts and science schools), health education and industrial education. (including medicine, agriculture, industry, engineering), art education and music education, pedagogy and mass education (referring to normal schools and social schools), etc.The situation of French education is introduced. On May 15, 1912, "Beijing Daily" published a special advertisement of the Frugality Society, welcoming young people to join the society.Shanghai's "Minli Daily" also published Wu Zhihui's "Response to Friends and Classmates Studying in France for a Frugal Study Book", advocating that France was the most advanced country in the world at that time, with simple social atmosphere, advanced science and culture, and that France should learn from the West. The most suitable way is to study in France. The specific method is to study abroad in a frugal style. It only costs five or six hundred yuan a year, which is 1/3 of the cost of studying in the UK and the United States.

In order to implement the work of the Society for Studying in France and Frugally, Li Shizeng, Wu Zhihui, Wang Jingwei, Wu Yuzhang, Zhang Ji and others initiated the establishment of a preparatory school for studying in France in Beijing, with Qi Rushan in charge of school affairs.Cai Yuanpei, the Minister of Education at the time, strongly supported them and allocated a school building for them.In addition to the Chinese teachers in this school, the Frenchman Dolman volunteered to serve as a teacher. All members of the frugal society can enter the school. The six-month period is a period. At the end of the assessment, those who pass are issued a certificate and go to France regularly.Each student can prepare for one to two years in school.The courses offered by the school are French, Chinese, mathematics and applied knowledge, alongside public health and European customs.The school implements co-education, and students must abide by the rules and laws and study hard.In order to develop the habit of diligence and thrift, "all the students in the school take turns to be on duty, do their own work, and have no helpers except servants."The school has strict discipline and pays attention to improving temperament and forming a pure character. On May 26, 1912, the school officially opened, and more than 60 students including Zheng Yuxiu and Xu Haifan were recruited. By the end of November, these students had completed their preparatory studies and graduated as scheduled, and took the train to France to study in Siberia. At the beginning of June 1913, more than 20 students from the third class completed their preparatory studies and embarked on the journey to study in France.Compared with children from rich families, many poorer youths have become international students, which has a great influence in China.Among the frugal students in 1913, there were two from the Beijing Poor Children’s Hospital, Zhang Shouzheng and Yang Hongyuan, both just 12 years old, and two female teachers from the Beijing Minority School.On the day of departure, more than 40 people from Minmin School went to the station to see them off. They sang songs they composed themselves, and the atmosphere was grand and enthusiastic.

After the second batch of frugal students arrived in France, they went to ordinary middle schools and industrial schools to study frugally.At that time, the plan of the founders of the Society for Studying in France and Frugality was very ambitious.According to Wu Zhihui: "Yesterday, I chatted with Mr. Qi Rushan, the host of the school. The promoters Zhang Jingjiang, Li Shizeng, Wang Jingwei, and Chu Chongxing meant that they are in France. They hope that within five years, 3,000 students will be taught by frugality. Go.” The work of the Society for Studying in France for Studying in France has played a great role in promoting the activities of studying in France. The preparatory school, the method is roughly the same as that of the Beijing preparatory school for studying in France; Shanghai was initiated by Wu Zhihui and Zhang Jingjiang to establish the Society for Studying in Britain and Frugality.Under the organization of the Society for Studying in France, the number of people studying in France has reached more than 120 in just a few years, and some families have gone to France to study in France.Later, the work of studying in France was carried out by the Work-Study Society in France.

In 1909, Li Shizeng, Qi Rushan and others founded the Chinese Tofu Company in Paris, and the tofu produced was very popular among French people.Later, Li Shi once recruited more than 30 workers from his hometown of Gaoyang, Hebei to enter the tofu factory he founded to produce various soy products.At that time, these Chinese workers had only studied in primary schools and private schools, did not know French, and had poor technical knowledge. In order to improve their cultural knowledge and labor efficiency, Li Shizeng asked them to work during the day and organized them to learn French and scientific knowledge after work. With economic income, the level of craftsmanship has been improved, especially some advanced scientific knowledge and various social trends in the world at that time have been understood, which cannot be achieved in China. In 1913, when the Dijiapo rayon factory in France needed workers, Qi Rushan recruited 48 workers from China in the name of a "work persuasion company".After arriving at the factory, they worked during the day and studied after work, and the effect was remarkable.This system known as "work and study" was appreciated by Cai Yuanpei, Li Shizeng and others.They visited the factory and wrote an article to introduce this method. They believed that "working and learning" had eight benefits, such as broadening the horizons of Chinese workers, receiving education, acquiring skills, and earning money.This system has opened up a bright road for young people from poor families who want to go out to study.

It was at this time that the First World War broke out.During the war, France urgently needed a large number of workers engaged in production labor and rear service, so it proposed to recruit Chinese workers in China, and the Beiyang government agreed to this request.Li Shi once took the opportunity to negotiate with the French Labor Recruitment Bureau in the name of the Frugal Society, and reached an agreement that the Frugal Society would recruit workers from China on its behalf.The French side agreed to these conditions.At this time, Li Guang'an, Zhang Xiubo and others who were studying in France summed up years of practical experience, combined "studying" and "studying while working", and put forward the slogan "work-study", and in June 1915 Initiated the establishment of the Work-Frugal Society in France, with the purpose of "working hard, studying frugally, and improving the knowledge of workers".Among the members of the association, those who seek work and study are the executive members, and those who support work and study are the sponsoring members.As soon as this association was established, the number of participants was very enthusiastic, reaching nearly a thousand at most.The work-study society conducts extensive publicity and education activities for Chinese laborers.In terms of publicity, they published "Work-study Biography", which is published monthly in Chinese and French."Hua Gong Magazine" is also issued, twice a month, reflecting the voice of Hua Gong and publicizing the importance of work-study programs, with a monthly circulation of 2,000 to 3,000 copies.In the years after the outbreak of the First World War, as many as 150,000 Chinese laborers went to France one after another. After they arrived in France, some built roads, some transported food and ammunition, some manufactured guns in factories, and some dug In the trenches, more than 20,000 people gave their lives in the war.At that time, the production technology and equipment of the French factory were relatively advanced, but the knowledge level of a large number of Chinese workers was relatively low, and it was difficult to work. In addition to the language barrier, it was inconvenient to write letters, read newspapers, and keep accounts. With the assistance, the education of Chinese laborers was carried out.Education is mainly amateur, and the forms are as follows:

a Tutorial schools were set up in the residences of Chinese workers to learn Chinese, French and mechanical knowledge. Most of the teachers were Chinese students studying in France.There were more than 20 such schools later. b. Lectures are given in the residence and in the factory. They work seven hours a day and attend classes for one hour. Salaries are not deducted. Most of the teachers are important engineers of the factory.Study factory management, organizational efficiency and the nature of machinery, metallurgy, steel, English and other courses, modeled on the university system.Some qualified workers also organized and collectively hired teachers to teach directly in the dormitory.

c The Chinese Labor School was established.The Huagong School was co-organized by the Chinese French Education Association and the Work-Frugal Society in France. It opened on April 3, 1916. The first period enrolled 24 students, all of whom were Chinese laborers with a certain cultural foundation.Courses include literature, Chinese, mathematics, general physics and chemistry, drawing, crafts, hygiene, self-cultivation and public organization.Cai Yuanpei edited 40 lectures on moral and intellectual education.The French government is very supportive of this, allocates school buildings, and gives 10,000 francs a year.

The gradual development of Chinese labor education has transformed the work-study program from theoretical advocacy to practical action, and it has gradually developed.The vast number of Chinese workers "use the accumulation of hard work as a means of studying", integrating engineering and learning, showing the strong vitality of "working and learning", and laying the foundation for the climax of studying in France.