March 19 10, 1 1, in Chengdu, "Erliwei outside the south gate, by the Jinjiang River, to the west of Nantai Temple"-it is said that Huaxi Dam, a scenic spot in the former site of the ancient Central Plains, was officially opened. It was founded by five missions of Christian churches in Britain, the United States and Canada (American-Israeli, Friendship, Anglo-American, Baptist and Anglican), so it was named West China United University. Because of this, Chengdu citizens at that time called it "Wuyang School".
Under the guidance of famous western educators Bolton and Chamberlain, the organizational planning, specialty setting, curriculum plan and education management of West China Sheikh University adopted the advanced level of Britain and the United States at that time. Compared with Sichuan Tongsheng University Hall (the predecessor of Sichuan University), West China Sheikh University can be said to be "completely westernized". Its education is mainly western learning and theology, and most of its teachers come from Britain, the United States and Canada.
The organization and management of the school is based on the principle of "cooperation", following the system of Oxford and Cambridge universities, and implementing the "college system", that is, each delegation establishes and finances its own college and manages its own funds and equipment; The school puts forward the syllabus, sets the admission and examination standards, and combines centralization with personalization. This creative system not only solves the problems of funds, equipment and mutual coordination provided by the church, but also embodies the characteristics of modern universities, ensuring the independent autonomy of schools in cultivating talents.
During the Anti-Japanese War, there were "three dams" in the educational and cultural centers in the rear area of China: Shapingba in Chongqing, Huaxi Dam in Chengdu and Gulou Dam in Hanzhong. Huaxi Dam is called "paradise" because it is located in Chengdu, the capital of the land of abundance, with superior environment. Shapingba, where Central University is located, is called "Man"; The Gulou Dam in Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province, was demoted as "hell" because of poor conditions in all aspects. The scenic Huaxi Dam is an ideal "paradise" for teachers and students in five schools suffering from war. For the scenery on the dam, Mr. Chen Yinque has a poem praising: "The shallow grass is rich and the small canal is full of thoughts." Thunder rushed through the fragrant fog, and electric laughter sent the distant wind. "
But in this picturesque "paradise", there are also the hardships of ordinary people. Zhang said in his speech: "The treatment of faculty in our school has always been an open fact. Compared with any university, it is inferior ... Recently, the tuition fee of a university rose to 120 yuan, and the school postponed the start of school on the pretext of eating rice. But I personally think that no matter how difficult the times are, we can start school as soon as possible. If we have one more class, we will have one more class. This is all about serving the country at school and being a student at school. " In the most difficult years, instead of increasing tuition fees and reducing the number of students, the school has increased from 335 in the past to 1300. Wearing a patched suit all the year round, Zhang often uses "ten years without making clothes and wearing rags to teach" and "eat what you have in front and eat what you have behind" to motivate teachers and students and take the lead in reducing salaries.
194 1 year, the anti-Japanese war entered the most difficult stage, prices soared, school funds were short, and teachers and students lived in poverty. At that time, civil servants had five barrels of "cheap rice" to subsidize their lives every month. Zhang Ling lobbied from all directions to strive for this preferential treatment for the teachers and students of Huada and the five schools. It can be said that without Zhang's support, it is absolutely impossible for students from five schools to successfully complete their studies in Chengdu.