Last night, I watched a segment of Hu Shi's "Forty Autobiographies" that deeply moved me. The courage and responsibility of the young people made me immensely touched.
At that time, Hu Shi (16 years old) was studying at the China Public School (roughly equivalent to junior high school to high school) in conflict with the student-elected management and the school board. Over 160 teenagers aged 15 to 20 resolutely decided to spontaneously establish a new school.
They rented a new campus, dispatched members to raise funds from various places, hired teachers, managed the school, managed the students, and were also responsible for admissions. Due to lack of money and severe shortage of teachers, some students even taught younger students themselves. This was not child's play; it was a group of high school students starting and operating a high school. Hu Shi himself, at the age of 17, was hired by the New China Public School and taught English to lower-grade students for a monthly salary of 80 yuan.
If this were in a current web drama, the title would probably be "After the High School Student Council Was Disbanded, We High School Students Started Our Own National Key High School," sounding very much like a feel-good story.
But in the real world, there is no protagonist like Long Aotian. You can imagine how difficult it was for a group of young people to start a business in such turbulent times as 1908, even with a touch of tragedy.
Hu Shi himself recalled that at the time, they found a kitchen, but there weren't enough bowls, plates, or stools. However, everyone knew that this was their own school, so no one complained. They even pawned their watches and other belongings to fund the establishment of the school.
At that time, the school didn't have fancy equipment or buildings like modern high schools. It was only compared based on academic performance and management. The management of the New China Public School was student-run democracy, and the academic performance was excellent. However, money was a problem. The young students often faced difficulties with landlords and police (property fees), and the few people who went to other provinces to raise funds struggled to collect money.
When money was often insufficient, the students would donate their own money to get by, but it was still not enough. The external debts kept piling up. Once, when the person in charge, Zhu Jingnong (21 years old), was worried about the school's funding issue, he fell into the river in Xujiahui. Fortunately, he was rescued.
In online literature, it is said, "Do not bully the poor youth, as this world is constantly making things difficult for them."
Eventually, after owing a debt of ten thousand yuan, China New Public School merged again with China Public School through mediation. By this time, they had already persisted for a year.
"The experience of this year, fighting for an ideal, sacrificing for a group, cooperating for a common life, all of these have left indelible imprints on the spirits of over 160 people."
·-- Hu Shi once lamented:
I often hear many complaints, but rarely see anyone taking action.
When I was 15 to 17 years old, I also had many complaints about school. I complained about the lack of funds for club activities, the excessive boring homework, the school's lack of respect for individuals, and the college entrance examination. But I never thought that I could establish a high school myself, like Hu Shi, like Zhu Jingnong.
Hu Shi and his classmates were willing to bear heavy burdens on their shoulders, unafraid of being crushed by responsibilities. They did not report the directors, launch personal attacks on those in charge, or complain that their parents were not high-ranking officials or wealthy businessmen. They took direct action against the world. They were builders, not critics.
This is a simple yet profound truth: only through action can problems truly be solved.
"After the idealism of young people is struck, the reaction is often intense."
After the merger of China New Public School, many classmates were unwilling to return. It was also during that time that Hu Shi learned to play cards (at 18 years old).
However, these memories of the youth may have accompanied them for a lifetime. Later, Zhu Jingnong became the Minister of Education and authored "A History of Chinese Educational Thought."