夹缝中的应对与坚守——论任职民国教育总长之际的任可澄

The Coping and Persistence in Plight——on REN Ke-cheng in office of Education Ministry of the Republic of China

民国时期,偏远省份人士出掌教育中枢者为数不多,任可澄即是其中一位。任氏一生主要的教育和政治生涯在滇黔地区,影响及于川粤。就任教育总长后,面临着南北对峙、北方军阀内讧及教育经费极为艰窘的局面,依然力求有所作为。主要表现为尽力维持教育行政机关的运转、整顿教育事业尤其是高等教育、努力应对时代潮流的冲击。既有遵循教育发展规律和顺应时代潮流的进步一面,也有消极应对和保守的举措。教育总长经历是其人生的重要组成部分。

In the period of the Republic of China, only few public figures from remote areas could be put in charge of the educational affairs, one of whom was Ren Kecheng. In his whole life, Ren chiefly spent his educational and political careers in the areas of Yunnan and Guizhou, and his influence reached Sichuan and Guangdong. When he was made minister of education, he faced with the difficulties in the confronting situation between the South and North, the warlord infighting in the North and severe lack of educational fund, but he still worked painstakingly, which were reflected in his maintenance of the operation of the educational departments, rectification of the educational cause, especially higher educa- tion, and brave coping with the impact of the epoch tide, which hade both the positive side of developing education and going with the trend of the times, and handling the situation negatively and taking measures conservatively. Being the minister of education is the most important part of his life time.