抗战西迁前国立浙江大学数学系的崛起

The Rise of the Department of Mathematics, National University of Chekiang before 1937

国立浙江大学数学系成立于1928年,起初缺乏专业数学师资,在全国大学数学系中实力弱小。但自20世纪30年代初起逐渐崛起,至1937年抗战西迁前成为国内重要大学数学系之一。该系的崛起是现代数学建制化在世界范围内推进的大背景下,大学数学系被引入中国现代教育体制后的一次成功实践,从侧面体现了南京国民政府前十年中国现代数学事业的快速发展。除外部因素的积极影响外,其崛起的关键是该系得选良才陈建功和苏步青;在他们领导下逐步增强师资阵容与完善课程体系,注重基本训练,以从日本引入的"数学研究"为桥梁,严格践行了"教学必须与科学研究相结合"的办学理念;陈建功与苏步青等教师致力于教学之余,醉心于科研,对该系青年教师产生示范性影响。这段历史反映了以陈建功、苏步青为代表的归国留学生为国家建设一流数学系所做的努力和尝试,揭示了数学家个体与大学数学系办学风格形成的密切关系。该系崛起过程中存在的以"学徒制"态度培养学生对学生学术发展造成的影响,也折射了当时大学数学系的局限。

The Department of Mathematics of National University of Chekiang was established in 1928. At first it lacked professional mathematical teachers and had weak power among all departments of mathematics of universities in China. However, it had gradually risen since the early 1930 s, and became one of the China＇s important departments of mathematics of universities before the National University of Chekiang west-moving as the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War. Its rise is a successful practice for the department of mathematics of university introduced into China＇s modern education system against the backdrop that the institutionalization of modern mathematics carried forward worldwide. At the same time, its rise embodies the rapid development of China＇s modern mathematical undertaking during the previous decade of the National Government of Nanking from one side. Besides the positive impact of external factors, the key to the rise of the department is that the department obtained the talented teachers, Kien-Kwong Chen and Buchin Su and under their leadership the department gradually enhanced teaching staff and improved curriculum system, while emphasizing basic training. Furthermore, it strictly carried out the guiding education idea that teaching must be combined with scientific research by introducing the course of mathematical research from Japan as an approach. Another important reason is that after their teaching, the teachers such as Kien-Kwong Chen and Buchin Su were enamoured with scientific research which had exemplary effect on the department＇s young teachers. This history reflects the efforts and attempt for building China＇s first class department of mathematics made by students returning from abroad represented by Kien-Kwong Chen and Buchin Su, and reveals the close relationship between individual mathematicians and education style of a department of mathematics of university. The effect on students＇ academic development by taking the attitude of apprentice system to cultivate students in its rising process also reflects the limitation of departments of mathematics of universities at that time.