When Coching Chu was studying for his doctoral degree at Harvard University from 1913 to 1918, Abbott Lawrence Lowell, President of Harvard University, carried out three reforms to address the disadvantages of the free elective system of Harvard University at that time. The reforms included the plan of Concentration and Distribution, the general examination and the tutorial system. The elective system had destroyed the curriculum as a race course to some degree. The reform of Concentration and Distribution and the general examination restored conditions and made it possible for students to pit their brains against one another in an intellectual competition where their performances could be appreciated and the winners could be declared, hence increasing respect for scholarship. As a necessary supplement and guarantee to the first two reforms, the tutorial system also worked as an important aid to self-education. With these measures taken, President Lowell made the Harvard of his day an exciting place in which to study or to teach, and attracted the devotion of the younger generation. In the mid-1930s, with the incessant efforts made by President Jiang Menglin, Shao Peizi, Cheng Tianfang and Guo Renyuan, the modern university system was established at National Chekiang University. On the other hand, many problems of the internal governance also existed at the University as well. In 1936, when he became the president of National Chekiang University, Coching Chu was unhappy with the situation of teachers only meeting with students at classrooms and teaching only intellectually. Chu believed the tutorial system of Harvard University could be applied to ease the situation. Soon after he took office, President Chu actively introduced the tutorial system concept of President Lowell, and made some transformation in accordance to the actual situation of the University. The implementation of the tutorial system at National Chekiang University could be mainly divided into two phases. The first phase lasted from April 1936 to February 1938, featuring exploring and trial implementation of the tutorial system. The concrete measures include teachers-students having meals together regularly, and services provided for students' studies and lives to help them to better understand their personalities and interest, thus fostering their ideals. In the trial run on the campus of the West Mt. Tianmu in 1937, the main purpose of the tutorial system was to provide professors with proper guidance for students' thoughts and behaviors, and to improve the relationship between teachers and students. The second phase lasted from March 1938 to July 1946, with full implementation and gradually improvement of the tutorial system as the characteristics. The tutorial system began to be fully implemented at National Chekiang University in Yishan, Guangxi Province. On the one hand, the reform of curriculum and teaching continued to be deepened in order to cultivate professional and well-rounded talents. On the other hand, the edification of students' personality laid more emphasis on cultivating their capacity for leadership. In 1939, although the department of discipline was established at National Chekiang University in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of education, great efforts were made to explore and practice in line with the concept of the tutorial system of Harvard University. The tutors' duty was mainly focused in three aspects: morality, intelligence and physique, and further refined at this phase. Naturally, the tutorial system gradually perfected as Chu took lots of reform and adjustment measures on it. For example, the advices of Prof. Fei Gong were adopted. Students selected tutors instead of being assigned by the University authorities and the number of students per tutor was reduced. Students were required to make appointments with their tutors seven to eight times to get-together each semester, a group of two or three students at a time, and several groups every Sunday. At the same time, Chu kept a close watch over any changes of the tutorial system at Harvard University, and adapted timely to the actual situation as well. For instance, in 1943 industry experts were invited as tutors for students at the College of Engineering. When it began to implement the tutorial system, National Chekiang University had to move inland frequently because of Japanese invasion. As a result, the University turned ill-equipped for studying and teaching at that time. However, with the tutorial system, etc. implemented, rigorous school spirit was cultivated and students became working harder and more earnestly. With Coching Chu's 13-year efforts, National Chekiang University was transformed into one of the best four universities in China and had made more than 3 000 senior talents.
刘正伟 卢美艳. 竺可桢对哈佛大学导师制的引进及实践[J]. 浙江大学学报(人文社会科学版), 2019, 5(6): 182-.
Liu Zhengwei Lu Meiyan. Coching Chu's Introduction and Practice of the Tutorial System. JOURNAL OF ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY, 2019, 5(6): 182-.