Chernyshevsky argued with great conviction that a woman in her spiritual qualities is no different from a man, that she has the same natural data for mental development like a man. He believed that the elimination of a woman from participation in public life, the restriction and even more deprivation of her equal with a man's right to education contradicted scientific data and common sense, ultimately, due to unreasonable modern order.

V social movement In the 60s of the 18th century, much attention was paid to the question of the right of women to education. Articles appeared in the press in which the authors, drawing pictures of the gloomy life of the working people, emphasized that the main reason for this was the ignorance and rudeness of the mothers of families. They saw a way out of this situation in the education of girls as future mothers. " Considering that without the education of the mothers of the family, it is really impossible to establish absolutely correct and good relations in families, "Dobrolyubov rightly pointed out that any conversation about the benefits of women's education and even the recognition of a woman's legal rights to education will remain an empty phrase, unless the material and the social status of women ”.

In the ancient world, girls were brought up in a family. In the Middle Ages, starting from the 8th century, schools were opened at women's monasteries that provided the minimum of knowledge necessary for tonsure as a nun. Since the 11th century, women's schools have established worldly women's brotherhoods.

The first information about the education of girls in Russia dates back to the 11th century. Since the beginning of the 17th century, much attention has been paid to women's education in the families of the nobility.

Boarding houses and schools were a matter of private initiative; neither estate, nor state, nor public institutions took part in their opening. Since the payment from the boarders was high, it can be concluded that the children of wealthy parents of the noble and merchant classes studied in the boarding schools. There were rare private schools for the daughters of raznochintsy ”.

The number of students in boarding schools was small: for example, one of the best boarding houses in the Smolensk province had only 30 pupils. Parents with average incomes could not give their daughters the necessary education. But many people were already clearly aware of the need for women's education.

The beginning of women's education can be called the middle of the 18th century, when the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens was created and several boarding schools for girls appeared (paid, private). The charter of 1786 opened access for girls to small and main public schools. But educational institutions were so few that they covered only a small number of girls and girls. As before, women's education remained predominantly at home, and there is no need to talk about the education of peasant women at all.

At the beginning of the 19th century, women's boarding schools, closed institutes and schools began to develop. But they did not make a noticeable change in the state of female education.

Smolny Institute is the first closed-type secondary educational institution for women in Russia. Created on the initiative of I.I.Betsky (with the participation of Empress Catherine II) in 1764 in St. Petersburg, at the Resurrection Smolny Novodevichy Convent, under the name of the Educational Society for Noble Maidens. Daughters of nobles (200 people) at the age of 6 to 18 studied at the Smolny Institute. The pupils were divided into 4 classes. In the junior class (6-9 years old) they studied two foreign languages, Russian, arithmetic, drawing, dance, music and handicrafts. In the 2nd grade (9-12 years old) geography and history were added to these subjects; in the 3rd grade (12-15 years old) teaching of verbal sciences was introduced ”, as well as elements of architecture and heraldry. In the 4th grade (15-18 years old), the Charter provided for the rules of etiquette, secular behavior, etc. Religious education took an important place. In 1765, at the Smolny Institute, a school for petty-bourgeois maidens was created with a shortened course of study; it paid more attention to homework and handicrafts.

In 1783, the goals of education at the Smolny Institute were changed - the number of teaching hours for the study of the Russian language was increased, the teaching of all disciplines in Russian was introduced.

In 1848, the bourgeois school "was transformed into the Alexander School, and a pedagogical class was opened at the Smolny Institute. A number of progressive measures at the institute were carried out by KD Ushinsky (class inspector in 1859-62). After his departure, the transformations he carried out were eliminated. In the second half of the 19th century, Smolny Institute lagged behind the women's gymnasiums in terms of the volume and nature of education, and only in 1905-07 its programs were equated to those of the Mariinsky women's gymnasiums. In 1917, the Smolny Institute was closed.

In 20-40 years. XIX century, the number of schools where girls could study increases slightly. They were opened by the Ministry of Public Education (private), the Ministry of State Property and other departments. In rural schools for boys, classes for girls (for state peasants) began to be created. Some landowners also opened schools for girls. But these were all isolated facts.

Women's education has developed in three main areas:

• estate educational institutions;
• gymnasiums (formally non-class, but paid);
• higher education (also paid).

By the middle of the 19th century, women's institutes were created in Odessa, Kazan, Kiev, Orenburg, Irkutsk, Astrakhan, Nizhny Novgorod, Tambov, Saratov and in other cities (30 institutes).

In 1852, all women's educational institutions were divided into 4 categories, and for each of them a curriculum was developed that educated girls in accordance with their future destinations.

I category of the highest - Educational Society for Noble Maidens (Smolny Institute), St. Petersburg and Moscow schools of the Order of St. Catherine, Patriotic, Pavlovsk institutes and institutes of noble maidens in

provinces (Kiev, Kharkov, Kazan, Saratov and Tambov institutes). For the daughters of hereditary nobles.

II category middle - Pavlovsk Institute (I department); Aleksandrovskaya schools - bourgeois branch of Smolny in St. Petersburg and Moscow at the Catherine Institute; Petersburg, Moscow and Simbirsky Houses of industriousness; Astrakhan and Maiden Institute in Eastern Siberia. For the daughters of less noble nobles, honorary citizens and merchants.

III lower grade - the Alexander Orphanage, Pavlovsky Institute (soldier's department), Irkutsk orphanage, schools of the Patriotic and philanthropic society ", St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kronstadt orphanages, etc.

The fourth category is the lowest - special institutions: orphanage institutes of educational homes in St. Petersburg and Moscow, the Alexander Institute and midwifery schools in St. Petersburg and Moscow. For daughters of all classes (non-taxing).

The main criterion for dividing into categories was the training program in them. The higher the rank was, the more attention was paid to the study of sciences. In institutions of the lower ranks, for example, subjects were taught necessary for poor children. " In addition, in the first two categories of educational institutions, a lot of time was devoted to teaching drawing, singing, music, and dancing. In the last categories of educational institutions - needlework and household work.

However, these educational institutions could not satisfy the gradually increasing educational needs of society: closed estate institutions, institutes and diocesan schools were available only for the daughters of nobles, officials and clergy, private boarding schools for children of wealthy individuals. But there weren't many of them. "

In the 1950s, data was collected on women's educational institutions. From most provinces, the authorities reported that in their province there was not a single educational institution for the daughters of poor families, and in many there were no private women's boarding schools. There were no such establishments even in the capital cities (St. Petersburg and Moscow). The need for female education was partially satisfied by the gymnasiums.

The emergence of the first female gymnasiums in Russia dates back to the early 1860s.

The merit of organizing and spreading women's gymnasiums in Russia belonged to N.A. Vyshnegradsky, professor of pedagogy at the Main Pedagogical Institute (St. V.I.Vodovozov and K.D. Ushinsky made a great contribution to the organization of female education.

In 1858, schools were opened in Vologda, Totma, Tver, Ust-Sysolsk, Ryazan, Chernigov, Tula, Smolensk and Nizhny Novgorod. They were given the right to be called gymnasiums, since their curriculum, in essence, differed little from men's gymnasiums. True, instead of dead "ancient languages, new ones were studied in detail here. By 1874, there were already 189 female

gymnasiums with total students 25,565 people. Gymnasium education developed actively.

Women's state educational institutions mainly belonged to either the Ministry of Public Education (gymnasiums and gymnasiums), or to the Department of Institutions of the Empress Maria (institutes, gymnasiums and gymnasiums - the Mariinsky).

The gymnasiums of the Department of Institutions of the Empress Maria had a seven-year course of study. Upon graduation, the graduates received a certificate of a home teacher, and those who received an award (a medal or a book) - a certificate of a home tutor and the right to enter paid pedagogical courses without exams.

In 1862, the Charter of the Women's Gymnasiums of the Department of Institutions of the Empress Maria was approved.

Here are some of the wording of the Charter:

1. The women's gymnasiums in the Institutions of the Empress Maria have a goal ... to provide children with an education that meets their future needs.

2. The girls studying in these gymnasiums live with their parents or relatives.

4. Girls of all classes and religions, who have shown sufficient knowledge to enter them, at the age of 9-10, are allowed to attend gymnasiums.

5. Women's gymnasiums, being in the Department of Institutions of the Empress Mary, have the good fortune to be under the supreme patronage of their Imperial Majesties. The supreme management of the gymnasiums is concentrated in the person of the chief manager of the department of the aforementioned institutions; the closest management of these is entrusted to the Trustees, appointed by the will of the Monarch.

6. Each gymnasium consists of the following persons and institutions: the head, the chief overseer, class overseers, mentors and mentors, a conference and an economic committee.

11. To assist the main overseer, each gymnasium has class overseers: class overseers ... must be elected mainly from among widows who have received education in any institute or gymnasium, in the absence of widows, they can be appointed to the designated positions and girls, upon graduation from them a full training course in the institutions mentioned and after gaining some experience in raising children. In exceptional cases, the chief governor of His own imperial majesty The Office for Institutions of the Empress Maria is granted to seek the permission of Her Imperial Majesty to appoint married persons as class overseers in the women's gymnasiums of the department.

21. The curriculum for women's gymnasiums includes following items:

• The law of God;
• Russian language and literature;
• French;
• German;
• History;
• Geography;
• Natural history;
• Arithmetic and Geometry;
• The beginning of pedagogy;
• Calligraphy;
• Painting;
• Singing;
• Women's household handicrafts;
• Dancing.

Of these subjects, teaching French and German, as well as dancing, may be optional for all students ...

24. The number of students in a class should be no more than 40. Otherwise, the class is divided into parallel divisions.

28. Above the seven grades of the general course at gymnasiums, pedagogical courses may be arranged, in which girls who have completed the general course and intend themselves for mentoring can receive a special Teacher Education; equally preparatory classes for elementary education of those children who, due to their development, cannot be admitted to the lower class of the gymnasium.

29. The sources for the maintenance of the gymnasium are:

• Fee charged to students for the right to use the lessons;
• Permanent or lump-sum donations and other local benefits for some gymnasiums;
• An annual allowance made to some gymnasiums from the funds of the Department of Institutions of the Empress Maria.

31. The established training fee is paid six months in advance.

Since 1870, the women's gymnasiums of the Ministry of Public Education had their own charter. They were also trained for seven years, there was also the eighth grade - pedagogical. After seven classes, the pupils received a teacher's certificate, with a medal - a home tutor. After finishing eight grades, it was possible to enter paid female courses without exams. Gymnasiums were also paid. The knowledge assessment system is five-point. "

Women were not admitted to higher educational institutions at all. By the middle of the 19th century, there is a massive desire for higher education among women. It cannot be said that the completely natural and legitimate desire of women for education was met with understanding in society. A stubborn struggle began with age-old prejudices, with the established habitual way of life.

In this struggle, women have found a lot of energy and consistency.

The persistent struggle of women for the right to education caused in the 60s years XIX v. keen public interest in the problem of women's education; in addition to discussions about the ways of its development, numerous commissions began to be created, projects and petitions were submitted to the government.

The government was forced to make concessions in the field of women's education, but it did not want to take on material concerns for it. It was allowed to open various kinds of courses for women, mainly pedagogical and medical. In 1868, the Alarchinskie and

Vladimir courses, in Moscow - Lubyanka courses, in 1872 - pedagogical courses at the Society of Educators and Teachers (later they became known as Tikhomirovsky courses).

However, all these women's courses were not institutions of higher learning and at first set themselves limited goals - to give students knowledge in the volume of men's gymnasiums or to prepare them for teaching in primary grades, gymnasiums and women's schools.

Higher education for women, and by the 70s, was still inaccessible to women.

However, prohibitive measures regarding higher education for women were ineffective. Women began to look for him abroad.

It is noteworthy that when the doors of Swiss universities were opened to women, the first to enter and graduate from a course at a Swiss university (in Zurich) was a native of Russia. In 1872, the number of female students of the same University of Zurich was 63, of whom there were 54 Russians.

In 1871 the first woman was admitted to the mechanical department of the Zurich Polytechnic School. In 1872 one entered the chemical department and another one at the mechanical department. All three students were Russian.

Apparently fearing further development this process, the tsarist government in May 1873 ordered an immediate return to Russia under the threat of persecution of all Russian women studying abroad.

The government drew up a special commission, which was forced to recognize the need to establish higher educational institutions for women in Russia.

In 1876, the Imperial Order followed, which gave the Minister of Internal Affairs the right to authorize the opening of higher courses for women in university cities. "

In 1878, higher courses for women appeared in St. Petersburg. They began to accept graduates of women's gymnasiums and other women's secondary educational institutions, giving the right to the title of home teacher. Completion of the courses did not give any rights. They were headed by KN Bestuzhev-Ryumin, which is why the courses were called Bestuzhev. All the best professors of St. Petersburg University taught in the courses. Many of them lectured over and above their salary, others donated large sums of their royalties, receiving nothing either for exams or for practical training. The premises for the courses were provided free of charge. Lectures by many professors were also delivered free of charge. The term of study is 4 years.

More than 800 students were enrolled in the newly opened courses. Since 1879, the courses began to receive a state allowance in the amount of 3,000 rubles. per year, and since 1882 - the same amount from the St. Petersburg City Duma.

Higher courses for women have arisen due to the tremendous desire of women for higher education.

From 1886 to 1889 there was no admission to the courses under the pretext that the Ministry of Education was considering the issue of women's education in general. By the summer of 1889. not a single female student was left on them, the troubles began again. Alexander III a petition was made to reopen the courses. The petition was granted, and in 1889 144 were accepted.

listeners. Thus, the courses opened, but with a significantly curtailed program.

All these facts indicate that hard way, which was the formation of higher education for women. And if it developed, it was not thanks to, but in many respects in spite of official rate educational policy.

Women's higher education in Russia developed mainly on a free basis. It was not state-owned. State institutions of higher education, where women were not admitted, were a completely different matter. By legal status, they were subordinate to various ministries and departments and were financed by the treasury. Their full-time teachers, attendants were officials of various classes.

Students of these educational institutions were subject to strict departmental regulations, were required to wear uniforms, could apply for a scholarship and material assistance from state funds, and after completing training and passing state exams, they received the right to a class rank and a place for public service... The women had none of this. The only exception was medical education due to the specificity of medical work with women.

The beginning of the medical education of women in Russia, however, highly specialized, was laid by the instructions of the medical office back in 1757, which instructed doctors and obstetricians to read a whole collegium "about the woman's business to their grandmothers and their students." The focus was mainly on a special purpose: to train experienced midwives. The first female students of this new institution were appointed as jurors in Moscow and St. Petersburg for forensic examinations of women according to the requirements of public places. Thus, from the very first year when educated midwives appeared in our country, they were called not only to practical, but also to social activities in the medical field. "

In 1897, the Women's Medical Institute was opened in St. Petersburg. Initially, its task was to provide women with a medical education, mainly adapted to the treatment of women's and children's diseases and to obstetric activities. "

The training course was designed for 5 years. Graduates of the institute received the professional title of a woman doctor "with the right medical practice and occupation of various medical positions, but without civil service rights.

Later, a new regulation on the Women's Medical Institute was approved. In terms of teaching programs, he was equated with the medical faculties of universities, since he began not only to train specialists in women's and children's diseases, but also to graduate general practitioners. The listeners received, like university graduates, the title of doctor with all the rights granted by this title to medical activity and service, except for the rights of rank production ”.

Back in 1869, a group of women in Moscow came up with an initiative to open a higher educational institution for women. Some of the professors were sympathetic to this initiative. Among them was a well-known at that time historian, university professor Vladimir Ivanovich Ger'e (1837 - 1919).

On November 1, 1872, in the building of the 1st male gymnasium on Volkhonka, the ceremonial opening of the courses took place. The meeting was attended by many prominent progressive figures and the first female students. There were only 59 of them then.

At the opening of the MVZHK, the rector of Moscow University, Professor S. M. Soloviev, the founder of the courses, Professor V. I. Ger'e, and also the priest A. M. Ivanov-Platonov made speeches.

The Minister of Education D. Tolstoy, explaining the reasons for the opening of higher women's courses, wrote: Higher women's courses ... directly correspond to the types of government, because they can serve to prevent the unfortunate phenomena - the departure of Russian women abroad for such training, and they cannot but return back, otherwise as with ideas and directions that do not correspond to the structure of our life. "

The Regulations on Public Higher Courses for Women in Moscow "stated that the courses are intended to give girls who have completed a gymnasium or college course the opportunity to continue their further education. At first, the courses were two years old, and later became four years old.

Lectures at the courses were delivered by renowned professors of Moscow University. The composition of professors made it possible to ensure a high level of teaching, increased the authority of the courses and invariably attracted a large influx of students to them. The course was supervised by a pedagogical council headed by the rector of the university prof. S. M. Soloviev. The majority of the council were professors and lecturers from Moscow University. All this testified to the exceptionally important role leading scientists in the establishment and development of the MVZHK. This connection (scientific, educational, pedagogical and social) was maintained and developed in the following decades.

From the first years of its work MVZhK gained great authority in Russia. Girls from various cities tried to enroll here to study, but the lack of a hostel was a serious obstacle. In addition, a relatively large tuition fee was charged from the female students (50 rubles per year), which made it impossible for many girls to enroll in them, even from the middle strata of society. Among the regular listeners, about 50% were newcomers.

The social composition of the first female students was very diverse, but it reflected the general situation at that time - higher education was the privilege of the upper classes. So, according to data for 1885/86 academic year of all attending the courses, which amounted to 227 female students, 128 were of noble origin, 15 were of spiritual origin, 34 were of merchant origin, 21 were the daughters of officials, daughters of the bourgeoisie - 28 and 1 daughter of a peasant ”.

Those wishing to study at the MVZhK could be regular listeners (that is, they were required to attend all the compulsory subjects, write essays, take the final exam) and volunteers. Listening to individual objects was also allowed. Regular listeners had to submit a document on secondary education.

In 1884, at the Ministry of Education, a special commission began to work - to improve the organization of female education in the empire. The result of the activities of this commission was that the Minister of Education Delyanov in 1886 ordered the termination of admission to the first year and the abolition of the junior department of the MVZHK. The admission to women's courses in St. Petersburg, Kiev and other cities was also discontinued. In fact, this was the prohibition of all higher women's courses.

With these acts, the government, as it were, crossed out one of the largest conquests democratic forces Russia. In 1888, the last issue of MVZhK was produced.

The democratic strata of society did not come to terms with the ban on the activities of women's courses and began to look for ways to continue them. A new form of work was found - Collective lessons ”.

Collective lessons "at the Moscow Society of Educators and Teachers" were opened in 1888. In 1890, the Collective lessons "clearly defined two profiles of work: history and philology and physics and mathematics.

In 1898, the office of the trustee of the Moscow educational district put forward a project to close the "Collective lessons" and the resumption of the work of the MVZhK in Moscow.

At the beginning of March 1899, unexpectedly quickly, consent was obtained from the Minister of Education to open the MVZhK, and even an order was given to release 4,300 rubles. for the maintenance of the director and the inspector.

Collective lessons ”were closed. This was the end of the development of the MVZhK from a private educational institution to a semi-state one. MVZhK became from that time one of the largest educational institutions in Russia for the training of teaching personnel for secondary schools.

In 1900, the Ministry of Public Education approved a contingent of admission of 150 female students for the departments of courses - historical-philological and physical-mathematical, but the influx of applicants was so great that the plan of the first admission was disrupted: by September 1, 250 students were enrolled, and then the number of students increased to 276. On September 15, 1900, classes resumed at the MVZhK.

Since 1900, two faculties began to work: history and philology and physics and mathematics (the latter with two departments: physics and mathematics and natural history). Later, the third faculty was opened - medical.

The number of female students grew rather quickly, reaching more than a thousand people. They were mostly girls 20 - 23 years old. Many came to Moscow from distant parts of Russia.

The bulk of the female students studied at the Faculty of History, Philology and Physics and Mathematics, which trained teachers for secondary schools.

At the Department of History and Philology:

• Theology;
• Psychology;
• Logics;
• History of philosophy;
• Russian language;
• Old Church Slavonic language;
• History of Russian literature, ancient and modern;
• Review of Slavic dialects and literatures;
• General literature (history of Western European literatures: Italian, French, German and English);
• Russian history;
• Review of the history of the Slavic tribes;
• Ancient history;
• History of modern times;
• Art history;
• Cultural history;
• Latin language;
• History of ancient literatures (Greek and Roman);
• French language and the history of its literature;
• German language and history of its literature;
• Church history.

At the physics and mathematics department:

• Theology;
• General course of mathematics;
• Analytic geometry;
• Algebraic Analysis;
• Differential and integral calculus;
• Astronomy;
• Physics;
• Organic and inorganic chemistry;
• Physical geography;
• Analytical Mechanics;
• Botany;
• Zoology;
• Mineralogy;
• Geology.

In 1906, permission from the Duma was obtained to build buildings for courses on Tsaritsyn Square (Maiden Field). "

Grand opening The main auditorium was held in 1913. In addition to the excellent appearance, the lecture hall impressed with the beauty of the interior decoration, the vastness of the auditoriums, and the convenience of prostration. Architect S. I. Solovyov was awarded a silver medal by the Moscow City Duma for the construction of the main building of the MVZhK.

Since in curricula of many cycles, the study of pedagogy and private methods was absent, the listeners tried to fill the gap in their professional training based on own initiative: Pedagogical circles began to be created (1910, 1911), which later formed the Pedagogical Society with three sections.

The pedagogical society distributed pedagogical literature, arranged debates, meetings, conferences, etc.

Trial lessons began to be held at school.

In 1918 the MVZhK was reorganized into the II Moscow State University. Subsequently, the Moscow State Pedagogical Institute named after V.I. V. I. Lenin; currently - Moscow State Pedagogical University.

The significance of the MVZhK in the history of education in Russia, and in particular of higher education for women, is very great. As the first higher educational institution for women, MVZhK laid the foundation for other similar institutions in Kiev, Kazan, St. Petersburg and other cities.

The development of the St. Petersburg Bestuzhev Higher Courses for Women was just as difficult, but fruitful. They were just as popular as the Moscow ones. "

Whoever the graduates of the Higher Women's Courses were! Teachers of rural and urban schools, colleges, gymnasiums, and other higher female courses; had their own private schools; took private lessons, were sisters of mercy, masseuses; were in charge of kindergartens; were doctors; served on the telegraph office, in insurance companies, in the Board of Railways; served as translators at customs; engaged in scientific and literary work, art; were the secretaries of the editorial offices of magazines; singing teachers at the St. Petersburg Conservatory; played on the stage of the Imperial Theaters, continued their further education.

Higher education opened up great prospects for women and made it possible to fulfill their needs, and gave a certain degree of independence. And the introduction of higher education for women was a huge achievement for Russia, which overcame prejudices and old customs towards women.

According to the charter of 1786, girls were allowed to study in the newly created main and small schools, but their number was small. The school reform of 1804 also did not solve the problem of women's education. At the beginning of the 19th century, there were several institutions for noble maidens and orphanages for girls of other classes in the country.

In the 30s. as an exception, women's departments were established in some male gymnasiums. So, in 1837, at the Nizhny Novgorod male provincial gymnasium, a boarding school was opened for girls-noblewomen.

In 1842, the provincial congress of nobles decided to accelerate the collection of funds for the construction of the institute of noble maidens. The draft decision was sent to the Ministry of Public Education, approved by Nicholas I, who ordered to name the Institute Mariinsky in honor of Empress Maria Alexandrovna.

However, parents from unprivileged classes, even wealthy ones, could not give their daughters an education in this institute, as evidenced by the following archival document (see Appendix 1). "

Great importance in the activities of women's schools they had boards of trustees, endowed with broad powers. Numerous archival documents testify to the desire of school teachers and board of trustees to help disadvantaged students. Thus, the Board of Trustees of the Nizhny Novgorod Women's Mariinsky School by its decision in 1860 exempted from paying tuition fees for compulsory subjects in preparatory classes. The head of the school and the teacher of French Raspopova appeals to the board of trustees of the school with a proposal to teach free of charge French a group of the poorest female students ”. The owners of private gymnasiums appeal to the Nizhny Novgorod City Duma, to the Zemsky Assembly and public organizations(to the noble assembly, merchant societies) with a request for the allocation of benefits to indigent pupils. The lack of benefits made education inaccessible to girls in the poorest part of the population.

At the turn of the XIX and XX centuries. eight private female gymnasiums are opening in Nizhny Novgorod:

• 1898 - Ilyinskaya gymnasium;
• 1899 - Torsueva gymnasium;
• 1900 - Khrenovskaya gymnasium;
• 1905 - Vishnyakova gymnasium (since 1913 - Anenkova gymnasium);
• 1913 - Batuyeva gymnasium;
• 1914 - Allendorf gymnasium (since 1915 - Gerken gymnasium);
• 1916 - Gymnasium of M. V. Milova ".

Private gymnasiums were not funded by the state at all, as evidenced by an archival document (see Appendix 2). "

In all gymnasiums, with the exception of Milova's gymnasium, pedagogical classes were also opened, which annually gave a significant replenishment of folk teachers primary schools and home educators. Numerous ministerial accounting documents of that period indicate that the graduates of the pedagogical classes of female gymnasiums favorably differed from the pupils of teachers' seminaries with a higher general education level and solid theoretical knowledge in their specialty. This can be fully attributed to the graduates of the Nizhny Novgorod women's gymnasiums.

Good preparation female students certainly indicates a high level vocational training teachers. A particularly highly qualified staff of teachers worked at the Nizhny Novgorod Mariinsky gymnasium. In 1856. Shestakov, the trustee of the Kazan educational district, in his report to the minister, assesses her pedagogical council as the only good one in the entire district ”. In 1886. all core teachers were university graduates, and six male university educators held PhD degrees. From 1906-1917 in the gymnasium he worked as a history teacher Sergei Ivanovich Arkhangelsky, a graduate of the Faculty of History and Philology of Moscow University, in the future the founder of the faculty of the same name at the NNSU. NI Lobachevsky, Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Younger private female gymnasiums also sought to attract higher educated teachers. At the beginning of the XX century. among teachers of female gymnasiums, graduates of the Moscow and St. Petersburg Bestuzhev Higher Courses for Women are increasingly encountered.

Since the 30s. XIX century. the Nizhny Novgorod nobility began to show concern for the upbringing of their daughters. As already noted, in 1837 a boarding school for girls-noblewomen was opened at the men's gymnasium. Two years later, the nobility expressed a desire to transform the boarding school at the men's gymnasium into a women's institute. Fundraising has begun. For 10 years, they collected 50 kopecks in silver from the auditor's soul. "

The initiator of the creation of the Nizhny Novgorod Mariinsky Institute for Noble Maidens is considered to be the wife of Tsarevich Alexander Nikolaevich (future Emperor Alexander II), Maria Alexandrovna. It was she who expressed such a wish in 1841. The Provincial Congress of Nobles on February 11, 1842. approved the wish of the crown princess. It was decided to start an additional fundraising (within 8 years, 7 kopecks in silver from each revision soul). The draft decision was sent to the Minister of Public Education, who presented it to Nicholas I. The Emperor approved this decision and ordered that this educational institution in honor of Maria Alexandrovna be called the Mariinsky Institute for Noble Maidens. "

From 1845 to 1847, the nobles of the Nizhny Novgorod province raised 70 thousand rubles for the needs of the institute. A large donation for these purposes was made by State Councilor M.S.Brekhov, shortly before his death, bequeathed his estate with 566 peasants. It is noteworthy that Nikolai Ulyanin, a serf peasant from the village of Androsovo, Sergach district, who belonged to him, was V.I.Lenin's paternal grandfather.

By order of the Governor of Nizhny Novgorod, Prince M.A.Ugrusov, dated June 30, 1845, members of the provincial construction commission, engineer Baron A.I.Delvig and architect A.A.

The educational work was supervised by the director of the public schools of the Nizhny Novgorod province and the class inspector. The class inspector monitored the activities of the teachers, both in relation to the accurate and timely teaching of lectures, and in the teaching method itself and the direction of one in accordance with the mentality of the purpose of the institution and with the types of government. "

The Institute studied the Law of God, grammatical knowledge and literature of the languages ​​of Russian, French and German ", arithmetic, natural science, physics, general and Russian geography, general history and history of Russia, fine arts (drawing, church and Italian singing, music, dancing), as well as calligraphy, elegant and economic handicrafts.

The teaching of these subjects was designed for 36 lessons per week. The term of study was set at 6 years (later 7 years). The knowledge of the students was tested on six-month and one-year exams in each subject. The graduates of the institute first took a detailed private exam, and then a public exam in the presence of the entire pedagogical council, parents, relatives, and honorary citizens of the city. The list of graduates and their grades were sent to the Empress.

The pupils differed in their status. They were divided into full-time (fully supported by capital donated by the nobility), boarders (supported by funds received from the estate of M.S.Brekhov) and private boarders, whose tuition was paid by their parents. The payment for the latter was 170 rubles. per year for each student.

Girls were admitted to the institute at the age of 10-12 years. Upon admission, knowledge of prayers, the ability to read and write in Russian (sometimes in French), and count within four steps of arithmetic were required. The daughters of clan and hereditary nobles and officials were enrolled in the number of full-time pupils. If there were vacancies, then daughters of personal noblemen and employees who received less than 500 rubles in silver and did not have real estate were allowed.

The internal management of the institute and supervision of the pupils were entrusted to the head of the institute. The staff relied on classy ladies and pepinieres from among those who graduated from the institute who helped them.

At the end of January 1852. 37 applications were submitted to the institute, of which 29 were from hereditary nobles. 26 girls were admitted, including 11 orphans: the daughter of the nobleman Belyaev Yekaterina, the daughters of the collegiate assessors Vera Sanfarskaya and Maria Semyonova, the daughter of Captain Bestuzhev-Ryumin. In total, there were 12 pupils on full support, two were boarders of Tsarevna Maria Alexandrovna, 11 private boarders and one pupil studied as an external student. They were all daughters of nobles and officials. It is characteristic that a large number of servants were supposed to be for them. In 1852, there were 28 servants for 26 pupils, in 1853. for 81 students - 68 staff.

Due to the lack of manuals and textbooks, in the first year of work, 17 lessons were conducted per week. The lack of textbooks was compensated by lectures and practical exercises by teachers. The institute's library was gradually replenished. On January 1, 1854. it contained 36 titles of textbooks and manuals in 480 copies, 13 geographic maps... In 1853, according to the will of the widow of the former Nizhny Novgorod governor, ME Bykhovets, the institute received 309 volumes of books from her personal library, selected and systematized by II Speransky. "

Little is known about the first heads of the institute. NL Renkevich did not work here for long - only two and a half years. She died of cholera in St. Petersburg, where she was traveling with her son.

After her death, for some time, Eleanor Cerberus performed the duties of the boss. In April 1854, the lieutenant's widow, Maria Alexandrovna Dorokhova, was appointed head of the institute. She is little known to the people of Nizhny Novgorod, meanwhile her name is found in the letters of the Decembrist I.I.Pushchin and the diaries of the poet-democrat T.G. Shevchenko.

The institute, which she headed, was a closed educational institution. The upbringing of the female students was based on the principles adopted even under Catherine II, and they were expressed in the isolation of children from the environment. Pupils were forbidden to be at home for three years, even during vacations. Parents on this occasion gave a special receipt (later, in 1864, junior school girls were allowed to spend their holidays at home). Walking along the street, playing with children from nearby houses, in the common yard were not allowed. When visiting the Ascension Church, located 300-400 meters from the institute, the pupils were accompanied by a bailiff with three policemen.

MA Dorokhova contributed to the improvement of the educational process. V.I.Snezhnevsky historical essay on the women's institute quotes her speech at the institute council. Turning to this source, we can make sure that 150 years ago, teachers were worried about the same issues as modern teachers: how to increase interest in the subjects studied, how to combine scientific and popularity in presentation academic disciplines what visual aids to use, etc. Maria Alexandrovna says that it is desirable to present knowledge in an easy and entertaining way, ”proves the need to introduce a gymnastics course for female students. Children were deprived of fresh air and were often ill. For five years, from 1853 to 1857, with an average number of female pupils of 57 people, there were 4 cases of death of pupils and 306 cases of diseases requiring treatment in the infirmary, that is, an average of 61 cases per year. MA Dorokhova tried to overcome the strict rules that forbade spending vacations at home. "

Under the leadership of Maria Alexandrovna in a building on the street. Ilyinskaya, the first graduation of the students of the institute took place. TG Shevchenko on the pages of his diary describes the rehearsal of the concert of the graduates, which he attended. It is noteworthy that the schoolgirls rehearsed the overture to Rossini's opera Wilhelm Tell, "written on the plot of F. Schiller's free-spirited drama."

The graduation of the pupils took place on February 9, 1858. It was distinguished by a special solemnity and was held in the presence of the governor and honorary citizens of the city. The guests were especially pleased with the success of the students in music and singing. Graduate Ekaterina Belyaeva read her poems. Even today they excite the soul with their sincerity:

The institute enjoyed a good reputation among the population of the city and high authorities. In August 1858, Alexander II and his wife Maria Alexandrovna visited him. The pupils of the senior classes presented the rug of their work to the royal couple, and the pupils of the junior classes recited their poems. The Emperor and Empress examined the new building of the institute on the street. Zhukovskaya (now Minin Street). Later, traveling along the Volga, they invariably visited the Nizhny Novgorod Women's Institute.

An indicator of serious teaching and educational work is the participation of the institute in two exhibitions - the World Columbus in Chicago (1893) and the All-Russian industrial and artistic exhibition in Nizhny Novgorod (1896). For the first exhibition the institute was awarded a bronze medal and an honorary diploma.

The pupils were very attached to their institute. After graduation, they did not break off ties with teachers and among themselves for many years. This allowed the teachers to carry out some case studies. For 50 years of its existence (1852-1902), 910 people graduated from the institute (64.4 enrolled). Among the pupils who received awards, we meet representatives of surnames known in Nizhny Novgorod and beyond: this is Lyubov Bestuzheva-Ryumina (1858), Varvara Balakireva (1863),

Alexandra Boborykina, Lydia Kugusheva (1865), Varvara Rukavishnikova (1869), Anna Annenkova (1871), Zinaida Lappo-Danilevskaya (1873), Maria Mendeleeva (1875), Anastasia Bashkirova (1882) .), Ekaterina Raevskaya (1883), Sofya Nevzorova (1884), Kaleria Vereshchagina (1895) and others.

The girls were prepared mainly for family life and for teaching work. As already noted, many orphans and daughters of impoverished nobles studied at the institute. Therefore, most of the graduates worked. They held various positions in women's institutes, gymnasiums, worked as governesses, home teachers and mentors. "

Unlike gymnasiums, the greatest attention in women's institutes was given to learning new languages, art, handicrafts and home economics. Tellingly, foreign languages ​​were taught in them by Germans and French. Apparently, this explained the free knowledge of languages ​​by the graduates of the institute.

In the late 50s. The Ministry of Public Education issued the first Statute on Women's Schools, aimed at ensuring that middle class people are not deprived of the opportunity to give their daughters the necessary education, corresponding to their modest life. "

In order to organize the work of a women's school in Nizhny Novgorod, significant funds were required. The state almost did not participate in financing women's educational institutions, and they were supported mainly by donations from individuals, urban, merchant and bourgeois societies. True, the empress allowed 2070 rubles to be released annually (0.5 of the capital of women's educational institutions). This amount remained unchanged for several decades.

Archival documents contain interesting data on the progress of fundraising for the opening of a women's school in Nizhny Novgorod. At the origins of the creation of the women's school was the governor A. N. Muravyov. He turned to the Nizhny Novgorod nobility, merchants and officials with a request to donate funds to the school fund. For officials of public places, the amount of donations ranged from 0.25 to 1 of the received salary, merchants and burghers had to pay 0.25 from the capital.

On October 3, 1858, the Nizhny Novgorod merchant society decided to pay, within ten years after the opening of the school, for its maintenance 0.5 from the declared capital, which, according to the society's calculations, was 2,500 rubles a year in silver. However, it would be a mistake to believe that all merchants sought to financially help the cause of public education. In 1867, for example, 62 merchants avoided donations when declaring capital.

The Nizhny Novgorod Mariinsky Women's School was opened on March 29, 1859. It was housed in the mansion of A.D. Rychin. It should be noted that this was one of the first educational institutions of this kind in Russia. The Nizhny Novgorod administrative school was part of the Kazan educational district.

Educational work in the school was built in accordance with the Internal Regulations developed by N.A. Vyshnegradskiy in 1859. According to these rules, the teacher became the main figure in the learning process, and not the class lady, as was the case in the institutes of noble maidens.

In 1862, the charter of women's schools for visiting girls was adopted. It operated with some additions until 1918. A management structure for women's schools was developed. At the head of the women's school was the headmistress, whose candidacy was approved by the minister of public education. According to the state, she was entitled to an assistant. Her functions were performed by the senior warden, whose duties included everything related to the health, well-being, moral and mental education of children. "

The first head of the Nizhny Novgorod women's school was the widow of Colonel Varvara Yakovlevna Raspopova (1859-1896). In 1844 she graduated from the Nikolaev Women's Institute of Chief Officer Orphans. Captain Maria Markova was her assistant. They both taught French. "

Previously created pedagogical councils were legalized. The chairman of the pedagogical council was chosen from among the most experienced teachers. His candidacy was approved by the trustee of the educational district. It had to be a teacher with a higher education, with the right to teach in a male gymnasium. The Pedagogical Council discussed issues of moral education of students, determined the volume and content training courses, was engaged in the selection teaching aids and literature for the library, carried out the transfer of students from class to class, gave an assessment of their progress and behavior. The work of the council was supervised by the director of the first provincial male gymnasium, and at the same time he was also the director of public schools.

According to the Regulation of the Ministry of Public Education on Women's Schools of September 19, 1860, a board of trustees was organized. His functions included the election of the trustee of the school, the boss, teachers and female teachers; fundraising and control over their spending; determination of tuition fees and exemption from it for unsecured female students; observation of the mental and moral development of students and the observance of order.