Tsarskoye Selo Imperial Lyceum: the first pupils, famous graduates, history

The most legendary educational institution of Russia Tsarskoselsky Imperial Lyceum became immediately after its establishment. The initiator of his appearance was Emperor Alexander I, a brilliant teaching staff and a talented director with his pedagogical and personal talents brought to the light several generations of Russian thinkers, poets, artists, and military men. Graduates of the lyceum were Russian elite not so much by origin, but by the implementation of the principles of selfless service to the Fatherland in any field.

Base

Tsarskoye Selo Imperial Lyceum was opened during the reign of Alexander I, and more specifically, the decree on its foundation was signed by the highest assent in August 1810. The founding of the higher educational institution fell on the "liberal years" of the reign of the sovereign. The Lyceum was to become the first model of an educational institution with a European approach to education, nurtured on Russian soil.

The Tsarskoe Selo Imperial Lyceum, from other higher schools, was distinguished by the absence of physical punishments, the friendly attitude between teachers and students, saturated with a curriculum designed to form personal views and many others. It was planned that the high princes, the younger brothers of the ruling king, Nikolai and Mikhail would be trained in the lyceum, but later they decided to give a traditional home education.

Conditions of life

For the Lyceum, a four-story new building was given - an outbuilding of the Tsarskoe Selo Palace. Premises of the first floor were intended for medical care and government. On the second floor there were classrooms for the junior year, the third was given to the senior student, and the upper, fourth floor, occupied the bedrooms. In the personal bedchambers there was a modest, almost Spartan atmosphere, the furnishings consisted of a wrought-iron canvas bed, a desk, a chest of drawers and a table for washing.

For the library they took a two-light gallery, which was located above the arch. The ceremonial hall was on the third floor. The services, the church and the director's apartment were located in a separate building next to the palace.

The idea of learning

The concept and curriculum was developed by an influential courtier, Alexander I's adviser in the first half of his reign, M. M. Speransky. The main task was the education of civil servants and the military of a new formation from the children of the nobility. Speransky's idea was to Europeanize Russia, and for this, officials with other thinking were needed who had internal freedom and a corresponding level of humanitarian education.

The selection of the lyceum students was very strict, boys from noble families from 10 to 12 years old were admitted who had to pass the entrance exams successfully, confirming a sufficient level of knowledge in three languages (Russian, German, French), history, geography, mathematics and physics. The full course was six years of study, divided into two stages, for each was given for three years.

Humanitarian and military

The main direction of education is the humanitarian one, which allowed to raise the student's ability to further independent learning, critical thinking, logic and comprehensively develop the talents inherent in the child. For six years, teaching was conducted in such basic subjects:

• Studying of native and foreign languages (Russian, Latin, French, German).
• Moral science (the basis of logic, the law of God, philosophy).
• Exact sciences (arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, geometry, physics).
• Humanities (history of Russian and foreign, chronology, geography).
• The basis of elegant writing (rhetoric and its rules, works of great writers).
• Art (fine, dancing).
• Physical education (gymnastics, swimming, fencing, riding).

In the first year the pupils mastered the basics, and on the second from the foundations they proceeded to the profound mastery of all subjects. In addition, during the whole training much attention was paid to civil architecture, sports. Those who chose military affairs were additionally read the clock on the history of wars, fortifications and other profile disciplines.

The entire educational and educational process was conducted under the vigilant supervision of the director. The teaching staff consisted of seven professors, a priest who taught the law of God, six teachers of fine arts and gymnastics, two associate disciples, three supervisors and a tutor supervised the discipline.

The first set of students was carried out under the supervision of the emperor himself, out of 38 people who submitted documents and passed the contest, only 30 students were admitted to the Lyceum in Tsarskoe Selo, the list was approved with a regal hand. Alexander I carried out the patronage of the educational institution, and Count A. Razumovsky was appointed head of the Lyceum in the rank of Commander-in-Chief. The count was supposed to be present at all examinations, which he happily did, knowing by face and by name all the students.

Principles

The tasks of the Lyceum's director were comprehensive, this position was entrusted to VF Malinovsky, who received an education at Moscow University. According to the charter of the institution, the director was obliged to live around the clock on the territory of the lyceum and pay attention to the students and the whole process tirelessly, he was personally responsible for the students, for the level of teaching and the general state of the lyceum life.

The Tsarskoe Selo Imperial Lyceum was staffed by the best teachers of the time, all had higher education, scientific degrees, they loved their work and the younger generation. Teachers were free in the choice of methods for presenting knowledge, one principle must be strictly observed: there should not be any idle pastime in the lyceum students.

Daily schedule

The usual school day was built on a strict schedule:

• The morning began at six o'clock, time was allocated for hygienic procedures, fees, prayer.
• The first lessons in the classes started from seven to nine in the morning.
• The next hour (9: 00-10: 00) the students could devote to a walk and a snack (tea with a roll, breakfast was not supposed).
• The second lesson started at 10:00 and lasted until 12:00, after which there was an outdoor walk for an hour in the schedule.
• Lunch was served at 13:00.
• In the afternoon, from 14:00 to 15:00, students were engaged in fine arts.
• From 15:00 to 17:00 followed classes in classes in the classroom.
• At 5:00 pm, the children were offered tea, followed by a walk until 6:00 pm.
• From six o'clock and until half past eight in the evening the students were engaged in the repetition of the material they had covered, and were engaged in auxiliary classes.
• At 20:30 dinner was served, followed by free time for rest.
• At 22:00 it was time for prayer and sleep. Every Saturday the students visited the sauna.

The Lyceum in Tsarskoye Selo differed from the rest of the educational institutions in that it was compulsory for the teacher to gain knowledge and understanding of his subject from each student. Until the material is mastered by all the students in the classroom, the teacher could not start a new topic. In order to achieve efficiency, additional classes were introduced for the lagging pupils, new approaches of teaching were sought. The lyceum had its own system of monitoring the level of acquired and acquired knowledge, each lyceum wrote reports, answered oral test questions.

Often the teacher believed for the benefit of leaving the student alone in his subject, Pushkin was not forced to know the mathematical sciences thoroughly, Professor Kartzov said: "You, Pushkin, in my class all end in zero. Sit down in your place and write poetry. "

Lyceum Life

The lyceum in Tsarskoe Selo was endowed with one more feature - full closeness, the lyceum students did not leave the school walls during the whole academic year. There was also a uniform for all. It consisted of a dark blue caftan, a standing collar and cuffs sleeves, which were red in color, and were fastened with gold-plated buttons. For the difference between the senior and junior courses, buttonholes were introduced, for the senior course they were sewn with gold, for the younger one silver.

In the Lyceum where Pushkin studied, much attention was paid to education. The pupils respected not only the people of their class, but also servants, serfs. Human dignity does not depend on the origin, it was suggested to every student. For the same reason, the children practically did not communicate with their relatives-all were heirs of the serfs and the houses could often see a completely different attitude to dependent people, in the aristocratic environment, disregard for serfs was a common thing.

Brotherhood and honor

Despite the fact that the lyceum students had a busy schedule of studies and studies, in their memoirs everyone recognized the sufficient amount of freedom. Students lived under a certain set of laws, the charter of the institution was posted in the corridor of the fourth floor. One of the points stated that the community of students is a single family, and therefore in their environment there is no place for swagger, bragging and contempt. Children came to the Lyceum from a young age, and he became a home for them, and comrades and teachers a real family. The situation in the Imperial Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum was friendly, united.

For the lyceum students, a system of incentives and punishments was developed, excluding physical violence. The guilty mischievous men were put in a punishment cell for three days, where the director personally came to conduct the conversation, but this was an extreme measure. On other occasions, more gentle methods were chosen-the deprivation of lunch for two days, at which time the student received only bread and water.

The lyceum brotherhood sometimes independently carried out a verdict of behavior to its participants, those who retreated from honor and trampled on dignity. The students could boycott the comrade, leaving him in complete isolation without the possibility of communication. Unwritten laws were observed no less sacred than the charter of the Lyceum.

First edition

The first students of the Tsarskoye Selo Imperial Lyceum left the walls of the school in 1817. Almost all received seats in the state apparatus, many of them entered the service in high ranks, many pupils chose military service, equal in status to the Corps of Pages. Among them were people who became the pride of Russian history and culture. The great glory of the Lyceum was brought by the poet Pushkin AS, no one before him with such warmth and trembling did not belong to his school and teachers. He devoted a lot of works to the Tsarskoye Selo period.

Almost all those who studied in the first set became the pride of the country and glorified the Tsarskoye Selo Imperial Lyceum. Famous graduates such as Kukhelbacher VK (poet, public figure, Decembrist), Gorchakov AM (outstanding diplomat, head of the foreign policy department under Tsar Alexander II), Delvig A. A (poet, publisher), Matyushkin F F. (polar explorer, admiral of the fleet) and others, contributed to the history, culture, development of the arts.

Lyceumist Pushkin

To overestimate Pushkin's influence on Russian literature is impossible, his genius was uncovered and raised in the walls of the Lyceum. According to the recollections of the classmates, the poet had three nicknames - the Frenchman (a tribute to the excellent knowledge of the language), Cricket (the poet was a mobile and talkative child) and a mixture of the Monkey and the Tiger (for the ardor of temper and propensity for quarrels). In the lyceum where Pushkin studied, the examinations were held every six months, it was thanks to them that talent was noticed and recognized in school years. His first work the poet published in the journal "Herald of Europe", being a lyceum, in 1814.

The situation in the Imperial Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum was such that the pupil could not feel his calling. The entire teaching process was aimed at identifying and developing talents, and teachers contributed to this. In his memoirs, in 1830, A.S. Pushkin notes: "... I began to write at the age of 13 and print almost from the same time."

In the corners of the Lyceum Transitions,

Appear Muza was me.

My student's cell,

Hitherto alien to the fun,

Suddenly lit up - Muse in it

She opened her feast;

Forgive me, cool science!

Excuse me, the games of the first years!

I've changed, I'm a poet ...

The first known public appearance of Pushkin took place during the examination at the transition from the initial course to the senior, final training course. The public examinations were attended by eminent people, including the poet Derzhavin. The poem "Reminiscence of Tsarskoe Selo", read by a fifteen-year-old student, made a huge impression on the guests. Pushkin immediately began to expect a great future. His works were highly appreciated by the lights of Russian poetry, his contemporaries Zhukovsky, Batiushkov, Karamzin and others.

Alexandrovsky Lyceum

After accession to the throne of Nicholas I, the lyceum was transferred to Petersburg. Tsarskoe Selo was the refuge of the lyceum students from 1811 to 1843. The educational institution moved to Kamenoostrovsky Prospekt, where the premises of the former Alexandrinsky orphanage were allocated for students. In addition, the institution was renamed the Imperial Alexandrovsky Lyceum, in honor of its creator.

Traditions and the spirit of brotherhood settled in a new room, no matter how trying to combat this phenomenon, Nicholas I. The history of the Tsarskoye Selo Imperial Lyceum continued in its new place and lasted until 1918. Consistency was marked by compliance with unwritten rules, the current charter, as well as the coat of arms and motto - "For the common good." Paying tribute to their famous graduates, in 1879 on October 19, the first museum of AS was opened in the walls of the Alexandrov Lyceum. Pushkin.

But with the rationale for the new location, some changes were introduced. According to the new curriculum, students were accepted and released annually, military disciplines were completely abolished, the list of humanities expanded. The answer of time and the changed environment were the new departments - agriculture, civil architecture.

After the 17th year

In 1917, the last graduation of students took place. Until 1918 classes continued with great interruptions, they closed the Alexandrovsky Lyceum in May of the same year. The famous library was partially sent to Sverdlovsk, most of it was distributed between libraries, lost or found shelter in private hands. It was possible to save about two thousand volumes from the general collection of books, and to localize them in the collection of the State Literary Museum in 1938. The collection, which got to the Sverdlovsk library, in 1970, was transferred to the fund of the Pushkin Museum.

The building of the Alexandrov Lyceum was used for different purposes. In 1917, it housed the headquarters of the Red Army and other organizations. Before and during the Great Patriotic War, there was a school in the premises, then the building was placed at the disposal of the SSPTU. Now the building is a college of management and economics.

A terrible fate befell many lyceum students and teachers of the Alexandrov Lyceum. In 1925 a case was fabricated, according to which, among others. Accused the creation of the counter-revolutionary organization the last director of the Lyceum Shilder VA and the Prime Minister Golitsyn N. D. All those accused of conspiracy to restore the monarchy, and there were 26 of them, and shot. So sadly completed the history of the Imperial Tsarskoe Selo Lyceum. Pushkin was his singer and genius, the rest are lyricists of history and pride.

Modern pedagogy is increasingly inclined to think that the ideas laid by Speransky, the best option for education for the younger generation, which will be useful today.