The development of elementary education in Western and Sibirian educational district in connectionwith introduction of general education

Chronological frames of the article arelimited by the period of existence of Western and Sibirian educational district since 1885 till Soviet power establishment in Sibiria; geographicalframes are limited by the boundaries of Tobolsk and Tomsk provinces, Akmolinskaya and Semipolatinskaya regions. The article isdevoted to the problems of development of elementary education in the region in connection with the plan of introduction of general elementaryeducation. Elementary education in pre-revolutionary Russia consisted of two stages, they were elementary of 3-4 years of study andupper elementary of 5-7 years of study. One-form elementary schools of the Ministry of Public Education and the schools of other institutions,that corresponded the level of the basic educational programs, belonged to elementary educational institutions. Rural two-form elementaryand municipal schools belonged to elementary schools of upper level according to the Statute of May 31, 1872. They were renamed asupper elementary schools in 1912. The development of education in Western and Siberian educational district had a series of peculiarities.Firstly, in the region the local territorial self-administration was not established, in particular in the central part of the empire district councilswere occupied with building of schools and providing children of school age with general education. During the period of Stolypin's reformsSibiria became the place of massive peasant migration from western and central parts of Russia. Significant migrational processes preventedthe establishment of integrated school network, made difficult the opportunity to predict the population and children of school age in someregions. The territory of educational district differed its low density of population. The question of finantial practicability of opening of stateschools arose. Multicultural population needed the development of education regarding cultural needs and opprtunities of the region. By1885 in Western and Siberian educational district there were only 666 elementary schools; by 1909 their amount became two times bigger. In1907-1908 the government and the State Duma discussed the bill of introduction of general elementary education in the extent of elementaryschool. In the Russian Empire this project didn't become law, but since 1908 additional finances were given for the needs of elementary education.In Western Siberia as well as in Russia as a whole the plans of elementary schools extension were thought of. It was done due to theinitiative of the locals since 1909, then due to the financial support of MNE since 1912. During 8 years the number of elementary schools inthe district increased in 2.2 times, particularly due to the additional finances for schools in in-migrant regions. A very important role in theprocess of literacy extension was played by schools of Orthodox Department. In 1911 it was possible to provide all 8-11-year-old childrenwith elementary education in some towns of Western Siberia due to the joint efforts of different departments. The First World War and therevolution put some changes into the peace plans of the country. According to the data of 1918 in Western Siberia about 35 % of school agechildren were taught in elementary schools of all types. In Tobolsk province there were 113 literate persons among 1000 citizens, in Tomskprovince - 104, in Akmolinskaya region - 99, in Semipolatinskaya region - 43. In October, 1918 "The Statute about General Labour Schoolof the RSFSR" was adopted; and only in August, 1930 the resolution "About General Compulsory Elementary Education" for 8-15-year-oldchildren in the extent of 4-year-course of elementary school was taken.

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