Specific features of charity in the field of education during the pre-revolutionary period in Siberia

The article deals with charity in the field of education in the cities of Siberia in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. The study was carried out on the basis of a sctructural-functional analysis of key elements of the educational sphere: elementary schools, gymnasiums and progymnasiums, higher education institutions in Tomsk. The author shows that support of education and culture was one of the most priority goals of Siberian charity. In order to promote interest in local research at Tomsk University, the entrepreneurs A.M. Sibiryakov and L.K. Kuznetsov established awards for “historical writing on Siberia”, “best printed works in Russian on the history of Siberia (once), on anthropology and/or sociology (once)”. Campaigns aimed at the establishment of Tomsk (1870-1880) and Irkutsk (1910s) universities acted as catalysts for this phenomenon. By the late 1916 the citizens of Irkutsk raised 1.2 mln rubles for opening the university, while donations for military needs amounted to 12 thousand rubles. Local entrepreneurs eagerly contributed to the prestigious educational institutions (gymnasiums) where their children and relatives studied. By the early 20th century, societies for assisting elementary education had become numerous charitable organizations that were active practically in all urban settlements of the region. Their activities reflected the formation of a new social type of culture and entailed manifestations of individualism. During the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway many churches and schools were built by one of Russian charity foundations - the specially established Emperor Alexander III Foundation. From April, 1894, to the early August, 1903, it received the total amount of 1,823,127 rubles, out of which 396,475 were donated by merchants and entrepreneurs. In the pre-revolutionary Siberia, most of charity funds were spent on opening and maintenance of museums and libraries. Thus, in 1907 P.I. Makushin put 31.5 thousand rubles on a special account in the bank; the annual interest income from this capital was used to open 450 rural libraries in Tomsk Province. In order to stimulate this kind of activity, a memorial award pin “For Promoting the Construction of Churches and Schools” was established in 1901. It was awarded for donations amounting to not less than 3 thousand rubles or for personal activities in the sphere of education development. The author believes that the governmental activities, policies and allocated budgetary resources played a decisive role in charity aimed at the development of science and education. However, private, non-governmental and public charity made it possible to solve specific problems associated with certain social issues and spheres of life.

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