House of industriousness (Kronstadt)

The young priest John, who began his ministry in 1855 in St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Kronstadt, faced mass poverty and lack of prospects for slum dwellers ^[1] . Actively engaged in charity, he gradually came to the conclusion that although alms are necessary, it often corrupts people and deprives them of the incentive to work ^[1] . Thus, for the socialization of this part of the population, first of all, it is necessary to provide an opportunity to get paid work ^[1] .

In 1872, Father John published two appeals in nos. 3 and 18 of the Kronstadt Vestnik newspaper, urging residents to think about the reasons for the abundance of beggars in Kronstadt and possible solutions to this problem. Among the reasons he cited “poverty from birth, poverty from orphanhood, poverty from various misfortunes - from fire, from theft, poverty from inability to work due to old age or illness, or malamism, or because of young age, poverty from losing a place, poverty from laziness, poverty from addiction to intoxicated drinks and, in most cases, from lack of work and lack of means with which to take up work: decent clothes, shoes, daily bread, tools or tools ” ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]} .

Father John urged the townspeople to take care of “seeking for the poor a common dwelling, a working house and a vocational school” ^[1] .

In development of his thoughts, the priest drew attention to the existing and sufficiently developed practice of workhouses in Russia.

Workers (workers) houses in Russia were created starting from Catherine II at the end of the 18th century according to the Western model , but initially with a hybrid approach - as part of the penal system aimed at isolating and forcing criminals to work, and charity work to provide work to those in need ^{[ 6]} .

It was the punitive approach that confused the townspeople, who led to the same argument that such experiments in the past were unsuccessful.

To the remarks of critics, the priest replied: “Is it not a good, not humane thing to save people from laziness, idleness, apathy, parasitism?”, Citing successful charitable projects in this area as an example ^[3] . However, at that time the idea did not find support.

In the meantime, a stable branch of private work houses has already stood out in Russia, which put charity and support for the needy segments of the population at the forefront. So in Moscow in 1865, the charter of the Society for the Promotion of Diligence, headed by Alexandra Strekalova , was approved, which was later reorganized into Russia's first correctional and educational children's shelter, whose director was Nikolai Rukavishnikov .

In June 1874, the St. Andrew’s Cathedral was founded by the “Guardianship in the name of Ap. St. Andrew the First-Called of the Poor ” ^{[1] [7]} . Father John spoke of this institution in this way: “Church trusteeship is the institution of the first Christians of the apostolic age who, by brotherly love, cared for each other so much that“ not a beggar is worse than any of them ”(Acts 4, 34). It is especially necessary with us. God grant that we have it in the same spirit of like-mindedness and love ” ^[1] .

Up to 3 thousand people were under the patronage of parish guardianship during the year ^[7] .

The guardianship supported the victims of the fire as a result of the fire of 1874, when many citizens were left without funds and shelter. ^[1] By his efforts, by the beginning of January, a wooden house was erected, in which the needy could move from the dugouts ^[1] .

In March 1875, in the same house, a free primary public school was opened, in which not only children of the Orthodox confession were educated, but also Lutherans and Jews ^[1] .

After the assassination of the emperor Alexander II in March 1881, Father John proposed to perpetuate his memory by the construction of the house of industriousness under Andreev’s guardianship ^{[1] [2] [4]} . In the same year, the council of St. Andrew’s parish guardianship elected Lutheran Baron Otto Buksgevden as chairman of the donation committee for the construction of the Kronstadt home of hard work ^[4] .

Among the donors for the construction of the building were led. Princess Alexandra Iosifovna, Ekaterina Mikhailovna and Alexandra Mikhailovna, led. princes Alexey Alexandrovich, Konstantin Konstantinovich, Dmitry Konstantinovich, Mikhail Mikhailovich, Alexander Mikhailovich ^[4] .

The laying of the future four-story stone house of industriousness was completed on August 23, 1881 on Bear Street ^{[4] [5]} . The architects of the building were V.O. Titov and A. Ya. Silin ^{[7] [4]} .

By December 1881, a large stone building was brought under the roof. However, on December 7, a fire broke out in one of the "funny houses" in the neighborhood and the whole interior was burned out in the new House of industriousness, and the wooden building of the original house of Andreevsky guardianship was completely burnt down ^[1] .

An insurance premium was paid for the damaged building, and the fact of the fire attracted new donations ^[1] . Thus, a year later, on October 10, 1882, they succeeded in consecrating, and on October 12, the doors of the Kronstadt house of industriousness were solemnly opened ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]} .

The first attempts to establish their craft industries in the House of industriousness in Kronstadt were unsuccessful ^[8] . Workshops on weaving baskets and chairs, sewing shoes soon had to close, as they turned out to be too unprofitable ^[8] .

The shoe workshop was able to work only for the needs of the orphan school and free giveaways. The bookbinding workshop, opened in 1884, became a training workshop - the master received a room for work, and instead of renting, he took 10-15 years old boys to train ^[8] .

The basis of the activity of the House of industriousness was hedge-nipping and carting workshops for men ^{[8] [1]} . Although the work was hard, and the possible income was low and amounted to 19 kopecks per day, this allowed the needy not to starve to death ^[1] .

In the hedging workshop, old ship ropes were tattered to fibers, from which they later weaved new twines, ropes, hammocks and nets ^[1] . They also made mattresses from bast and hair ^[1] .

Envelopes, boxes and paper bags (sacks) were glued in the sintering workshop ^[1] .

Soon, an overnight shelter and a people's dining room opened at the house of industriousness ^[1] .

It was possible to spend the night in an overnight shelter for 3 kopecks per night, and 8 men were allowed to enter it free of charge ^[1] .

In a people's dining room, a cup of soup or cabbage soup cost 1 kopeck, a portion of buckwheat or wheat porridge - 2 kopecks, a pound of ordinary bread - 2.5 kopecks, peeled, made from the best quality flour - 3 and 4 kopecks ^[1] . accordingly, a tea bar - 1 kopeck - as well as three pieces of sugar. Boiled water, including hot water was given free of charge ^[1] . The dining room daily let out 400-800 dinners ^[1] . On holidays, several hundred people ate for free ^[1] .

Thus, you could spend the night, dine, and drink tea and bread in the morning and evening for 15 kopecks ^[1] .

After some time, workshops were opened for women - fashionable dresses to order, seamstress, embroideries and labels of linen ^[1] . Those who did not have suitable skills could iron or comb the yarn ^[1] .

At the same time, the number of specializations of men's workshops increased. For those wishing to enter the service at the House of industriousness, mediation was opened for the hiring of servants ^[1] .

Over time, 60-100 people worked daily in male and female workshops, and their products - shoes, clothes, furniture, tablecloths and napkins, household items - were in demand in bazaars and shops ^[1] .

In 1888, in addition to the newly rebuilt stone three-story house for 108 people, an orphanage for 50 people worked with a shelter (kindergarten) for children of working mothers in which there was a summer suburban cottage ^{[1] [3] [4] [5]} .

An almshouse for disabled women was opened for 22 people, whose inhabitants, in addition to free premises, received a cash allowance of 3 rubles per month ^[1] .

On May 19, 1891, in order to accommodate the pilgrims who came to Father John, in the courtyard of the House of industriousness, the laying of the third building of the complex of institutions of the House of industriousness, a four-story Strannopriimny house with paid and free offices, was made ^{[1] [3] [4] [5]} .

In two houses of St. Andrew's guardianship, apartments for those in need were rented out for a reduced fee, completely poor women and widows with children lived in them for free ^[1] .

In the House of industriousness, there was a free outpatient clinic accepting 2-3 thousand people per year ^[1] . Vaccination was also carried out here, including against smallpox.

By the decision of the Andreev guardianship, the House of industriousness could give lump sum benefits from 1 to 20 rubles, which, for example, allowed robbed or lost travelers to buy a ticket to their hometown, and women in need to buy a sewing machine from the mortgage ^[1] . Several thousand rubles a year were spent on these needs ^[1] .

In the early years of the House of industriousness, his wards attended St. Andrew's Cathedral. However, at the end of 1885, at the suggestion of Father John, a house church was built in the premises of the former workshop ^[8] . Father John made the main contribution to his arrangement in the amount of 5,000 rubles ^[8] .

In 1886 the church was ready and in April consecrated in the name of St. blg. Prince Alexander Nevsky, patron saint of Emperor Alexander II ^[8] .

The temple was located on the second floor of the house of industriousness, was single-throne and accommodated about 700 people ^[8] . His parishioners were students, students, all who live in the House of industriousness ^[8] .

The location of the temple was not very convenient and in 1890 permission was received for the construction of the altar extension from the main facade ^[8] . Although the extension significantly advocated the red line and interfered with the movement, the city authorities took such inconvenience ^[8] .

On November 21, 1890, Bishop Anthony of Vyborg (Vadkovsky) ordained the new church ^{[8] [4] [5]} . The church was assigned to St. Andrew’s Cathedral, but since 1903 it had its own reason ^[8] .

Since it turned out that the qualifications of most of the women who came did not meet their needs, very soon at the House of Labor sewing and needlework courses were opened ^[1] .

Over time, a free public school (elementary school) for 300 children appeared at the House of Hardworking ^[9] , a carpentry (craft) workshop for boys for 60 people, a drawing class for 30 children with free education for the poor, a female labor workshop for 50 girls, a shoe workshop for training boys, military gymnastics class ^[1] .

For adults, there was a Sunday school for 200 people with classes for different literacy levels; lectures on religious, historical and literary topics were held ^[1] .

A library appeared in the House of Labor, which totaled 3,000 volumes, a free reading room and a paid library (30 kopecks per month and a deposit of 2 rubles) ^[1] .

A bookstore with literature was opened for children and adults, a small printing house for the publication of the works of Father John ^[1] .

November 2, 1909 in the House of industriousness in Kronstadt was opened a school of artisans. In the locksmith's department, 30 students were initially trained, in the carpentry - 8 people.

At first, the school was located in a private house on Sergievskaya Street (now Feigina Street).

In 1911, the construction of a two-story building was begun on a plot of land allotted outside the Petersburg Gate (Leningradsky).

On October 18, 1912, the school was opened. On the ground floor there were workshops for the younger locksmith class, a blacksmith workshop, and the premises of a workshop for the study of electric business. On the second - a turning section, a large locksmith and carpentry workshops and training classes.

In 1922, it housed the School of Factory Apprenticeship (FZU), since 1958 - Technical School No. 22, and since 1963 - the City Vocational School No. 48 (GPTU - 48), which under different names but with the same the number and profile of activity exists to the present.

The house of industriousness in Kronstadt was not self-sustaining and existed mainly on donations ^[1] .

So only personal contributions about. John in favor of the House annually amounted to about 40 (according to other sources - 50-60) thousand rubles, which came to him from about 80 thousand annual pilgrims ^[1] . Over the 20 years of the House’s existence, he contributed over 700 thousand rubles to his needs.

The October Revolution led to the gradual closure of all industrious houses in Russia, placing social security on the shoulders of the Soviet state.

The house of industriousness in Kronstadt ceased to exist in the 1920s, its temple was ruined, and the belfry was destroyed ^{[5] [4]} . The buildings of the stranger and the houses of St. Andrew’s parish guardianship became residential houses.

Renamed in 1909 in honor of Fr. John from Medvezhya to Sergievskaya street , on which the buildings of the former House of industriousness stand, in 1918 changed its name to Zinoviev Street, and since 1933 it began to bear the name of Feigin , who died in 1921 during the suppression of the Kronstadt anti-Bolshevik uprising .

In the 1940s, in the building of the House of industriousness at ul. Feigina, 7/9 housed a women's school, and in 1975 the vocational school No. 48 ^{[4] [5]} moved to it, which trains cooks, confectioners, auto mechanics, and hairdressers.