Imperial University of St. Vladimir

On July 15 ( 27 ), 1834 , on the day of remembrance of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir , the grand opening of the university took place. On October 18 ( 30 ), 1834, Professor Mikhail Maksimovich was approved by the order of Emperor Nicholas I as the first rector of the University.

In the first academic year (1834-1835), only one faculty of philosophy worked at the university with two departments: historical-philological and physical-mathematical. In the first year, 62 students were enrolled, and on August 28, 1834, classes began at the university. The ceremony of "initiation into students" (unlike other Russian universities) was carried out according to the old knightly rules and it was led by Field Marshal, suppressor of the Polish uprising, Prince F.V. Osten-Saken . According to the organizers, this dedication looked like a symbolic transfer of continuity between the old and new generation.

Under the guidance of professor of architecture V.I. Beretti on the deserted outskirts of ancient Kiev in the cities. in the style of Russian classicism, a huge university building was erected (1838–1842). The main building of the university is a closed building (facade length of 145 m) with a courtyard and bears the colors of the award ribbon of the Order of St. Vladimir - red and black (red walls, black bases and capitals of columns). The motto of the same order “Utilitas, Honor et Gloria” (“Benefit, Honor and Glory” translated from Latin) also became the motto of the university. In 1842, the university moved to a new building, where it was located until 1917.

The university was originally established as part of 2 faculties: philosophical (later divided into historical-philological and physical-mathematical) and legal. In the first year, only the Faculty of Philosophy was opened. The composition of the teachers at the beginning was mixed: Polish professors were transferred from Kremenets, Russian and German professors were attached to them. In 1838, the Polish movement led to the temporary closure of the university and the dismissal or transfer of professors and students of Polish descent. The number of listeners has fallen dramatically; half of the departments were empty and later replaced by Russians or Germans. In 1841, instead of the abolished Vilnius Medical and Surgical Academy, a medical faculty was opened at Kiev University.

To replace the empty departments, young people were sent abroad and teachers from the Pedagogical Institute and other universities were invited. A new life began at the university, but it abruptly ended under the influence of the severe measures of 1848. The departments were empty again, the number of students was limited. According to the Highest Directive of January 26, 1850, a total of 300 “post-graduate” students, that is, students studying at their own expense, were ordered to enter the university (an exception was made only for the Faculty of Medicine). Moreover, preference was given to those candidates who, according to. 3. Volume III of the Decree on the civil service had the right to enter the civil service. But even in difficult times of 1848-56. the university was enriched with new institutions: an anatomical theater and a meteorological observatory were built, commissions began to work to describe the provinces of K. of the school district and to analyze ancient acts. Since the late 50s, a revival began at Kiev University. Growth processes were particularly affected by the introduction of the 1863 Constitution . The previous era left the university in decline, since there were only 3 professors at the law faculty, and the work in other faculties was a little better. In the report for 1862-1863. complaints are heard that many departments remain unsubstituted; professors, for a lack of material resources, should turn to outside classes; the lack of preparedness of the students makes them turn lectures to gymnasium lessons, textbooks are scarce, etc. According to the charter of 1863, there were 58 professors and 31 associate professors at Kiev University, and only 35 professors and 5 adjuncts were at the university, and 12 professors did not have doctoral degree. To replace the departments, the university created the Institute of Fellows (1864), later adopted by the Ministry of Education for other universities. With difficulty, it was possible to replace in the first five years after the introduction of the charter most of the departments at the physical, mathematical and medical faculties; the situation was worse at the historical-philological faculty, where, for example, the department of Russian history remained empty for 8 years. In scientific terms, the first period was the most productive, until 1848, marked by the works of Maksimovich, Danilovich, Ivanishev, Nevolin, Kessler, Middendorff and others; then the academic productivity of the professors dropped dramatically and revived only in the 60s. From this time (1861), “University News” and, with them, “Collected Works of Students” began to be published; a number of scientific societies were opened, the library and collections were replenished, which until then remained in almost the same form as they had been transported from Kremenets and Vilna , new rooms and laboratories were established, and the buildings of the chemical laboratory (1873) and clinics (1885) were built.

In 1884, the university celebrated its 50th anniversary; the student unrest that occurred at the same time gave rise to the closure of the university for six months. After the reopening of the university, a new Charter of 1884 was introduced. By January 1, 1884 there were 48 professors, 19 associate professors, 8 assistant professors, 2 projectors, observer astronomers 1, 3 lecturers. On January 1, 1894 there were: 69 professors, 32 assistant professors, 6 prospectors and assistants 8 , lecturers 2, observer astronomer 1, laboratory assistants, conservatives, residents, etc. 51. The number of students at the university fluctuated greatly, but generally increased steadily: the university opened with 62 students, in 1838 there were 267 students, after the university was closed in 1838 - 125, by 1860 - 1049; in 1863, due to the Polish uprising, most of the Polish students left the university and the number of students dropped to 476; in 1871 - 940, in 1876 - 613, in 1884 - 1709, in 1894 - 2327. The most populous are the faculties of law and medicine. In 1859 there were 540 doctors, three times as many as lawyers; since the 60s the number of lawyers has been growing rapidly, and the number of doctors has been falling; in 1864 there were twice as many lawyers as doctors; in 1870 they were almost equally divided, then the number of doctors exceeded lawyers in 1881 by almost 5 times (785 and 175). The influx of doctors at that time was so great that I had to install the kit for 1 course. Despite this, by 1894 there were 1014 doctors. The number of lawyers has also grown rapidly in recent years (932 in 1894). The number of philologists before the introduction of the charter of 1884 was about 1/9 of all students (162 in 1883), then it began to decline rapidly, and in 1894 there were only 69. There were 1 at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics until 1868 / 4 of the total number of students, in 1882 this number decreased to 1/8, and in 1894 there were 312 people, that is, about 1/7, and there are 1.5 times more natural scientists than mathematicians, whereas before mathematics prevailed. At first, most of the students were children of noblemen (88%); in 1883, nobles made up only 50%. To supervise students in 1833, the post of inspector was established, held by the rector; subsequently, the inspector was made directly dependent on the trustee. In 1837, student supervision was strengthened; a special hostel was opened for the poor, as well as for unreliable self- reckoned students, which was called the “fine house” among students; it was closed in 1860, state-owned students were abolished as far back as 1858 (the number of state-owned students , according to the charter of 1842, was 150, and 40-60 students lived in the “penalty house”). Subsequently, official maintenance was replaced by scholarships, of which there were 101 in 1893. To help poor students at the university, there was guardianship of insufficient students (since 1869) and a support society for needy students (since 1881), which issued about 20 thousand rubles annually. . benefits.

At the end of the XIX beginning of the XX centuries. at Kiev University there are: a library with a student department (more than half a million volumes) and a central archive of ancient acts, 2 observatories - meteorological and astronomical, 4 faculty clinics, 3 hospitals and 3 at the city Alexander Hospital, anatomical theater, pathological institute, botanical garden, 9 laboratories and 22 rooms. The university publishes a monthly journal: University News. There are 5 scientific societies at the university (historical Nestor the chronicler, natural scientists, legal, physical and mathematical, and obstetric and gynecological).

In 1900, students protested against the expulsion of students from a university rally, which resulted in 183 students being soldier.

In November 1910, violent work-student demonstrations took place in Kiev in connection with the death of Leo Tolstoy. Among the 107 arrested demonstrators, about a hundred students. In February 1911, an all-Russian student strike took place again.

On the eve of the October Revolution of 1917, about 5300 students studied at Kiev University.

In 1918, the university was closed and reopened only on March 29, 1919.

• History of Kiev National University

• Kiev University of St. Vladimir // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
• University // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
• Universities and other higher schools in 1902-1906 // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
• Manoilenko A. S., Manoilenko Yu. E. The dispute between the Slavs: a social movement in the South-Western Territory of the Russian Empire during the reign of Nicholas I. - St. Petersburg: Dmitry Bulanin, 2015. - 317, [2] p. - ISBN 978-5-86007-790-4
• Shulgin V.Ya. History of the University of St. Vladimir. - St. Petersburg: Ryumin Printing House and Comp., 1860. - 240 p. - reprint edition - St. Petersburg: Alfaret, 2015
• History of the University of St. Vladimir / M.F. Vladimirsky-Budanov. - Kiev: Printing house of the Imperial University of St. Vladimir, 1884. - T. I: University of St. Vladimir during the reign of Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich. - 674 (+46) s.
• Biographical Dictionary of Professors and Teachers of the Imperial University of St. Vladimir (1834-1884) / comp. V. S. Ikonnikov. - Kiev: Printing house of the Imperial University of St. Vladimir, 1884 .-- 860 p.