Rusins – headmasters of St. Petersburg and Moscow gymnasiums in the 1870s–1900s

Abstract

In the second half of the 1860-70s, Austro-Hungarian teachers of ancient languages were actively recruited into the Russian service to ensure the gymnasium reform. Among them, there were approximately 80–90 Rusins, mainly from Galicia. About 20 of them worked in the Russian capitals – St. Petersburg and Moscow. Most of the Rusin teachers successfully adapted to their new jobs and worked there for many years. Many of them could make a career and rise to the position of gymnasium headmaster. In the last third of the 19th – early 20th century, there were five Rusin headmasters in the gymnasiums of St. Petersburg and Moscow. For almost 30 years, Galician M.P. Kostev was the headmaster of the 10th St. Petersburg Men's Gymnasium, originally a pro-gymnasium. His countryman L.O. Lavrovsky during his long career headed two St. Petersburg and two Moscow gymnasiums. His main activity is connected with the 3rd Moscow Men's Gymnasium, where he had been the headmaster for almost 25 years. Another Galician – Ludwig Kulczycki – for many years headed the gymnasium in Ryazan, and then for almost a decade he was the headmaster of the 4th Moscow Men's Gymnasium. During his short Moscow career, Ugric Rusin V.I. Gorvat was the headmaster of the 6th Men’s Gymnasium for four years. Galician A.G. Semenovich headed the same gymnasium for less than a year, after which he was appointed Inspector of the Moscow educational district and oversaw all the region's gymnasiums for eight years. Rusin teachers contributed to the development of gymnasium education in the two largest Russian cities, as well as to the education and upbringing of Russian youth.