СОФІЯ РУСОВА І РОЗВИТОК УКРАЇНСЬКОГО ПОЗАШКІЛЛЯ (ДО 20-РІЧЧЯ ЗАКОНУ УКРАЇНИ «ПРО ПОЗАШКІЛЬНУ ОСВІТУ»)

Abstract

The article reveals little-known aspects of the life of Sofia Fyodorovna Rusova, clarifies her contribution to the formation and development of extracurricular education in Ukraine, the society “Education” in eastern and western Ukraine. The analysis of published and manuscript works of S. Rusova is carried out, in which the issues of education, national education, native language education are outlined. The role of out-of-school education as a unifying factor in the activity of the nationally conscious intelligentsia and the key to building an independent Ukrainian state is emphasized. Based on primary sources and periodicals of the early twentieth century S. Rusova’s activity in the field of out-of-school education is thoroughly analyzed. It is emphasized that if in Ukraine during its independence (1917 – 1919) a teacher and public figure was able to develop and partially implement a program of organizational formation and approval of various forms of extracurricular education, in emigration it focused mainly on theoretical justification of universal education and its role in moral and social formation of the young generation, preparing it for conscious work for the future of independent Ukraine, improving the social and political conditions of its citizens, as well as covering foreign experience of adult education and its state in the Ukrainian lands of Galicia, Bukovina and Transcarpathia. It is proved that with the direct participation of S. Rusova clear guidelines for the development of the system of out-of-school education were developed, concrete steps were taken to achieve its goal: science for all through active independent learning. It is revealed that actualization of S. Rusova’s ideas is completely correlated with the leading postulates of the Law of Ukraine “On Extracurricular Education”, in which the latter is interpreted as a component of the system of continuing education defined by the Constitution of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine “On Education”, students and listeners, meeting their interests, spiritual needs and needs in professional determination. A review of the activities and works of Sofia Rusova in the field of extracurricular education allows us to conclude that the scientist had a deep understanding of the need to educate the people, to convey knowledge to all segments of the population.