Everyday life of orphanages of the Yenisei province in the Early Soviet period

Abstract

The subject of the study is housing conditions, diet, organization of life in orphanages of the Yenisei province after the end of the Civil War. In the conditions of mass homelessness and juvenile delinquency, the state sought to take care of all children in need, to re-socialize them and make them useful citizens of the new state. On the basis of archival materials, the living conditions of minors in orphanages in the early Soviet period are analyzed. Of all the institutions of social and legal protection of childhood operating during the study period, orphanages were selected as the most widespread institutions. The leading method of research was historical and anthropological. The article emphasizes the desire of the young Soviet state to make orphans and street children useful citizens of society. The authors come to the conclusion that the network of children's social institutions in the province, dispersed across different people's commissariats, did not cover all children in need of care and assistance, the operating orphanages could not cope with the tasks assigned to them, contributed little to the preparation of pupils for future independent life, but helped them survive in the difficult conditions of the period under study. The work of institutions was primarily affected by financial difficulties, budget deficit, lack of teaching staff, lack of systematic interaction in the activities of state bodies and public organizations involved in solving the "children's issue" in one way or another.