Public educational initiatives in the sphere of culture of Eastern Siberia on the pages of Siberian newspapers in the last quarter of XIX – beginning of XX centuries

Abstract

The object of this research is the reflection in Siberian press of the last quarter of XIX – beginning of XX centuries of civil educational initiatives in Eastern Siberia. In this time, local press created the image of Siberian reality, and actively formed public opinion on the new sociocultural phenomena. The subject of this research is the public educational initiatives in the sphere of culture of Eastern Siberia on the pages of Siberian newspapers in the last quarter of XIX – beginning of XX centuries. The goal consists in determination of substantive components that frame public opinion on the implementation of educational initiatives in the sphere of culture. The relevance of the selected topic is defined by the fact that periodical press contributed not only to information awareness, but also to mobilization of intelligentsia to resolve topical issues of education. Historiography is based on the newspaper materials, published and archival materials. Newspapers of liberal trend enjoyed most popularity, since they not only reflected the modernization processes in the sphere of culture, but also framed public opinion. The author outlines several themes that became thematic dominants based on the frequency of mentioning: the urgent need for Eastern Siberia (in the context of absence of Zemstvo) to show public and private initiative in the sphere of culture and its reliance on the number of educated people; characteristics of government policy; role of officialdom; discreteness of public initiatives and its factors; higher purpose of educational institutions; need for active innovative leader; need for systematic and coordinated work of various voluntary organizations in the sphere of culture. According to the press,  successful realization of civil sociocultural initiatives required the presence of several factors; each of them to a greater or lesser degree determined the consolidation of innovations in sociocultural environment and dynamics in the development of civil initiatives in the sphere of culture.