SOCIAL AND LEGAL STATUS OF THE RUSSIAN TEACHER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE XIX CENTURY

Abstract

The topics that are devoted to the social and legal status of the teacher at different stages in the historical development of the national school are the ones that are little-studied in Russian historiography. The purpose of this article is to analyze the main aspects of the Russian teacher’s position in the society by the end of the reign of Emperor Nicholas I, by the middle of the XIX century. To date, there are no special scientific papers devoted to this topic. Different methods of historical science were used in this study. For example, the historical method (for studying the facts and phenomena in the dynamics of their development), the historical-comparative method (for analyzing and systematizing the factual material to identify the general and differences in the status of teachers in different regions of the country and different types of educational institutions), etc. The paper characterizes the main requirements for the professional activity of teachers in accordance with the normative legal documents. It provides information about their educational level and job responsibilities as well. The social origin of teachers and the conditions of their professional activity are analyzed. A distinctive feature of the school system development in the Russian Empire at this stage was a rapid increase in the number of primary and secondary educational institutions. At the same time, the number of students in them increased as well. However, there were not enough teachers in the country for a number of objective reasons. The article also discusses these reasons. The results of studying the historical experience in implementing reforms and transformations in the field of school education can be used in modern conditions in the development of approaches and methods for solving specific problems in this area. The study performed is not exhaustive. It is necessary to continue studying the issue of the teacher’s position in the society on the example of teachers of provincial schools, working conditions in national regions, etc. The study suggests that by the middle of the XIX century, the number of teachers in Russia significantly increased. This happened against the background of the school system expansion. Therefore, there was still a shortage of teachers. The status of teachers in the country was not the same. The status of a gymnasium teacher was much higher than that of his colleague, who worked in an uyezd school and even more so in a rural parish school.