Author Topic: Education in Smolny -Corps des Pages & Villages  (Read 44959 times)

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Offline Belochka

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Education in Smolny -Corps des Pages & Villages
« on: April 27, 2004, 02:35:36 AM »
I understand that the Smolni Institute for Noble girls in SPb had quite an intense academic program before it was shut down. Could someone please tell me which subjects were studied just prior to the 1917 Revolution?

Thanks in anticipation.

:)


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Jmentanko

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Re: The Smolni Institute
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2004, 08:22:06 AM »

Nick_Nicholson

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Re: The Smolni Institute
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2004, 09:12:50 AM »
The Smolny Institute for Young Ladies of Noble Birth was founded by Catherine the Great in 1764 in an effort to provide trained musicians and performers for Court entertainments who were not "actresses".  The girls of the Institute were described by Nelidov as "the vestal virgins of Russian Culture, worshipping the Goddess Catherine"  

Levitsky painted six potraits of the Institute's top pupils in the 1770's which depict them acting in plays, dancing, and performing.  They now grace the Russian Museum, and depict:

Feodosiya Stepanovna Rzhevskaya (on the right) (1760-1795)- daughter of general-lieutenant Stepan Matveevich Rzhevsky and Sofia Nikolayevna, née Baroness Stroganova. Finished the Smolny Institute for Young Ladies with honors. Married Prince M. N. Golytsin, State Councillor, later the Governor of Yaroslavl province.

Princess Nastassiya Mikhailovna Davydova (1764 - ?), daughter of general major Price Mikhail Mikhailovich Davydov, the Governor of Tambov province in 1780s.

Nelidova, Ekaterina Ivanovna  (1758-1839) - daughter of lieutenant Ivan Dmitrievich Nelidov. She was raised in the Smolny Institute for Young Ladies and was noticed there by Empress Catherine II, who made her a maid of honor to the Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna, later Empress, whose husband Emperor Pavel I was charmed by the grace and vivacity of Nelidova, and she was sincerely attached to him, although their relations were never intimate. She was able to influence Pavel I, prevent his unwise decisions and tantrums. She was also a close friend of the Empress Maria Feodorovna.

Khruschova, Ekaterina Nikolayevna (1761-1811), daughter of prime-major Nikolay Semenovich Khruschov and Praskovya Mikhailovna, née Volkonskaya. In 1767-1779, studied in the Smolny Institute, which she finished with honors. Her success in studies was noted by Catherine II and the King of Sweden Gustav III, who presented the girl with jewelry inlaid with diamonds.

Khovanskaya, Ekaterina Nikolayevna  (1762-1813), princess, daughter of colonel, Prince Nikolay Vasilyevich Khovansky and Maria Nikolayevna, née Schepotyeva. In 1767-1779, studied in Smolny Institute, which finished with honors. In 1786, married Yuri Alexandrovich Neledinsky-Meletsky, poet, Secretary of State of Emperor Pavel I, senator. In 1798, moved with her husband to Moscow. Died in 1813, in Yaroslavl, where the family had escaped from Moscow, occupied by the French army of Napoleon in 1812.

Levshina, Alexandra Petrovna  (1757-1782), daughter of prime-major Peter Ivanovich Levshin and Tatyana Ivanovna, née Princess Koltsova-Masalskaya. In 1764-1776 studied in Smolny Institute which finished with major gold medal. In 1778 was appointed a maid of honor to Catherine II. In 1780 married the captain of Izmailovky regiment Prince P.A. Tcherkassky. Died in Moscow and buried in Donskoy  monastery.

Borschova, Natalya Semenovna  (1758-1843)- daughter of Semen Ivanovich Borschov. In 1764-1776 studied in Smolny Institute, which finished with major gold medal, was very good in singing. In 1776 was appointed a maid of honor to Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna. In 1809 was appointed the Head (hofmeisteress) of all the maids of honor of Emperor court. She was awarded the Order of St. Catherine. Was married twice, her first husband K. S. Musin-Pushkin, after his death married general-major Baron von der Hoven. Died in St. Petersburg and buried on Smolensk cemetery.

Molchanova, Ekatherina Ivanovna  (1758-1809), daughter of collegiate councillor Ivan Yakovlevich Molchanov. In 1764-1776 studied in Smolny Institute, which finished with major gold medal. In 1776, was appointed a maid of honor to Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna, then to Catherine II. In 1780, married S. A. Olsufyev, later general-major.

Alymova, Glafira Ivanovna  (1758-1826) - daughter of colonel Ivan Akinfievich Alymov. Studied in Smolny Institute, finished it with gold medal; was one of the best harp players of her time. Since 1776, a maid of honor to Catherine II, later lady-in-waiting. Her first husband was A. A. Rzhevsky, author, freemason, vice director of the Academy of Science. Her second husband was I. P. Maskle, translator, later consul of Russia in Nice. She was awarded the Order of St. Catherine. Buried in Vagankovsky cemetery in Moscow.

Vorontsova, Ekaterina Alekseyevna  (? - 1784) daughter of Admiral Aleksey Naumovich Senyavin. Maid of honor to Catherine II. Married Count S. R. Vorontsov, ambassador of Russia in Venice. Had two children: son M. S. Vorontsov, later prince and govenor-general in the Caucasus, and daughter E. S. Vorontsova, later Lady Pembroke. She died in Italy, buried in Venice in Greek Church of St. George.

I do not believe the girls recieved much practical education at the beginning, but I do know that by the end, the pupils were also offered Russian History and literature, Modern Languages, basic Sciences and Math  along with their extensive cultural training.

After the Revolution, the Institute became the headquarters of the Revolutionary Government.  Here is an interesting description of the Institute after the revolution.

http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:rofgN9XN_AYJ:digital.library.upenn.edu/women/bryant/russia/russia-IV.html+Smolny+Institute+for+Young+Ladies&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Best,

Nick
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Nick_Nicholson »

Offline Belochka

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Re: The Smolni Institute
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2004, 11:04:32 PM »
Thanks everyone for all your help ... and so fast! I am impressed.  ;D

Is there any way we can find out the names of any of the pedagogues who taught at this facility during its final years?

Sadly there seems to be very little information concerning this exclusive school. Most of what I have read elsewhere is scattered in broad descriptive terms. Is there any literature in English or Russian written exclusively about this institute?

Again thanks in anticipation.

:D
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by Belochka »


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Patricia Garrett

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Re: The Smolni Institute
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2004, 11:53:23 AM »
There is a marvelous young adult book (fiction) published in 1968 by Lothrop, Lee and Shepard-- MASHA by Mara Kay.The author is of Russian descent.  It provides a very detailed account of a young girl's life at the Smolny Institute.  To quote from the blurb:

"Set in Russia a century and a half ago, this book follows Masha through her nine years at Smolni---years during which the shy, protected child grows to be a young women. Mara Kay has evoked the sheltered word of Smolni with authenticity..."

There is also a sequel -- The Youngest Lady in Waiting.

These title are O.P. but you might be able to get them through alibris.com or a library.

Jmentanko

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Re: The Smolni Institute
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2004, 01:18:16 PM »
I have a book that conatains a memoir by Zinaida Shakhovskoi. She was enrolled in the Smolny Institute when the revoltuion broke out. It is a nice glimpse into her life during the revolution and as a student at the Smolny Institute.

Nick_Nicholson

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Re: The Smolni Institute
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2004, 04:11:18 PM »
JM

Can you tell me the name of the book?  Zinaida Shakhovskaya was the great-grandmother of a friend of mine -- I'd love to find a copy to give to him!

All the best,

nick

Jmentanko

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Re: The Smolni Institute
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2004, 04:32:25 PM »
The book is titled, The Russian Revolution of 1917 Contemporary Accounts. It is edited by Dimitri Von Mohrenschildt and was published in 1971.

Offline Belochka

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Re: The Smolni Institute
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2004, 10:10:30 PM »
This is wonderful! Thanks everyone for all your help.

;D


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Offline James_Davidov

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Re: The Smolni Institute
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2004, 01:13:37 AM »
There is an amazing book called 'The Russian Century' by Brian Moynahan.  Its covers this century and is a must for any Russophile.  Anyway, one of my favourite images in it is a spread of a really rare picture, a class of girls at the Smolny institute posing, after a dance class.  It really reflects the nature of the aristocratic society at the time, and I used as inspiration for my yr 12 art folio
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olga

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Re: The Smolni Institute
« Reply #10 on: November 04, 2004, 02:23:12 AM »
Is that the picture where a group of girls are posing in front of Maria Fyodorovna's portrait?

Offline Belochka

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Re: The Smolni Institute
« Reply #11 on: November 05, 2004, 08:54:38 PM »
Quote
The book is titled, The Russian Revolution of 1917 Contemporary Accounts. It is edited by Dimitri Von Mohrenschildt and was published in 1971.


I purchased this book soon after it was mentioned. It proved to be an excellent resource for many reasons.

The chapter which dealt with the Smolni Institute written by Zinaida Shakhovskaya was very brief. However her personal account poignantly described the school's final day at this noble institution ... the fears and uncertainty coming from both the students and teachers were not difficult to understand.

I have all the other books previously mentioned on this thread. Are there any more suggestions please.

Thanks for any further help :D


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Offline AGRBear

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Education In Imp. Russia
« Reply #12 on: July 11, 2005, 07:53:01 PM »
VILLAGE LIFE IN LATE TSARTIS RUSSIA  by Olga Semyonova Tian-Shanskaia tells us the following which is taken from one of the pages of a 1894 teaching program  p. 46:
>>...In teaching of Russian, the emphasis should be on the study of the language itself and not on others things, such as conveying information about the secular world.  Introduction to Russian history, being inseparable from the history of the Russian church, should be taught together with the latter.  From the general course of Russian history, the pupils should dervive the firm conviction that our motherland has always drawn its strength from the Orhodox faith and autocratic tsarist rule, and that whenever the people's faith weakened or autocratic rule faltered, the Russian land was exposed to terrile misfortunes and came close to destruction."

I found these words quite interesting.

We have a thread about what kind of education on Russian history did you, the poster receive,  so, on this thread I'd like to learn about what kind of education did the Russians  aristocract, including Tsars/Tsarinas  on down to the peasant in Imperial Russia.

I'd especially like to learn about your own family stories which tell us about their education in Russia before March of 1917.

Thanks

AGRBear
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by AGRBear »
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David_Pritchard

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Re: Education In Imp. Russia
« Reply #13 on: July 12, 2005, 12:13:35 AM »
The 1897 Model Program of Primary Schools elaborates further on the teaching of the Orthodox religion to children:

Instruction in Slavonic reading begins as soon as the children have mastered the mechanical difficulties of Russian reading, that is, about the middle of the first year of schooling. The first year of Church Slavonic includes study of the Slavonic alphabet and its peculiarities, as compared with Russian; reading of the most commonly used prayers; practical acquaintence with diacritical signs and abbreviations; and reading exercises from the primer. In the second year, children read the gospels and the Chassoslov (Horologium) and study Slavonic numerals. The third year includes reading the Gospels and the psalter.*

*Taken from Appendix A, page 483 of the book Russian Peasant Schools, Officialdom, Villiage Culture and Popular Pedagogy, 1861-1914 by Ben Eklof, University of California Press, 1986.

The reallity of today's Russians is that most have no knowledge of even the most basic words in Church Slavonic. It is a sad statement on the teaching of Russian cultural history when a forienger such as myself is asked to read an ikon inscription to identify a saint.

DAP

Finelly

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Re: Education In Imp. Russia
« Reply #14 on: July 12, 2005, 12:38:50 PM »
I can tell you what I know from my family history, if that is helpful.

My great great grandfather and grandmother were Jews living in Romny, Ukraine.  They had some sort of business.  They had at least 3 children:  2 boys, and 1 girl.

I have no idea what kind of school the kids went to in the primary grades.  Could be that they attended a Jewish school, if Jews weren't allowed to go to the Russian schools.  Or perhaps they attended a public school - this seems more likely to me.

What I do know is that they all grew up speaking Russian, French, and probably some English, because they all came to America and immediately went into their chosen careers here.

1 son entered the army (conscripted) and was recommended to be an officer until they remembered he was a Jew.  I don't know if he got any advanced education.

1 son became a lawyer.  One must assume that he was allowed to attend a law school in Odessa, since that is where he had a practice.

The daughter was admitted to a dental school in St. Petersburg.  Obviously, women and Jews were allowed to do that, though perhaps the numbers were limited.  She married a chemist, who had been permitted to get an advanced degree in St. Petersburg.  

Although our family records are limited, we understand that whatever type of schools they attended, they received a solid education.  Jews would have attended a separate Hebrew school for Jewish education even if they went to a regular school.  But the Hebrew school would not have given them any education in mathematics, science, Russian history, or other languages.