On the level of education8 photos

On the Field of Education

We will discuss a building constructed in 1914 according to the design of a young civil engineer named A.G. Molokin, located at 29 Artëma Street (which was formerly known as Eparchial Street). This building was a four-story structure in the Modernist style, with elements of Gothic architecture such as pointed windows. The well-proportioned design and the restrained styling of its few decorative details gave it the dignity befitting a bank – after all, it was designed and built specifically for the Peasants’ Land Bank.


For background information: The Peasants’ Land State Bank was established in Russia in 1882 to provide loans to peasants for the purchase of private land. In 1895, it was granted the right to acquire land from landowners, and within ten years (from 1895 to 1905), it acquired approximately 1 million decatres of land. The bank’s activities contributed significantly to the rise in land prices; the cost of one decaton of land increased from 49 rubles in 1896 to 111 rubles in 1905. Between 1906 and 916, the bank purchased more than 4.6 million decatres of land (for a total amount of approximately 500 million rubles), and during that same period, 3.8 million decatres of this land were sold to individual households. In all, between 1906 and 1915, peasants purchased 10.4 million decatres of land from the bank or with its assistance; by 1914, the price of one decaton had risen to 136 rubles. However, the high loan payments led to an increase in delinquencies, and the number of borrowers decreased significantly (from 134,000 in 1910 to 64,000 in 1914). By 1917, only 61% of the land acquired by the bank had been successfully sold.

The Peasants’ Bank was dissolved by a decree of the Soviet Government on November 25, 1917; its lands were nationalized in accordance with the Land Decree and distributed to peasants. Thanks to the Revolution, they were also freed from their debts to the Peasants’ Bank, which amounted to 3310 million rubles.

The bank building on Eparchial Street was also nationalized. Under the new regime, it became the headquarters of the People’s Commissariat for Education, initially headed by V.P. Zatonsky and later by N.A. Skrypnik. After the government of the Republic moved to Kiev in 1934, the vacated building was assigned to the first experimental middle school established in Ukraine – the 102nd Ukrainian Middle School (according to the 1937 directory).
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Information about its objectives, plans, and prospects can be found in an article published in the same year in the republican journal “Vsesvit”:

“At the initiative of the People’s Commissariat for Education, an experimental middle school was established in Kharkov, which began operating on September 1. This is the only such school in Ukraine. Its purpose is to test new educational methods and communist training approaches, as well as our teachers’ innovative suggestions. It aims to adopt and implement advanced teaching practices from around the world, while also critically evaluating and applying foreign educational experiences. The school consists of eleven classes – ten regular classes and one preparatory class – and follows the curriculum and study plans of the Ukrainian SSR’s mainstream schools. It achieves its goals through both its exemplary role as an educational institution and by undertaking specialized experimental projects. Thanks to its advanced facilities, furniture, appearance, and student lifestyle, as well as the expertise of its teachers, this school is intended to become one of the most innovative in the republic. Its design and operations should reflect the best achievements of educational theory. Everything from the selection and arrangement of furniture to the choice of equipment and instruments should comply with the principles of educational science.”
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The finest educators, both experienced practitioners and theoretical experts, were recruited for this school. Among them were Professor Paradissky for literature teaching, Professor Nimich and Associate Professor Hilchenko for science subjects, Associate Professor Karlova for physics, graduate student Shvidun for astronomy, and others. The primary school teachers were also among the most experienced educators in Kharkov, such as Sorokotyaaga and Pzhevalskaya.The school operated on a single shift system, which allowed for extensive use of extracurricular activities and health initiatives. Priority was given to establishing a technical station and a health care system; these facilities would serve the majority of children after regular classes. Physically weak children would receive additional support, including enhanced nutrition and various health treatments such as outdoor exercises and physical therapy. These measures were combined with a specific home and school routine. Other children would participate in clubs, workshops, study groups, and the library. This organizational structure enabled the school to influence students for a longer period of time than conventional schools.
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Special attention was given to the seven-year-old children in the preparatory class. Their school activities were combined with play, outings, and physical exercises. For this purpose, two spacious rooms with a veranda were allocated to them, allowing them to organize their daily routines in a way that differed from that of older students.The school utilized various visual aids such as slides and films, as well as hands-on laboratory activities, to enhance learning experience. Five thousand slides and short films were purchased, and plans were underway to integrate film education into the school curriculum.At present, the teaching staff was focusing on determining the best ways to arrange the classrooms and assign students to them in accordance with health guidelines, deciding on the appropriate exterior design for the schools, and choosing the appropriate materials for walls, portraits, and other elements. The types of furniture for laboratories, workshops, and other facilities had also been selected.The next step was to identify the individual characteristics, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses of each student, in order to tailor teaching methods accordingly.The school aimed to promote its activities and seek the support of Soviet society, especially the Ukrainian teaching community. Special rooms were designated for visiting guests, so that discussions could be held in an organized manner regarding their experiences and suggestions.