School polytechnization in the Central Black Earth Region in 1931–1933

We examine various aspects of the introduction of polytechnic education in educational institutions of the Central Black Earth Region. The relevance of the study is justified primarily by the fact that this aspect of the development of domestic education has not been previously studied, and also by novelty of archival documents introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. We focus on the legislative consolidation of the principles of polytechnism in the framework of the educational reform in the early 30s of 20th century, as well as on the theoretical understanding of the technological aspect of the educational process. The purpose of this research is to study the state policy aimed at developing labor training and education in lower and secondary educational institutions and implementing its aspects in the Central Black Earth Region. The study analyzes the measures taken by the regional authorities within the framework of implementing the party’s policy on education polytechnization: increasing the number of workshops and workrooms, purchasing equipment, assigning household plots to schools, organizing clubs and competitions, conducting excursions to enterprises, improving the skills of school employees and librarians, helping them establish contacts with enterprises and allocating them experienced engineers and technicians to work in schools. We examine the difficulties that accompanied school polytechnization. They included: poor equipment of workshops, low qualifications of instructors and teachers, unwillingness of managers of a number of organizations to meet halfway with schools, formalism in organizing socialist competitions and contracts with enterprises, underestimation by school administrators and teachers of the importance of technical training. In conclusion, we summarize the achievements and shortcomings of the polytechnic aspect of the educational process in the Central Black Earth Region of the early 1930s, and outline further prospects for labor training in Soviet schools.

1. Novichkov A.V. Reformirovaniye sovetskoy sistemy narodnogo obrazovaniya v 1930-e gody [Reform of the Soviet System of Public Education in the 1930s]. Moscow, State University of Humanities and Technology Publ., 2013, 139 p. (In Russian).

2. Plyasovskikh V.S. Politika KPSS v oblasti narodnogo obrazovaniya: opyt razrabotki i realizatsii: dis. ... d-ra ist. nauk [CPSU Policy in the Field of Public Education: Experience of Development and Implementa-tion. Dr. hist. sci. diss.]. Moscow, 1988, 454 p. (In Russian).

3. Bibanov T.P. Deyatel’nost’ kommunisticheskoy partii po razvitiyu i sovershenstvovaniyu shkol RSFR v 1929–1934 gg.: avtoref. dis. … kand. ist. nauk [Activities of the Communist Party to Develop and Improve Schools in the RSFSR in 1929–1934. Cand. hist. sci. diss. abstr.]. Moscow, 1971, 20 p. (In Russian).

4. Koltsov A.V. Kul’turnoye stroitel’stvo v RSFSR v gody pervoy pyatiletki (1928–1932) [Cultural Construc-tion in the RSFSR During the First Five-Year Plan (1928–1932)]. Moscow, Leningrad, Academy of Sciences of the USSR Publ., 1960, 74 p. (In Russian).

5. Lipchanskiy A.M. Stanovleniye v Rossii obshchego massovogo shkol’nogo obrazovaniya v period sot-sial’no-ekonomicheskikh preobrazovaniy: 1861–1941 gg. Opyt, uroki: avtoref. dis. … d-ra ist. nauk [Formation of General Mass School Education in Russia During the Period of Social and Economic Transformations: 1861–1941. Experience, Lessons. Dr. hist. sci. diss. abstr.]. Moscow, 2001, 30 p. (In Russian).

6. Anaykina L.I. Partiyno-gosudarstvennaya politika v sfere narodnogo obrazovaniya v RSFSR (1922–1991 gg.): avtoref. dis. … d-ra ist. nauk [Party-State Policy in the Field of Public Education in the RSFSR (1922–1991). Dr. hist. sci. diss. abstr.]. Moscow, 2001, 25 p. (In Russian).

7. Daych Z.G. Shkol’naya politika v SSSR. Uroki partiyno-gosudarstvennogo rukovodstva, perspektivy razvi-tiya [School Policy in the USSR. Lessons from the Party-State Leadership, Development Prospects]. Mos-cow, Moscow Pedagogical State University Publ., 1991, 382 p. (In Russian).

8. Gordeyev V.A., Gordeyev A.A. Obrazovatel’naya sostavlyayushchaya otechestvennoy industrializatsii [The educational constituent of Russian industrialization]. Vestnik Kostromskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta im. N.A. Nekrasova [Bulletin of the Kostroma State University named after N.A. Nekrasov], 2012, no. 6, pp. 40-43. (In Russian).

9. Zilyanev V.V. Vvedeniye vseobucha i reforma shkoly v gody pervykh pyatiletok na Yuzhnom Urale [The introduction of education and school reform during the first five-year plan in the South Ural]. Vestnik Yuzh-no-Ural’skogo professional’nogo institute [Bulletin of the South Ural Professional Institute], 2012, no. 1 (7), pp. 128-137. (In Russian).

10. Hans N., Hessen S. Education and Soviet Russia. London, King Publ., 1930, 236 p.

11. Tomasic D. The Impact of Russian Culture on Soviet Communism. Glencoe, Free Press, 1953, 285 p.

12. Fitzpatrick S. The Commissariat of Enlightenment. Cambridge, The University Press, 1970, 380 p.

13. Lenin V.I. O politekhnicheskom obrazovanii. Zametki na tezisy Nadezhdy Konstantinovny [About Polytech-nic Education. Notes on the Theses of Nadezhda Konstantinovna]. (In Russian). Available at: https://public.wikireading.ru/139330 (accessed 10.12.2019).

14. Krupskaya N.K. Trudovoye vospitaniye i politekhnicheskoye obrazovaniye [Labor education and polytechnic education]. In: Krupskaya N.K. Pedagogicheskiye sochineniya: v 10 t. [Pedagogical Essays: in 10 vols.]. Moscow, 1959, vol. 4, 630 p. (In Russian).

15. Golyshkin I.P. Sostoyaniye i ocherednyye zadachi po politekhnicheskomu trudovomu obucheniyu v sel’skoy shkole TSCHO [The state and next tasks for polytechnic labor training in the rural school of the Central Black Earth Region]. Kul’turnyy front TSCHO [Cultural Front of the Central Black Earth Region], 1933, no. 11-12, pp. 9-12. (In Russian).

16. Yakunin I. Konkurs detey na luchsheye tekhnicheskoye izobreteniye – delo vsey sovetskoy obshchestven-nosti [Children’s competition for the best technical invention is the business of the entire Soviet public]. Kul’turnyy front TSCHO [Cultural Front of the Central Black Earth Region], 1934, no. 1-2, pp. 43-47. (In Russian).

17. Averkina A. Proizvodstvenno-tekhnicheskaya propaganda v Orlovskikh bibliotekakh [Production and tech-nical propaganda in the Orel libraries]. Kul’turnyy front TSCHO [Cultural Front of the Central Black Earth Region], 1933, no. 1-2, pp. 67-70. (In Russian).