KRYZHANIVSKYI V. M. Vassyl Andriovych Malchenko and his memories about Hlukhiv and citizens of one in 1870 – 1930-s

Full text (Ukrainian and Russian, PDF)

 

        The memoirs by pedagogue, museum worker, and archaeologist-amateur Vasil Andriyovych Malchenko (1859 - after 1941) about the town in 1870 - 1930  were first published in the article. The author focused on a few key issues. First of all, it's a story of N. A. Tereshchenko family and its contribution to the development of urban infrastructure. Thanks to these patrons a copy of Kiev Volodymyrsky Cathedral appears in the city - Three Anastasievska Church; barracks of the Baturin Regiment, the premises for the Hlukhiv Women's Gymnasium, boarding school for men's gymnasium, shelter for the poor and so on were built. Secondly, the story the formation, prosperity and closure of the Hlukhiv gymnasia.

      Many pages of the manuscript are devoted to the controversial leader of Hlukhiv gymnasia M. F. Lazarenko. According to the memoir, it is thanks to the managerial abilities of thehead the gymnasium received new training room and boarding house; funded by the state and local authorities they were provided with the best teachers (K. P Rosenatovsky, I. Ya. Ploksin, O. N. Malinka, V. A. Malchenko, etc.). However, VA Malchenko draws one’s attention to the despotic management methods of MF Lazarenko, which led to conflicts with the chairmen of the parent committee (for example, with P.Ya. Doroshenko), teachers (for example, with KP Raznatovsky) and so on. Unfortunately, other heads of high schools (inspector male progymnasia P. O. Chuikevich, directors K. I. Cauzen and L. Ya. Apostolov), though brilliantly, were described with sarcasm, but superficially one-sided.

      Thirdly, the city and its inhabitants during The Revolution of 1917 are the key theme of memories. The author notes that at first the gymnasium teachers enthusiastically embraced the abdication of the king and took an active part in the restructuring management system of an educational institution. But optimism in 1917 was fast changed to shock and confusion during the Civil War of 1918 - 1920.

      V.A. Malchenko presents examples of red terror against the Hlukhiv noble families in January 1918 (murder of V. M. Ammosov, von der Bregen etc.), the Jewish population (February 1918).

      Fourthly, briefly, but in detail, the story of the museum formation in Hlukhiv in the early 1920s is reproduced. The author of the memoirs not only briefly reveals the activities and inactivity of the first directors (S. F. Ivanitsky, O. V. Malinoshevsky) of the museum, but describes his own contribution as a director and museum worker in collections preservation and exhibition creation, etc.

Keywords: director, gymnasium, inspector, district administration, boarding house, museum, teacher, church, revolution.