On the History of Education in Tyumen

Spiritual education in Tyumen was started up with a clerical Latin school that was founded in 1761 at the Trinity monastery. In 1789 a minor public school was organized in Tyumen, which was the first secular educational institution in the town. Initially it was maintained on private donations. In 1817 the school was transformed into a district school. In 1859 the first female school was opened, which soon was given the status of a college, and later – a gymnasium.

In 1879 The Alexandrovsk vocational college was founded, one of the first secondary educational institutions in Siberia. Since 1879 till 1906 the outstanding Siberian researcher Ivan Slovtsov was Director of the college. The educational level and prestige of the college were highly esteemed, so that students were readily accepted to the St.-Petersburg technological institution without entrance exams. The American publicist D. Cennan, who visited the college in 1886, wrote: ‘ The college is located in the largest and the most beautiful building in the town. The college is divided into two departments, one is for pure scientific researches, and the other is technological. The Technological department is equipped with a steam machine, lathes and all instruments required. The scientific department has got a physical room generously supplied with all necessary devices, including telephones of Edison-, Bell-, and Dalburg-type, as well as a phonograph. A chemical laboratory is equipped with such perfection that I have never encountered anywhere. Also there are classes for arts and technical drawing, a nice library, and a museum” .

At the beginning of the XIXth century, on the territory of a shipbuilding plant of the merchant I. Ignatov, located in the Mys village, a public college was opened. The college targeted at preparing qualified personnel for the plant. Through the efforts of Ignatov the college was electrified. It also contained a free-of-charge library. The lectors and students of the college were provided with well-furnished dormitories.

An outstanding event in the history of education in Tyumen was opening a public school and a library built on the donations of the merchant A. Tekutjev. They were built in honor of the 100th anniversary of the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin.

In 1914 a building for a commerce college was constructed by the Trade House ‘Kolokolnikov’s heirs’. It presents an outstanding architectural monument. At present it is a building of the Architectural Academy.

The end of the XIXth and the beginning of the XXth centuries were characterized by a wide span of public education in Tyumen. Apart from budgetary provision, the process was facilitated by advanced merchants, who invested a lot into education, and sometimes initiated educational institutions.