On the question of the organization of the space of classrooms in church-parish schools of the Ukrainian provinces (the second half of the XIX - the beginning of the XX century)

Abstract

In the article author analyzes the question of the organization of classroom space in church-parish schools of Ukrainian provinces in the second half of the XIX – early XX centuries. Based on the analysis of scientific works on the problem, publications in the press of that time, statistical information, it was found that in the second half of the XIX century separate rooms for priests' houses and utility rooms were most often allocated for classrooms of church-parish schools; buildings belonging to the church were converted into classrooms; sometimes schools were located in the houses of village officials or clerks, in councils, taverns. The organization of the space of such classrooms was extremely unsatisfactory, the condition of school premises was generally assessed as extremely weak. The statistical data of a condition of school premises, the report of the chief prosecutor K. Pobedonostsev concerning the organization of space of classrooms was analyzed. Descriptions of classrooms of church-parish schools made by Ukrainian writers and cultural and educational figures – Lesya Ukrainka, B. Hrinchenko, I. Pavliuk are given. It was found that at the end of the XIX – the beginning of the XX century in the context of the state policy of full support and assistance to church-parish schools in the Ukrainian provinces the stage of active construction of new school buildings began, during organizing the space of classrooms of church-parish schools, construction, architectural, sanitary-hygienic, and pedagogical requirements were taken into account, if possible, such as newly built church-parish schools had not only a separate building but also a special school utility rooms; classrooms had the appropriate area, length, height, fixed placement of windows on one side of the building, space for a teacher's desk, lockers, etc. It is proved that the experience of organizing the space of classrooms in the structure of church-parish schools in the Ukrainian lands of the studied period is not only interesting but also useful for today.