ISSN 0798 1015

Vol. 39 (Number 30) Year 2018. Page 17

Formation of agrarian education system in regions of pre-revolutionary Russia (by the example of South Ural)

Formación del sistema de educación agrícola en las regiones de Rusia prerrevolucionaria (Ejemplo: Urales del Sur)

Timur Al'bertovich MAGSUMOV 1; Takhir Majitovich AMINOV 2; Irina Valer'evna KORNILOVA 3; Azat Minabutdinovich GAIFUTDINOV 4; Leila Vagizovna RAKHMATULLINA 5; Oksana Anatol'evna TIKHONOVA 6

Received: 06/03/2018 • Approved: 28/04/2018

Contents

1. Introduction

2. Methodology

3. Results

4. Conclusions

Bibliographic references

1. Introduction

Human intellection has a propensity for stereotypes. On one hand it should be seen as a positive as it allows forming certain algorithms of activity. Assuming that these stereotypes are erroneous all the attitude appears as a distorted image. It is no coincidence that perspicacious Kozma Prutkov on behalf of his creators stated the following: “Many people are like sausages: what they are stuffed with, they carry around in them”.

To the number of stereotypes concerning our theme multiple facts may be concerned. For example, it is considered that agrarian education in regions of pre-revolutionary Russia was not formed as a particular system and that it was in a syncretic condition. Or that the quality of education in agrarian institutions was inferior. Seeking to overcome aforementioned stereotypes and sincerely believing that the future is impossible without the basis on the past the given work is presented. Without overemphasizing this experience it would be logical to suppose that it may be helpful for a modern educational system (FAN, 2012).

The process of all-Russian agricultural market generation in the end of XVII – the beginning of XIX century determined the raising of farm productivity. Single landlords raised their farms’ profitability by means of agricultural technologies improvement (using fertilizers, farm machines, high-quality sabadilla, cattle-breeding specializations and so forth). In this connection a certain requirement appears for special cadres training for the purpose of work in this area.

First agricultural academies in the country were established at the end of XVIII century. Thus in 1797 in the environs of St. Petersburg the first agricultural school was opened though it existed just for 5 years. In 1822 the oldest Moscow agricultural school was opened which promoted for first time in our country’s history the principle of “teaching agriculture as a science” (KUZ’MIN, 1971: 168). Within this period and in the following decades educational institutions of two types were founded: general agricultural and specialized according to certain branches (AMINOV, 2006). Along with social and governmental agencies private persons participated in their organization. On the whole in the first half of the XIX century the process of education in question development was considerably slow and significant changes occur after the abolition of serfdom since 80-90s particularly.

Methodological framework of assumed work includes formational (historical materialist), civilization and cultural approaches, one of the leading principles of which is the acknowledgement of eventual and phenomenal cause-effect relations (MAGSUMOV, 2014). At the heart of technological component the author’s concept of historical and topical pedagogical works research is put. The concept is based on logic and pedagogical process structure in its contemporary understanding (AMINOV, 2006). In suggested model the following components are emphasized: objectives, tasks, contents, forms, methods, resources and the process of the aims realization, educational system operation results, acquired results estimation and the whole process in general. Following aforesaid idea facilitates the increase of technological efficiency in similar research arrangement thereby promoting logical and successive emergence, analysis, summarizing and extrapolation of historical-pedagogical experience into modern educational theory and practice (AMINOV, 2014).

Analyzing peculiarities of agrarian education on the territory of South Ural we relied on archival documents and works by such pre-revolutionary authors as A.Turkin (1913), N.A. Matveev (1913) and others. In comprehension of the problem examined the modern researchers made a certain contribution (AMINOVA, 2005; BURAVTSOV, 2003, MAGSUMOV, 2015, MIRSAITOVA, 2000, PHARSHADOV, 1994). Analysis of their work shows that history of education in South Ural region of Russia was the subject of the scientists’ research representing a wide range of historical and pedagogical knowledge. However there are no generalizing works among them examining purposefully and systematically the history of agricultural education development which led to the need for integrated development of the problem.

3.1. Orenburg school of surveying and sylviculture

Specially organized agricultural education foundation on the territory of South Ural was set with the Orenburg school of surveying and agriculture opened in 1836 in Orenburg. Its establishment initiative, organizational work and financial support of the school activity proceeded from the military department. It should be mentioned that this department was one of those not numerous social institutions within the region which were able to provide vital activity of such educational institutions according to its organizational and financial opportunities.

The aim of the named school concluded in “common ploughing supervisors and forestry officers training for Orenburg Cossack Host (GAOO, f. 78, op. 1, d. 201, l. 1-3). The alumni enrollment was carried out by the canton authorities from amongst Cossack village schools able pupils at the age of 14-16 years. Within a stated 4-years period of training students learned general educational and special disciplines and performed practical work. Theoretical subjects were learned during the winter months while all the rest of the time was devoted to practical studies afield, in the woods and on trial areas of the school itself. Since 1851 the period of training was extended up to 6 years 3 last years of which were given up to specialty practical work. Since that year the students began to learn surveying along with agriculture and sylviculture. General educational subjects were learned in terms of district high schools course. In the course of special disciplines physical geography, topography, geometry, plotting, leveling, natural history, forest and surveying law, etceteras were studied.

Orenburg surveying and Sylviculture School functioned until 1861 and despite that it was often criticized the school had contributed greatly in agricultural education development in the region (ERYOMINA, 2015: 567).

3.2. Ufa surveying taxator class

The first professional educational institution in Bashkiria which trained specialists in agriculture was the surveying taxator class estimated in 1859 attached to Ufa men’s gymnasium.

The class named was funded by the State Treasury, the annual cost of which amounted to 5000 rubles. The period of study was stated as a 2-year, and its graduates “gained the title of private surveyors and taxators” (CGIARB, f. I-113, op. 1, d. 87, l. 41). Boys from the age of 15 who presented County schools certificates of completion were recruited. The upper age limit of applicants in this class must not have been strictly limited as according to one of the certificates given to F. Safiullin he was 26 years old in the year of graduation. The admission was carried out on the basis of examinations in arithmetics, Russian, geometry and geography. Since the reception was limited the number of students was few. So in 1866 it had 2 teachers and the number of students was 25 while in 1870 there were 4 of the first while the second aggregated as 18. 14 students according to the documents received scholarship, two of them did not and the other two were external students. 16 of them were Orthodox Christians and two were Muslims by faith.

Only special disciplines were studied in the surveying-taxator class, the entire course consisted of theoretical and practical training. The theoretical course included subjects such as topography, levelling, sketching, illuminance, “longimetry”, planimetry, signing and overlaying plans, taxation, land surveying law and natural sciences. Practical training was conducted from May to July when the pupils were forming their surveying, planning, topography, leveling, and other kinds of a future land surveyor skills in the field .

After the graduation from this educational institution the certificate was granted, and after 6 years of working in the specialty the certificate was replaced with the testimonial. Integrally the status of this class’ graduates was quite high. So, exempt graduates were credited to a valid civil service with immediate 14-th category conferment. Graduates from poll-tax paying estates were exempted from the taxes, corporal punishment and recruiting duty, after 6 years of working they acquired a right to enter the civil service as well. As it is known according to the laws of that time the tax-paying estates representatives had no right to enter the civil service. I.e. surveying taxator class being in fact an initial vocational training institution provided its graduates the same rights as the higher Konstantin surveying institute alumni. In 1874 the surveying taxator class accomplished the last graduation after which it was closed.

3.3. Ufa surveying school

5 years after closing of the surveying taxator class on September 1st, 1879 in Ufa the surveying school was opened by means of transferring from Orenburg.

Ufa surveying school was a secondary agricultural educational institution which had become the third of this kind in Russia. The purpose of surveying schools was defined as “training of technicians for the execution of boundary, surveying and related works on indigenous land improvements and taxation research” (MATVEEV, 1913: 3).

The course of study in the school was stated as 3 years, boys of 15-19 years of all estates and faiths were accepted. Following documents were presented upon entrance: 1) birth certificate; 2) school-leaving certificate or certificate of education; 3) certificate of origin and recruiting district registration certificate; 4) certificate from the local Governor on political loyalty, and 5) one photograph attested by the police.

The applicants’ educational qualification should have been at least 4 classes of non-classical secondary school. Enrollees passed following entrance examinations: religion, Russian language and literature, arithmetics, algebra, geometry, Russian history in connection with the universal and geography. No exams might be taken by those who had completed successfully a course of 4-year non-classical secondary school, or 5 classes of national education Ministry gymnasiums, but with “mathematics and Russian language calibration tests”, in case if they dropped out of the schools not more than one year ago (ZGAO, f. I-19, op. 1, d. 3520, l. 96).

The number of the Ministry of justice scholarship holders or the so-called “ state-financed” ones was estimated as 20 people in each class in addition to them “the private-financed” ones could be accepted with annual tuition payment at the rate of 20 rubles. According to the rules those who had passed all the examinations not lower than 4 points were enrolled as scholarship holders (GALIULLINA, 2015: 400). There were 20 scholarships of the Agriculture and Government property ministries in Ufa surveying school except for the fellowships of the above-named agency. As a whole surveying schools were the most generous according to the amount of scholarships in specialized secondary education institutions. For example after 1909 Ufa surveying school received 16.800 rubles annually through scholarships. I.e. in these years about 80% of all students were enrolled at public expense. For comparison the similar Tiflis school received 15.300 rubles a year. In which connection it is interesting that a 2-year working-off was accepted just for the Ministries of Agriculture and Government property scholarship holders.

Because of a large number of state scholarships and also due to the fact that graduates receiving certain privileges had an opportunity to make a good career, competition in surveying schools was very high. So in 1912 involving 30 state-financed vacancies 297 petitions were handed in Ufa school (almost 10 people on one place), and only 45 students of this number were accepted. For reference with the same number of state-financed places there were 257 people interested in Tiflis school training, 236 people in Poltava and only 160 in Omsk (MATVEEV, 1913: 45).

After the surveying school graduation its leavers received the title of surveyor-taxator and were set equal to those who graduated from a first rank school. Graduated from the school with honors could be sent “at public expense to higher Konstantin surveying institute".

The changes that occurred in the late XIX century in the socio-economic sphere of the country became the reason for revision of surveying schools content of education. The three-year training period also failed to meet the needs of agricultural production. Therefore in 1909 a new Provision of surveying schools was adopted which transformed them into a 4-year educational institution. According the new rules the age of students accepted was increased to 20 years (NIZAMOVA, 2013: 164). Increased training course as before was divided into general and special disciplines.

So it was assigned that just up to 35.3% of the total time should be set on general subjects while 46.6% was assigned to special ones and 18.1 percent to graphic disciplines. All the three units of disciplines were interrelated, moreover general subjects conformed to the idea articulated in the aims of the school. I.e. speciality training was given special attention. If we consider that the lessons’ duration was equal to one and a half hours it turns out that the course load was quite intense.

One of the key features of the academic work organization in this school was that in two first years classes were held in the form of lessons. While in the last ones “the rehearsal system” was adopted when the teacher lectured on the subject and checked the level of achievement at the end of the quarter in a written or oral form.

Practical sessions were held in the warmer months mostly in the summer which consisted in performance of surveying drawing plans of the area. But this kind of the given school’s students activity was insufficiently developed, as it summarized by N. N. Kuzmin, “the time for practice was very little, its content was extremely simplified, which ultimately led to insufficient practical training” (KUZMIN, 1971: 209).

3.4. Primary agricultural schools and colleges

In 1883 “The stature of primary agricultural schools” was issued according to which it was allowed to zemstvas, other community organizations and individuals to establish such schools (CHERKASOV & SMIGEL, 2016: 422). The new law introduced some uniformity in the schools organization, the content of education, recommending to train students mainly in a practical way. After the release of “The Stature” primary agricultural schools obtained certain development on the South Ural territory. The arrangement initiators were provincial and the district zemstvas which repeatedly petitioned local and central government agencies. Thanks to their efforts along with direct participation in 1891 the school in Menzelinsk was opened which on the whole was financed from the budget of Ufa provincial zemstvo and was considered its property. 5 years later in 1896 with the federal agencies participation a similar school was opened in Belebey. Further development of the whole industry took place after the new “Stature of agricultural education” adoption in 1904 which delineated the whole diversity of educational institutions. In addition according to the law a new type of educational institutions – the lower agricultural school was created. The difference between schools and colleges was negligible thus the school admitted adolescents who graduated from a one-year school while the colleges accepted those who graduated from a two-year school. In “The Stature” the difference between them was defined as follows: “primary agricultural colleges were established to train for practical agricultural activities. Primary agricultural schools have the aim of training knowledgeable and skilled performers on agriculture predominantly by means of practice” (Kuzmin, 1971: 216).

In 1904 after the new provisions publication two primary agricultural colleges were opened in the region: Aksenov and Menzelinsk (Masino station). It should be noted that the fundamental difference in level of education between the colleges and the schools in the region did not exist. The accepted level of entrants was quite heterogeneous but in percentage terms it was about the same in each of them. And due to the heterogeneity of the entrants’ educational level in these schools except Aksenov school one - or two-year preparatory classes were organized.

Both types of the schools under investigation were 3-year elementary agricultural educational institutions. They were financed by the State Treasury and the zemstvas furthermore a part of the money earned by the schools’ operation formed their income as well as various contributions and donations (MAMAEVA, 2016: 45). Tuition fees were lacking, moreover most of the pupils were on a full state maintenance (including hostel, food, clothing, school supplies).

The schools’ objectives reflected the needs of developing agriculture in the region. So the purpose of the Menzelinsk school was formulated as follows: “the agriculture in general and cattle breeding, gardening, vegetable gardening and apiculture crafts as well as metalwork, blacksmithing and carpentry basic knowledge propagation among the people, mainly with the aid of practical exercises” (Ustav Menzelinskoj nizshej sel'skohozyajstvennoj shkoly 1-go razryada, s odnoletnim prigotovitel'nym klassom, (1891): 2). Interestingly the academic year started in October in some schools while in January in others. Boys of 14-15 years were admitted without any estate or other restrictions (except the score of ill health) on the basis of two-class rural primary school substantially (MOLCHANOVA, CHERKASOV & ŠMIGEĽ, 2013: 89).

If the number of applicants exceeded the amount of vacancies the entrance exam was conducted. The level of education among the intrants was heterogeneous, for example in 1897 42% of the Belebey school 52 students graduated from a two-year college, 29 percent of them graduated from a one-year college and 21% were the leavers of urban parish and other instititions. The social background of pupils varied as well, 63% of the Belebey school pupils were peasants, 24% of them were burghers, 6% of pupils descended from noble families and the rest were the children of officials and merchants. 88,5% were Orthodox by faith the others professed Moslem religion.

Training course of these institutions was legibly shared between theoretical subjects, practical training in agriculture, teaching demonstrative and craft studies (KORILOVA & MAGSUMOV, 2017).

Curriculum and programs suggest that in such schools knowledge and skills required for professional fields like agriculture, gardening, horticulture, apiculture, cattle breeding and craft were formed. The plan is quite detailed in reflecting the life style of the school’s students.

In theoretical classes students along with special disciplines extended general knowledge of advanced primary schools’ subjects where attention was focused on agriculture. The ratio of general subjects of special ones was optimal in our opinion constituting about 35-40%. Practical training in the winter period was taken concurrently with theoretical studies and occupied a half of the entire time. In the summer time students were engaged in practical work related to agriculture (VORON, 2012: 170). In need of the time for practical work in summer and winter could be increased. Each school has got its own farm for practical training including a fruit and a vegetable garden, an apiary and other crafts. As considering mechanical arts the classes were held during the studies of theoretical subjects. In relation to crafts each pupil initially formed his skills in all courses thereupon specialized more often in one of them which “he had to practice and learn”. Along with the aforementioned items singing lessons were conducted in all forms as well as hygiene in some schools. Moslem students studied Islamic dogmata instead of the God’s Law.

The educational process in the primary agricultural schools and colleges was aimed at the development of a specialist practically competent in all required areas of agriculture. The students’ vital activity in schools was very intensive; the total number of working hours per day along with the classwork was 8-10 hours, in addition not less than 2 hours in mode of the day was assigned to homework preparation. The Sundays and holidays were considered holidays but the students on duty performed the required work on self-service as well as the livestock care, etc in these days. Integrally in one of the schools up to 200 days were allotted to theoretical training and 140 days were assigned to agricultural practice. The holidays’ duration was only 20-25 days. All schools administered end-of-year and final examinations in theoretical subjects at the end of the school year and specifically practical ones in the fall (MOTOROVA, 2010: 122). Those students who failed the examination were kept on the same grade, but not more than twice during the entire period of studies.

Students who had passed their final examinations were to work off one year up in their specialty in any facility, “and provide report on their actions and observations as authenticated by the owner every four months”. Only after this test the students of these schools were considered as graduates and were given a certificate. Graduates with at least 5 years of experience in the specialty were awarded the title of the personal honorary citizen if they did not have any higher rank by origin.

Along with rural and government educational institutions there existed two private primary agricultural schools. Both schools were situated in Birsk district: they were Ivanovo school in the estate of A. I. Merger and Catherine’s school. There is not much data concerning these schools, it is known that the Ivanovo school was intended for persons of both sexes; both institutions had zemstvo scholarships.

In addition to these schools and colleges that form the total agricultural education certain institutions aimed at training specialists in individual sectors also operated in the region. These included: 1) Lyakhovsk school of apiculture, fruit growing and gardening for both sexes was located 30 miles from the Singac-Kul railway station. The school had enough financial support it was maintained by the state, provincial zemstvo annually paid 30 fellowships training , besides a well-known philanthropist A. D. Dashkov donated 100,000 rubles to the school; 2) Kluchevskaya practical school whose purpose was defined as “training skilled technician executives by main sectors of agriculture” which specialized in horticulture and bee-keeping; it was held by the zemstvo and was in situated within 5 versts from the Yumatovo station; 3) Agricultural orphanage school for Muhammadan girls was opened in 1909 in Ufa district and was maintained by M. S. Sheikhali. In 1910 the school trained 10 girls who studied horticulture, livestock farming foundation as well as weaving, cutting and sewing; 4) Novotroitskoye agricultural department attached to the zemstvo school (in Ufa district); 5) additional Agricultural class attached to Verkhnetroitskoe higher elementary school of Belebey district and 6) Berezovka school of butter manufacturing, cheese-making and cattle breeding opened in 1900 in Birsk district. The last named unlike all previous ones was the only one where specialists in the processing of agricultural products were trained. The school was a 2-year primary educational institution provided by the Ministry of agriculture.

3.5. Biklyan forest school

The next educational institution which may be classified as agricultural was Biklyan forest school opened within 15 versts from Elabuga in Menzelinsk district of Ufa government. The school operated under 1888 “The stature of forest schools”. Under this law 35 schools were established in Russia by 1909, and 43 more by 1913. Biklyan forest school was administered by the Ministries of Agriculture and State property by which was almost fully funded. In 1894 for example of 3545 rubles spent on its maintenance for the year only 162 rubles attributed to tuition fees.

The school was a two year primary professional institution whose aim was defined as “training individuals competent in forestry for the purpose of cultural inspectors, conductors and other lower of specialists on forest management substitution” [43]. Young men of all estates from the age of 16 graduated from not less than two-year village schools were accepted. The admission was carried out once a year only on the first grade on the basis of entrance examinations in the Russian language, arithmetics, geometry, geography and history. The number of students accepted each year was small averaging only 10 students, i.e. their maximum number could be up to 20. 15 of them were on full state maintenance, 5 students paid the tuitition (150 rubles a year) and were called “self-financed”. Besides at the discretion of the school headmaster day-boarders could be admitted paying half the fees. It should be noted that all categories of students (state-financed, day-boarders and self-financed) “received from the Treasury a room, a table, linen, dress, shoes, textbooks, and actually a full maintenance”. These circumstances and the possibility of obtaining certain privileges after graduation made her attractive to the privileged estates.

The school education had practice-oriented nature, it consisted in familiarizing students with the forestry work performance along with the formation of knowledge and skills required to a forest guard; theoretical data “was reported in the form of brief theses”. Therefore the curriculum provided both theoretical and practical training. Following general educational and special theoretical subjects were studied: “the God’s Law, Russian language, arithmetics, explanations of natural phenomena to the extent necessary to understand the basics of forestry, with a brief course of dendrometry and forest management, basic information on civil engineering with drafting, the necessary information of the forest law and hunting” (Biklyanskaya nizshaya lesnaya shkola Ministerstva zemledeliya i gosudarstvennyh imushchestv, 1913: 3). The program of general educational subjects included revision of municipal or district school subjects.

Practical training played a great part in the studies, it took place in forests and forestry givings, in addition a vegetable garden and small arboretum were attached to the school. There were not summer holidays in forest schools as this time of year was fully dedicated to practical exercises, which consisted of surveying and leveling of the terrain, preparation of technical estimates, draughts of the territory, the score of forest allotments, record-keeping as well as performing work on school grounds, the arboretum and its givings. Furthermore the students performed a variety of individual and microgroup practical tasks on which they reported in the course of training and during end-of-year and final examinations. According to N. N. Kuzmin’s research produced by him in relation to Kurgan forest school final examinations “were taken in a form of a written account on the given topic, in surveying, forestry and dendrometry work performance, an oral answer on forest law, record-keeping and giving explanation to collections, plans and draughts presented to the commission” (KUZ’MIN, 1971: 211).

Overall the forest school was a private educational institution: all the students were required to live in a government building and had no right to leave the territory, they were charged to comply with established rules of conduct. The students’ life activity in the dormitory and the school was built on the principles of self-education and self-service (TITOVA & LITVIN, 2015: 362). All work except the preparation of food was done by the students independently, for example, keeping the bedrooms and classrooms in order and cleanliness, lighting stoves, harvesting of firewood, washing clothes and linen, etc.

After the high school graduation state-financed fellowships were obliged to serve in the forestry department for 1.5 years for each of the training years. The graduates received certificates on the rank of a forest guard which was equal to the position of XIV class according to the Table of Ranks and had a right to the IX rank after the retirement excluding the right of promotion in rank. It should be mentioned that the forest guards’ salary was relatively high from 450 to 850 rubles per year; they were given traveling money (300 rbl.) in addition, provided with state housing, firewood, and 10 acres of land. Because of the lack of facts it is difficult to tell the number of graduates but for more than a quarter of a century of the school’s the activity about two hundred of forestry specialists were prepared presumably. Biklyan forest school was moved to a village Lubyany in 1921 on the basis of which Lubyansky timber enterprise college was created.

3.6. Ufa veterinary medical school

One of the agricultural specialists is a veterinarian whose occupation is focused on treatment, preservation and improvement of animal health. In pre-revolutionary Bashkiria as well as generally in Russia educational institutions training veterinarian specialists did not exist for a long time. The necessary knowledge and skills of animal care were originally formed in primary agricultural schools which in fact were established in the 70-ies of the XIX century. However, the development of the agricultural sector and its further specialization had led to the organization of special veterinary schools. The first and perhaps the only one of such kind of institutions in Bashkiria in the considered period was the veterinary medical school opened in Ufa in 1890 attached to the Ufa factory stables (Sistematicheskij svodnyj sbornik postanovlenij Ufimskogo gubernskogo zemskogo sobraniya za 35-letie: 1875-1909 gg., 1915: 140).

The school was opened with the funds of Ufa district council and its purpose was to train specialists in care and veterinary services of the named stable pedigree horses. Subsequently on the assignment of the councils the school began to train veterinarians for other farms in the province. The school can be rather arbitrary attributed to educational institutions in the full sense. Many because of the attributes of educational institutions were not clearly identified such as requirements for the applicants’ level of education, terms of training, curriculum and syllabus. Scarce information on the issue suggests that the theoretical grounding of the students was relatively shallow. A minor part of the study time was assigned to the classroom hours. The basis of training was a practical work in the stables where the students’ activity was organized under the guidance of their teachers. Practical work of the school’s students in the stables as a whole was not so much of the training sort as that of accomplishing utility tasks. It should be noted that certain disadvantages in the school’s training process were a consequence of the veterinary education’s low level of development in Russia. However the Ufa veterinary medical school met the households’ needs in the specialists to a certain extent and which is essential its experience certainly had an impact on the development of this sphere of education in succeeding years.

3.7. Other forms of agricultural education

In addition to all the aforementioned forms of agricultural education other measures for the propagation of necessary knowledge in agriculture existed (MAGSUMOV, 2015). In the budget of Ufa province council scholarships were provided for the graduates of Blagoveschensk teachers’ seminary who were aimed at going through the course on agriculture in Krasnoufimsk industrial and non-classical secondary schools (ALEKSEEVA, 2017: 22). Later similar scholarships were established in Menzelinsk and Catherine’s agricultural schools.

In 1892 the Ministry of national education suggested the conception of agricultural knowledge dissemination by dint of primary schools (SABIROV, 2013: 102). The idea was supported by local authorities, thus provincial zemstvo initiates the practice of 2- or 3-monthly courses organization for primary school teachers on gardening, horticulture and bee-keeping . Since 1893 similar courses attached to different educational institutions have become an annual event: in 1893 and 1894 in Birsk “national minority” teachers ' school, at the same time at the same school and Menzelinsk school simultaneously the next year, three courses were immediately organized in 1897. Along with this the councils began to appropriate funds for the construction of school gardens, orchards, apiaries; to endow them with land, to send the relevant literature, sabadilla, purchase garden tools.

Apart from these knowledge dissemination via public school some other forms may be distinguished within the councils’ activities such as: 1) organization of courses for other specialists besides teachers; 2) publication and dissemination of literature in Russian and other languages; 3) the people's readings, lectures, discussions realization; 4) “The Museum of tutorials” establishing; 5) periodic publication of “The Agricultural sheet” newspaper.

The urgency of the problem stated in the article is specified by insufficient level of scrutiny of the agrarian education system formation and functioning in the regions of Russia. The history of agricultural education in South Ural region of Russia first of all is a history of creation and development of specialized educational institutions that have evolved both in urban and in rural areas. The authors prove the idea that pre-revolutionary agrarian education in the regions of Russia had all the systemic characteristics. Two levels of the named education sector were formed in the region: the primary and the secondary. Agrarian education was multi-ethnic and multi-religious, so, along with Russian-speaking Bashkir and Tatar languages schools were established. And although the development of the named area was uneven however it was on an upward trend. The system of agrarian education in the regions of pre-revolutionary Russia became the basis for the new Soviet and even the modern educational system construction. The results obtained are relevant for the history of pedagogy and other sciences as they are complement for existing scientific knowledge concerning the genesis of the agricultural system and professional education the whole.

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1. Department of history and methods of its teaching. Naberezhnye Chelny State Pedagogical University, Russia. Ph.D. in History, Associate Professor. Contact e-mail: nabonid1@yandex.ru

2. Department of education. Bashkir State Pedagogical University, Russia. Dr. in Education, Professor. Contact e-mail: tahir-aminov@yandex.ru

3. Department of history and methods of its teaching. Naberezhnye Chelny State Pedagogical University, Russia. Dr. in History, Associate Professor. Contact e-mail: ivkornilova@list.ru

4. Department of geography and methods of its teaching. Naberezhnye Chelny State Pedagogical University, Russia. Ph.D. in Education, Associate Professor. Contact e-mail: am-geo@mail.ru

5. Department of pedagogic and psychology. Naberezhnye Chelny State Pedagogical University, Russia. Ph.D. in Education. Contact e-mail: leyla-1012@mail.ru

6. Department of theory and methods of primary and preschool education. Naberezhnye Chelny State Pedagogical University, Russia. Ph.D. in History, Associate Professor. Contact e-mail: maloks76@mail.ru