HONORARY TRUSTEE AND DIRECTOR OF THE WOMEN'S PEDAGOGICAL INSTITUTE: BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE (1902-1907)

Abstract

The business correspondence of the director of the Women's Pedagogical Institute, S.F. Platonov, addressed to the Honorary Trustee, Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, is introduced into scientific circulation. This significant layer of information, sometimes about the daily functioning of a higher women's educational institution, allows you to fully fill in its unknown pages. Of particular interest is the form and style of writing the document, its final part, and the title of the august person. We get important information from concise resolutions written by the hand of the Grand Duke. The entire daily life of the institute took place under the guidance of the director, he was the only mediator with the Honorary Trustee, while all, even minor issues had to be coordinated with him. But he did not interfere in the affairs of the educational process, inviting teachers, relying on the choice and experience of S.F. Platonov. Without exception, all the director's decisions were supported in the Marble Palace, the residence of the Grand Duke. But his name and position broke through the walls of the highest-level official corridors when solving crucial issues, for example, financing, including construction work on the new building of the institute, gymnasium, approval of the "Regulations" on the institute, benefits for professors. Communication was mainly through the sending of written documents, but the Grand Duke, although rarely visited the institute. Dozens of names are mentioned in business papers: teachers, gymnasium teachers, classroom supervisors, students, even support staff, which makes them an interesting historical source.