The History of the public education system in Vilna governorate (the second half of the 19th and the early 20th centuries). Part 2

Abstract

This paper examines the public education system in Vilna Governorate in the period between the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century. This part of the paper analyzes the system's development in the period 1880-1908. In putting this work together, the authors drew upon a pool of statistical data published in Memorandum Books for Vilna Governorate in the period from 1880 to 1913, as well as an array of statistical data on the Vilna Educational District published in the scholarly journal Zhurnal Ministerstva Narodnogo Prosveshcheniya. The authors also made use of certain regulatory documents. The authors conclude by noting that during the period 1880-1908 the region witnessed a gradual increase in the number of educational institutions and students (a definite rise of at least three times). Estates-wise, the period was characterized by a sharp increase in students from rural areas and a drop in those who were the children of nobles and functionaries. In terms of students' religious affiliation, the way was led by Orthodox Christians, followed by Catholics and then Jews.