Ilya Ulyanov - a great Russian enlightener of the 19th century: biography, family, achievements

Ulyanov Ilya Nikolaevich is a great Russian statesman in the sphere of education of the 19th century.

He made a significant contribution to the development of public education in the country, initiated a number of important initiatives in the field of education. Thanks to him, innovative forms of education were introduced in educational institutions, and the teachers themselves began to pass qualification courses. Teaching professionals began to teach the people.

Childhood of Ilya Ulyanov

July 14, 1831 in the family of a runaway peasant from the Nizhny Novgorod province, settled in Astrakhan, Ilya Ulyanov was born.

His father, Nikolai Vasilyevich, a peasant from the landowner Brekhov of the Nizhny Novgorod province, who did not get free, fled in 1791 to the Astrakhan province. In 1797 he got free on conditions of compulsory residence in the region. From this time, Nikolai Vasilyevich begins to master the tailoring trade, enters the shop of tailors.

Ilya's mother, Smirnova Anna Alekseevna, was younger than her husband for 19 years.

In five years Ilya lost his father. The whole burden of care fell on the elder brother of Ilya Vasily, who remained the only breadwinner in the family.

Still, the absence of the father did not become a disaster for the boy, since Vasily fully replaced his parent. From an early age, Ilya Ulyanov proved to be an apt pupil. Having made an exception, he was admitted to the Astrakhan Men's Gymnasium, which he graduated in 1850, becoming the first schoolboy in the history of the school to receive a silver medal.

Student years

Ilya Ulyanov, whose biography began with difficult events and facts (the absence of a father-breadwinner, a large family), still did not abandon his desire for knowledge.

In 1850 he enrolled in the Kazan University at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics. The young man was very lucky: the educational institution was headed by an outstanding scientist NI Lobachevsky, who was distinguished by his progressive views on pedagogy, science and society. Thanks to him, the views of the young Ilya Nikolaevich were formed.

As a student, the young man studied at the meteorological and astronomical observatory. This contributed to the fact that Ulyanov, IN receives the degree of candidate of mathematical sciences for the work "Olbers Method and its application to the determination of the orbit of Comet Klinkerfus."

In 1854 he graduated from the university.

Beginning of pedagogical activity

In the middle of 1855, a young scientist was appointed a teacher of mathematics and physics at the Penza Nobility Institute.

Here Ulyanov continues meteorological observations on the orders of his teacher NI Lobachevsky.

In fact, Penza for Ulyanov I.N. Became the beginning of his independent activity in pedagogy, science, and society. Here Ulyanov Ilya proved himself to be a highly qualified teacher and educator. He owns a number of initiatives in the field of education.

At the same time, the work gave him the skills of a leader, who developed in the following years.

In Penza Ulyanov, IN meets Maria Alexandrovna Blank, who becomes his wife, who subsequently gave him six children.

In 1863, they moved to Nizhny Novgorod, where the head of the family received the post of senior teacher of mathematics and physics in the men's gymnasium. At the same time, he leads teaching and educational work in other educational institutions. At the same time he shows a creative approach to the educational process. Gradually, he has his own pedagogical system and views on education.

Ulyanov's activities in the field of public education

In 1869, Ilya Ulyanov was appointed by the Ministry of Public Education as an inspector of the national schools of Simbirsk province, and five years later - director of public schools. The last appointment extended the possibilities of an innovator pedagogue.

Director Ulyanov first of all personally got acquainted with the state of the schools. It was deplorable: out of 421 schools only 89 worked, and more than a third of teachers were not professionals, they were replaced by parish priests. The zemstvo authorities were demonstratively inactive.

Energetic and selfless, IN Ulyanov was able to win over to his side the progressive circles of the province. Soon Simbirsk province became one of the best in the sphere of public education.

Achievements of IN Ulyanov in the field of public education

Ilya Ulyanov, whose achievements in the sphere of public education cause deep respect for him among all progressive people of the past and present time, carried out a tremendous effort to improve the education system in Russia.

Under his leadership in 1872, the Poretsk Teacher's Seminary was opened, which prepared a whole galaxy of "Ulyanovsk" teachers. Professors came to school.

In the Middle Volga region, for the first time, a whole network of schools was established for Mordovian, Chuvash and Tatar children. The training was conducted in their native language.

The number of educational institutions has increased in the province. Only the number of Chuvash schools was brought up to thirty-eight. There were more than two hundred new buildings for educational institutions.

The archives confirm that Ilya Nikolayevich donated personal funds to new schools, the publication of textbooks.

Interesting Facts

Ilya Nikolayevich could well bear the name Ulyanin, since the documents of the State Archives of the Astrakhan Region show that his father's surname was originally that. This fact is confirmed by the State Archives of the Gorky Region, where documents have been found about Ulyanov's grandfather, Nikita Grigorievich Ulianin.

But how did the name Ulyanov appear? As it turned out, at the whim of officials.

As you know, Nikolai Vasilyevich, the father of Ilya, lived with his family in Astrakhan in his own house. In 1823, for failing to pay taxes and other duties, he falls into the "Gazette about Astrakhan petty bourgeois", but already under the name of Ulyanov. Since that time he is always referred to as Ulyanov.

Finally

January 24, 1886, died suddenly Ulyanov Ilya Nikolaevich, whose biography is filled with noble deeds in the name of public education. The memory of him is immortalized by a bust in Ulyanovsk.

Years will pass, but the contribution of the great enlightener of the XIX century Ulyanova IN will remain an enduring value for Russia.