Ilya Fedorovich Timkovsky: the first mentor of K. D. Ushinsky. On the 250th anniversary of a prominent Russian teacher

The article was prepared in connection with the 250th anniversary of the prominent Russian teacher Ilya Fedorovich Timkovsky (1772-1853), who left his unique mark in the history of Russian education. Little-known facts of I. F. Timkovsky's biography are given. His organizational and administrative activities during the preparation for the opening of one of the first Russian universities, Kharkiv University, as well as the director of the gymnasium in Novgorod-Seversk, Chernihiv province, in the years when Konstantin Ushinsky studied there, are described in detail. Timkovsky's contribution to philological science is shown. The personality of I. F. Timkovsky is represented mainly in the memories, which were left by his colleagues and students K. D. Ushinsky and M. K. Chaly. The memoirs of I. F. Timkovsky are given, which allow us to more clearly present some historical events, of which he was a participant and witness. It is concluded that I. F. Timkovsky occupies a worthy place in the history of Russian education.