The practice of national education financing in the second half of the XIX century - the beginning of the XX century (based on the materials of the Vologda province)

The appearance in 2011 in Russia of number of projects and programs aimed at modernizing the education system, such as the project “Modernization of the general education” aimed at increasing teachers’ salaries, “Modernization of the regional systems of general education”, Federal Target Program for the Development of Education in 2011 – 2015 years, and the priority national project “Education” for 2011 – 2013 suggest that the current government is concerned about the state of education.

There is an intensive search for the most appropriate to modern conditions for forms and methods of education and upbringing in Russian society. Comprehension of the most valuable historical experience of financing the system of primary education in Russia in the second half of the XIX century – the beginning of the XX century (on materials of the Vologda Guberniya (further – Province) makes it possible to compare and analyze objects, shapes, types and sources of primary education financing.

The study of the problem of financing public education in the Vologda province is based on such sources as legislative acts of central bodies of state authority, clerical materials of the public and district institutions, a number of statistical sources, and unpublished archival materials of funds “Vologda Province Zemstvo” and “Vologda diocesan statements” of the State archive of the Vologda region.

In the second half of the XIX century – the beginning of the XX century the state took an active part in the education of the population and considered appropriate to encourage popular schooling.

In 1860 in the Vologda province four main types of schools worked: “School lite-racy”, parish, zemstvo schools, and ministerial two-class school [19, p. 5]. The reform of 1864 gave a certain impetus to the development of primary education. In large part this was due to the activities of zemstvo – local authorities, onto which the government shifted the care about the financial situation of schools and spreading of literacy among peasant children (Law “On the zemstvo institutions” from January 1, 1864) [12, p. 12].

Zemstvo begins the work with the developing and maintainance those rural schools (mostly parochial),in work of which public was interested, and depending on the funds that were collected from peasants for the maintenance of schools and colleges, which was in the middle of the XIX Century 6 cents per person, amounting to 987 rubles. Zemstvo schools owed its appearance to local self-government, mainly existed at their expense, with the direct assistance the state and rural communities. Funding sources zemstvo schools were: the Treasury assets, zemstvo (territorial) levy, levy from rural communities, donations from private individuals, churches, monasteries, fees for teaching (peasant levy) and other sources [12, p. 12].

Due to the fact that according to the decision of the State Council on February 11, 1867 special school levy from state peasants had been stopped, and since 1871 the zemstvo itself was obliged to take part in ensuring the maintenance schools (Ministry of Interior circular of 24 November 1867 and December 21, 1868 number 21), then the latter primarily had to take care of the maintenance of already existing rural schools. Expenditure of zemstvo on primary education were classified as non-binding, and therefore the zemstvo at first gave allowances to rural with civil society, which included school and did not have a specific purpose, were used to issue “awards” that is, irregular additional payments to the salary for teachers [9, p. 256].

Gradually, as the increase of the activity of the district and provincial zemstvo, promotion of rural societies, collecting from the peasants for the maintenance of schools and colleges (6 cents per person), the number of schools began to increase, which affected the number of children attending school. The number of literates in the counties was about one person per 100 illiterates [3, file 85, list 5-11].

Data on the increase in the number of students in the Vologda province for five decades are presented in table 1 .

As shown in table, the number of students is constantly increasing. At the same time for the content of elementary schools in the cities urban society, rural schools and schools maintained by means of district and provincial zemstvo, partly at the expense of the Ministry of Education and rural communities were responsible. A small number of girls enrolled due to the fact that the young peasant woman engaged to a greater degree of household, education of the younger children and because of the hardships of daily life have not been able to attend school.

In 1871, the process of opening of zemstvo schools was observed in the Vologda province. The average amount for the maintenance of a primary school was 526 rub. per year, the consumable part of which consisted of salaries: a catechist – 75 rub.; a teacher of Science – 350 rub.; crafts teacher – 50 rub., costs “to class economic needs” – 30 rub., expenses “for heating and lighting” – 21 rub. Part of the sum, namely, 226 rub. was released each year by the Ministry of Education, other resources; namely, 300 rub. were based on investments by zemstvo and rural societies [14, p.180]. These amounts show so high the social and material teacher’s level was, because 345 rub. in the year were enough for a teacher to food, shoes, clothing, travel, and support for families [17, p. 16]; in addition zemstvo took part in the lives of teachers by providing them with flats and apartment money (about 67 rubles per year), and rural communities by incurring economic expenses [4].

Table 1. The growing number of pupils in primary schools of Vologda for the period from 1865 to 1913

Year of study	Number of students for the new academic years
	Boys	Girls	Total
1865	7546	1111	8657
1874	8295	1161	9456
1875	8756	1143	9899
1876	8985	1341	10326
1877	9410	1443	10853
1878	9455	1646	11101
1879	10034	1750	11784
1880	10257	1906	12163
1881	10564	2077	12641
1882	10971	2095	13066
1883	11739	2139	13878
1903	15040	4196	19236
1904	13312	4070	17382
1905	16349	5258	21607
1907	17298	5496	22794
1909	20939	6745	27684
1910	23754	8423	32177
1911	-	-	35943
1912	-	-	40866
1913	31396	12667	44063

Compiled by: The memorial book of the Vologda region in 1865 – 1866 years. Vologda, 1866. P. 102; Primary education in the Vologda province according to the 1898 – 1899. T. 2. Yaroslavl, Vologda, 1902. Pp. 7, 81, 90;

Losev S. On the lower schools in the province of Vologda in 1910. Arkhangelsk, 1911. P. 74; SAVO (State Archive of the Vologda Oblast). F. 34. File 1071. List 7; Journals of the Vologda province zemstvo assembly. Reports of the council of public education in 1870. Vologda. Pp. 173-174; Current school statistics of the Vologda province zemstvo. Vologda, 1904. Issue 1. Pp. 4-24; 1905. P. 7; 1906. P. 4; 1908. P. 6; 1910. P. 6; 1911. P. 6; 1912. P. 5; 1913. P. 6; 1914. P. 6; Brief statistical outline of teaching and educational affairs for the 1892. The memorial book of the Vologda region in 1893 – 1894. Pp. 137-140.

This system lasted until the mid-1890s, when the zemstvo schools were maintained by the joint means of rural societies and zemstvo, and in direct state aid. During the 1890s, zemstvo had to incur all the costs itself, with the support of the state [9, p. 370]. The Vologda province took 22nd place (19%) of 34 provinces on the degree of involvement of the Treasury in the maintenance of primary public schools among other provinces and regions [12, p. 237].

Caring about the needs of zemstvo schools distributed between local authorities: district and provincial zemstvo assemblies and boards. In general, the zemstvo schools are in a better position in contrast to other types of schools that finds confirmation in the records of county zemstvo: higher wages of teachers, more diverse educational and ancillary benefits, more adap- ted premises for the educational process, etc. By the regulations of 1874 trustees had been eliminated from participation in the Board of the zemstvo schools that were permitted by the Regulations of 1864. In fact, heads of public school became the inspectors of public schools who had been granted the right to appoint and dismiss teachers [2, p. 183].

Since 1871, expenditures for maintenance of primary schools were budgeted annually the Vologda provincial zemstvo, which was the main source of taxing real estate: land, houses, industrial and trade institutions. The sources of zemstvo income also were benefits from the Treasury on the development of primary education, “zachety” (free cash amounts of zemstvo that do not have a specific purpose), the levies from the documents on the right of trade and crafts [5].

For nine years (1873 – 1881) the percentage allocated to primary education in total costs of provincial zemstvo was 5.4. From 1881 to 1897 the district council allocated only 1.7% for primary education that is explained by the fact of the support of secondary schools with the provincial importance and caring about the primary education was rested with the district zemstvo. In 1897 the position of provincial zemstvo changed somewhat and February 27, 1897, it excited the petition to adopt the means of the treasury on some of the costs to the vacated amounts were used to the strengthening of public education. In 1899, a “special capital” for the needs of public education in the province through contributions of per cents from the provincial reserve fund was established [13, p. 254].

Allocation of responsibilities for the maintenance of primary schools between rural communities and county zemstvo had hap- pened to the 70s of the XIX century, since that time the peasants began to build schools, develop or hire the room for them, keep guards; and such duties as supplying schools manuals and guides, keeping of teaching staff, setting up of school libraries were fixed for zemstvo. But with the 1880 – 1890’s establishments of zemstvo gradually forced to take these functions for themselves. The process of increasing the district zemstvo’s outlays in the second half of the XIX century on primary education is presented in table 3.

The analysis of these district zemstvo’s costs on primary education in 1871 – 1898, shows, that it was the process of increasing the outlays of district zemstvo on primary education in the second half of XIX century. Thus, for the 27-year period (1871 – 1898) expenses of district zemstvo on public education has increased 7.3 times, while the total cost increased only by 4.6 times during this period.

Table 2. The costs of the Vologda Province Zemstvo on primary education (1873 – 1897)

Years	Costs in all, rub.	Including costs on primary education, rub.	The share of costs on primary education in general, %
1873	35300	3500	9,9
1875	73676	2900	3,9
1880	109323	4650	4,3
1885	112720	2980	2,6
1890	124976	1380	1,1
1895	165301	2680	1,6
1897	326702	3230	1,0
The table has been compiled by: Primary Education in Vologda province according to the data for 1898 – 1899 years. T. 2. Yaroslavl,
Vologda, 1902. P. 63.

Table 3. The costs of the district Zemstvo on primary education (1871 – 1910)

Years	Costs in all (In rubles)	Including costs on primary education	The share of costson primary education in general (in%)
1873	364309	42600	11.7
1875	480309	69756	14.5
1880	666654	90512	13.6
1885	802555	117645	14.7
1890	840497	135148	16.1
1895	1181135	127612	10.8
1905	-	259563	-
1910	-	592765	-
The table has been compiled by: Primary education in Vologda province according to the data for 1898 – 1899 years. Vol 2. Yaroslavl, Vologda, 1902. P. 77, Appendix; Current school statistics of the Vologda Province Zemstvo. Issue 3. Vologda, 1906. P. 19; Issue 7. 1909; Issue 8. 1910. P. 100.

In the 90 years of the nineteenth century, Vologda local boards attempted to reduce the outlay on schools by the way of transfer them to the Diocesan school Board. For example, in 1885, 6 schools (‘Uchilishe’) and 21 parochial school under the resolution of zemstvo assembly in Velsky, Vologda, Gryazovetsky, Kad-nikovsky, Nikolsky, Solvychegodsky, Totemsky, Ustsysolsky, Ustyugsky, Yarensky districts were transferred to the Diocesan control [3, file 453, list 58.]. This action was prompted by the desire of zemstvo institutions to reduce the cost on maintenance of schools and colleges as well as zemstvo was not interested in the development of zemstvo school and did not try to compete with the diocesan schools. But the situation had changed soon, that affected the amounts allocated by zemstvo establishments for the maintenance of zemstvo schools [12, p. 77]. The data on the amounts which were allocated by district zemstvo on keeping of zemstvo schools, are presented in table 4 .

The increase zemstvo budget for the maintenance of schools in 1897 in Vologda, and Gryazovetsky, Kadnikovsky districts was due to the establishment of new zemstvo schools. Increase of the budget in Ustsysolsky district had been because of means were transfered to the construction of school buildings, the reduction in 1891 in Solvychegodsky and Ust- yugsky districts had been because of transfers zemstvo schools to ecclesiastical control. Sharp lowering of spending on primary education in Nikolsky district in 1895 was due to the fact that the zemstvo budget was approved by the Administration, as zemstvo assemblies in this district were not conducted.

Thus, keeping primary schools the district and provincial zemstvo transfered funds to the zemstvo schools, funded parish schools and literacy schools, supported ministerial colleges (schools) and private schools. As a result, for the period from 1905 to 1915 the total number of schools and colleges in Vologda province has increased by 564 schools. Thus, the development of primary education in Vologda province was accompanied by improving the material conditions of zemstvo schools, the main sources of income for their existence were the local authorities and the state. Reorganization being carried out in school affairs ought to unite center and regions into integral cultural space. The historical experience of financing primary education deserve consideration at the stage of updating the current system of education, and it should apply, because all powers of local self-government, non-repayable grants, loans, the Treasury and public initiative were directed to the development of public education in the village.

Table 4. Amounts transferred by district zemstvo for the maintenance of the zemstvo schools (1888 – 1898)

Years	Districts
	о)	>	CD	]| s	о s	о co	E о H	о	о	I	1
1888	12801	-	6572	9106	-	12337	11356	9956	15855	-	77983
1890	10817	-	6458	8522	-	10925	11113	13494	11791	-	73120
1895	10192	-	8688	11399	16480	2500	13247	14484	4588	-	81578
1897	12997	-	15731	13891	16061	4980	13245	18243	5163	-	100311
1898	17206	11471	15780	19425	27095	5170	13275	17636	9230	-	136288

The table has been compiled by: Journals of the Vologda district Zemstvo Assembly emergency sessions. Vologda, 1907. P. 5; SAVO. Fund 34. Inventory 1. File 453. List 58.