Student labor squads in the Olonets Province in 1915–1916

This article explores the formation and activities of labor squads in the Olonets Province during World War I. Its scholarly novelty lies in the fact that, for the first time, it examines the establishment and operation of student squads within the province through the analysis of archival and published sources. The relevance of this topic stems from the need to understand the history of student squads as a form of youth organization dedicated to addressing significant social issues. The aims and objectives of this study are to identify their funding sources, the number and management of squads, and the total number of participants. Additionally, the research highlights the role of student squads in providing assistance to the families of peasants mobilized for military service. It also seeks to uncover the main challenges encountered during the creation of these labor groups. The study found that in the Olonets Province, the formation of labor squads began only in 1915, starting with a squad established at the Olonets Men’s Gymnasium. In 1916, student squads were formed at municipal educational institutions in Petrozavodsk, Lodeynoye Pole, Pudozh, and Olonets, as well as at rural schools in the Kargopol, Lodeynoye Pole, and Olonets districts. These squads supported peasant farms of reserve and mobilized lower-rank soldiers’ families by assisting with haymaking and harvesting. In the same year, vegetable gardening squads were created to grow produce for the army and hospitals. The vegetable gardening squad affiliated with the Ilyinskoye Ministerial School in the Olonets Uyezd achieved the most notable success in this endeavor. The research also identified ambiguous processes in the formation of school squads and the reasons for their absence in certain districts of the Olonets Province primarily linked to students’ involvement in seasonal employment, which affected their participation in squad activities.