The activities of the municipal self-government bodies of the Tambov province county towns for the development of public education in the second half of the 19th – early 20th century

Importance. The educational sphere development, regardless of the historical epoch, is a soughtafter area of social modernization. The forms and methods of education are being transformed, scientific knowledge is expanding, changing in the conditions of social progress, and activities for material, technical, and political support of the educational process are being improved. In this regard, the systematization and analysis of the developed practice are constant necessary components of progress in the educational field. The purpose of the study is to identify and characterize the actual activities of the city government for the development of public education in the county centers of Tambov province in the second half of the 19th – early 20th century.Materials and Methods. The study source base is made up of materials from the collections of the Russian State Historical Archive and the State Archive of the Tambov region. Statistical calculations have been prepared on the basis of Surveys of the Tambov province. The regulatory mechanisms are defined in accordance with the most highly approved regulations, legalizations and orders of the Government in the field of education and self-government. The methodological basis of the research is based on the general scientific method of analysis, statistical method, systematic approach, as well as the objectivity and historicism principles.Results and Discussion. The actual activities of cities for the public education development are diverse and occupied an important position in municipal politics. Among the main directions are: the opening of new and modernization of existing educational organizations; the organization of allowances for the educational institutions maintenance; solving the current financial problems of students, teachers and administrative workers; organizing charitable initiatives of urban communities and individual patrons; finally, interaction with zemstvos and the Ministry of Public Education in order to improve the local education system.Conclusions. The activities of the city government for the public education development are distinguished by the representatives’ active creative position of the urban community. Municipalities could not directly participate in internal organizational mechanisms, but sought to create favorable conditions for the education sector development, not limited to compliance with formal obligations. The actual functions variety of self-government and fruitful interaction with society, government agencies and the church ensured the qualitative development of the education system in the province and developed a positive experience of cooperation.

public education, educational establishments, local government, city councils, city councils, county towns, Tambov province