The System of Public Education in Astrakhan Governorate in the second half of the\r\n19th and early 20th centuries. Part 1

This set of articles relies on reference and memorandum books from the period 1873–1917 to\r\nexplore the development of the system of public education in Astrakhan Governorate. This is the\r\nfirst piece in the set. It examines the region’s geographic, economic, and social characteristics and\r\nprovides an insight into the state of affairs in its education sector as at 1873, i.e. the study’s lower\r\nchronological limit.\r\nThe principal sources used in this study are the Memorandum Books for Astrakhan\r\nGovernorate, relevant statistical descriptions, and relevant laws and regulations. Use was also\r\nmade of relevant archival documents from the National Archive of the Republic of Tatarstan\r\n(Kazan, Russian Federation). These sources contain official correspondence on the organization of\r\nthe educational process in the region.\r\nMethodologically, use was made of sets of historical (historical-systematic, historicalcomparative, historical-typological, historical-genetic, and historical-statistical) and general\r\n(synthetic analysis, content analysis, and systems analysis) research methods.\r\nThe system of public education in Astrakhan Governorate was not as advanced as that in\r\nmany other regions of Russia. There were difficulties, especially in the early 19th century, associated\r\nwith the Russification of the region. As at 1873, the governorate had 38 educational institutions\r\nwith a combined enrollment of 2,395 (1,702 boys and 693 girls).