Boarding House of Education

Categories / Social Life/Charity
BOARDING HOUSE OF EDUCATION, Imperial St. Petersburg, charitable establishment. Founded in 1770 on the initiative and plans of I.I. Betskoy to take care of illegitimate children, orphans and children of the poor. Originally it was located on Millionnaya Street in the building of the former pawn-shop. Pupils remained in the Boarding House until they came of age (21) and received mainly primary education. In 1771 a maternity hospital was established (from 1835 St. Petersburg obstetrical establishment), in 1772 it established lending institutions: the Loan Treasury and Safe Treasury, the House operated on the income thus generated (other sources of financing came from the monopoly on playing-cards sale, incomes from public balls and private donations). Founding hospital was controlled by the Board of Trustees (located at 7 Bolshaya Meshchanskaya Street); its members were called honorary guardians. In 1797 the Boarding House of Education passed under the control of Empress Maria Fedorovna and moved to the former Palace of Count K.G. Razumovsky at 48 Moika River Embankment (see Palace of Razumovsky). From 1828 the Boarding House of Education formed a part of Empress Maria's Establishments Department. In 1834 Orphan's Department was quartered in the former Palace of Razumovsky (from 1837 - Nikolaevsky Orphanage), and to accommodate the Boarding House of Education in the early 19th century the building was bought (52 Moika River Embankment), rebuilt in 1839-43 by architect P.S. Plavov. In 1872 the Church of Mary Magdalene was consecrated. In 1868 the bust of Betskoy was unveiled in front of the Boarding House (sculptor N.A. Lavretsky from the original of Y.I. Zemelgak, 1803). In the first 100 years of its existence the Boarding House took care of about 370,000 pupils, but the death-rate was rather high (in the late 18th century over 80 % of infants under one year of age died, in 1881 over 20%, and in 1890 over 10%). In 1851 the Nanny Department (later a school) was founded for educating pupils, in 1864 it became the School of Village Teachers (from 1867 Teachers College) and in 1867 Women’s College, there was also a summer department. In early 1918 the Boarding House was abolished, today its building houses the Pedagogical University.

Reference: Тарапыгин Ф. А. Материалы для истории Императорского С.-Петербургского воспитательного дома. СПб., 1878.

M. V. Shkarovsky. Betskoy (Betsky) Ivan Ivanovich
Laveretsky Nikolay Akimovich
Maria Fedorovna, Empress
Plavov Peter Sergeevich
Razumovsky Kirill Grigorievich, Count
Zemelgak Yakov Ivanovich
Kazanskaya Street/Saint Petersburg, city, house 7
Millionnaya St./Saint Petersburg, city
Moika River Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city, house 48
Moika River Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city, house 52
Тарапыгин Ф. А. Материалы для истории Императорского С.-Петербургского воспитательного дома. СПб., 1878 Razumovsky Palace
Empress Maria's Department of Institutions
Pedagogical University
1771
1770