St. Petrischule

Categories / Science. Education/Educational Institutions
ST. PETRISCHULE situated at 10 Bolshaya Konyushennaya Street, a German school attached to St. Peter's Lutheran Church, the oldest school in St. Petersburg founded c. 1710. Scientist and teacher A. F. Busching, the school director, reorganised it into the School of Languages, Sciences, and Arts in 1762. He introduced lessons in Russian, ancient and modern languages, natural sciences, mathematics, and geography, as well as drawing, music, and dancing, provided as an additional extra-curriculum activity at extra charge. The school received official status and special patronage of Empress Catherine II in 1764. It was renamed as the Principal German Public School in 1783 with about 25 % of the pupils Russian. The course of studies in 1765 was three years; in 1785, five years for boys and three years for girls; in 1818, seven and three years, respectively; and eight and five years in 1842. It became a gymnasium in 1858. An actuality department was opened for boys in the 1860s, later reorganised into a Real school, a school with special emphasis on mathematics and physics. There were 251 pupils in 1786, 495 in 1810, and 726 in 1852. In 1916, the secondary boys' school numbered 349 pupils, the Real school had 298 pupils, and the women's gymnasium had 596 pupils. The school had the largest library in St. Petersburg. Among teachers working at the school in various times were: the explorer of Siberia E. G. Laxmann, poets I. M. Born and V. V. Popugaev, Pushkin's lyceum teacher A. I. Galich, and physicist O. D. Khvolson. Among charges were architect C. I. Rossi, sculptor R. R. Bach, Decembrists M. A. Fonvizin, A. F. Briggen, and A. A. Kryukov, physicians K. A. Rauchfus and P. F. Lesgaft, historians G. V. Foster, and A. I. Mikhaylovsky-Danilevsky, and composer M. P. Mussorgsky. The school was reorganised into a united labour school with some classes held in German until 1928.

References: Смирнов В. В., Ульянов Н. П. Старейшая школа // ЛП. 1985. № 6. С. 34-36; Jahresbericht der Deutschen Hauptschule zu St. Petri. SPb., 1912.

Е. М. Balashov. Abaza Alexander Aggeevich
Bach Robert Romanovich
Born Ivan Martynovich
Brigen Alexander Fedorovich, von der
Busching A.F.
Catherine II, Empress
Fonvizin Mikhail Alexandrovich
Forster G.V.
Galich Alexander Ivanovich
Khvolson Orest Danilovich
Kryukov Alexander Alexandrovich
Laxmann Erik (Kirill) Gustavovich
Lesgaft Peter Franzevich
Mikhaylovsky-Danilevsky Alexey Ivanovich
Mussorgsky Modest Petrovich
Popugaev Vasily Vasilievich
Pushkin Alexander Sergeevich
Rauchfus Karl Andreevich
Rossi Carl Ivanovich (Carlo Giovanni)
Bolshaya Konyushennaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 10
Jahresbericht der Deutschen Hauptschule zu St. Petri. SPb., 1912
Смирнов В. В., Ульянов Н. П. Старейшая школа // Ленингр. панорама, 1985 St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
1710