Voluntary University, 1862

Categories / Science. Education/Educational Institutions
VOLUNTARY UNIVERSITY is the name for a series of lectures given in January-March 1862 at the City Duma and Peterschule. The courses were opened on chargeable basis after the closure of St.Petersburg University in connection with students' disturbances in the autumn of 1861. Lectures on mathematics, physics and astronomy were held in the buildings of the Academy of Sciences and the Naval Corps. The Free University was organised by the Students' Committee with the support of the professors of the St. Petersburg University. A. N. Beketov, N. I. Kostomarov, D. I. Mendeleev, P. V. Pavlov, I. M. Sechenov, V. D. Spasovich, M. M. Stasyulevich, A. S. Famintsyn et al. gave lectures for free. Approximately 1,000 to 2,000 people attended the lectures. The Free University was under the permanent control of the Third Department, the Ministry of People's Education and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Professor Pavlov was exiled from the capital for criticising autocracy in his lectures. This event caused the split between the organizers what led to closing of the Voluntary University.

References: Эймонтова Р. Г. Русские университеты на грани двух эпох: От России крепостной к России капиталистической. М., 1985. С. 300-321.

А. P. Kupaygorodskaya. Beketov Andrey Nikolaevich
Famintsyn Andrey Sergeevich
Kostomarov Nikolay Ivanovich
Mendeleev Dmitry Ivanovich
Pavlov Platon Vasilievich
Sechenov Ivan Mikhailovich
Spasovich Vladimir Danilovich
Stasyulevich Mikhail Matveevich
Эймонтова Р. Г. Русские университеты на грани двух эпох: От России крепостной к России капиталистической. М., 1985 City Duma
St. Petrischule
Naval Cadet Corps
Russian Academy of Sciences
Ministry of Public Education
Ministry of Internal Affairs