The Institution of Honorary Supervisors in the System of Public Education of the Russian Empire in the First Half of the 19th Century (The Case of the Kharkov Educational District): Duties, Career, Social Status, and Education Level. Part 2

Abstract

In this work, the authors continue to explore the institution of honorary supervisors in the system of public education of the Russian Empire in the first half of the 19th century. Based on data from various related publications and archival materials, the authors have analyzed the dynamics of change in the number of honorary supervisors in schools within the Kharkov Educational District at the time. During the period under review, the number of this type of functionaries grew steadily, which attests to the high popularity of the post of honorary supervisor among the nobility. While it did not profit those who held it financially, the post could help raise their social status significantly. It is difficult to establish the educational level of honorary supervisors, as service records did not always reflect this. At the same time, serving as an honorary supervisor involved active engagement in official correspondence with local authorities, the university senior management, etc. This suggests that the overwhelming majority of honorary supervisors in the Russian Empire did have an education. The authors are convinced that further research into the institution of honorary supervisors and practices related to the institution of trusteeship within in the system of public education of the Russian Empire remains a relevant and promising line of research. It can offer valuable insights into the advisability of implementing some of the more effective elements of said practices in the present-day education system.