Modernization, which consisted in the transition from feudalism to capitalism in post-reform Russia, had a significant impact on education. Due to the fact that the Russian Empire was a classic world economy with a large city at its center, it varied in the development of different territories. In the Tomsk Province, as well as in the center of the country, there was a large city — Tomsk, and smaller cities in the same way included the surrounding territories in their sphere of economic and socio-cultural influence. In order to replenish the staff, pedagogical classes were organized in gymnasiums. They were of particular relevance for Siberia, where there was only one university at the beginning of the 20th century. Detailed sources remained on the pedagogical class of the Barnaul First Women's Gymnasium. In this regard, it is relevant to study this topic on the materials of this gymnasium. The preserved protocols of the trial lessons contain information about the requirements for teachers and students in pedagogical class. The experience of prerevolutionary gymnasiums can be useful in our time.

The article deals with the information about the parents' committee in Biysk Nikolayevskaya Women's Gymnasium in the early 20th century. Parents' committees were an important part of gymnasium life, but little attention is paid to their studying. Minutes of the meetings of the parents' committee of the Biysk Women's Gymnasium have been preserved, which contain information about the thinking of the students' parents at that time. In addition, details of the daily life of the students were mentioned in the discussions. The modernization in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, which consisted in the transition from feudalism to capitalism, had a strong impact on the mentality of Russian society. It was also reflected in the life of educational institutions. Modernist features appeared in society, but at the same time many traditional ones remained. The gap between the generations was widening. Parents' committees were an important forum for the students' parents to speak out. In this regard, their meetings were used to discuss pressing issues of concern to Russian society. The study of daily life and thinking of pre-revolutionary gymnasiums may have practical value in our time.