Craft schools of tsarist Russia and their role in the development of domestic textile industry of the 19th century

Abstract

The paper examines the features of establishing of the education system and training for the needs of textile production in pre-revolutionary Russia. Early 19 century is characterized by a rapid growth of already existing manufactories and emergence of new ones. This situation caused intense competition among their owners. Understanding the importance of education among workers comes first to the most advanced of industrialists. Representatives of large enterprises saw that education may increase labor productivity, reduce the number of accidents at work caused by drunkenness or a low technical culture, reduce the number of theft of factory products, and improve mutual understanding between manufacturers and workers. Besides, the paramount task was to provide textile manufactories with their own, domestic qualified specialists capable of understanding technological processes of creating fabrics, as well as designing highly artistic printed drawings for various purposes. All this prompted many owners of textile industries to open schools at factories, where not only children of workers of enterprises, but also the workers themselves, who showed interest in self-development and advanced training, could be trained. Throughout the 19 century, industrial enterprises opened schools and craft schools that trained specialists to meet their own needs of enterprises. A special place in the series of factory schools is occupied by educational institutions of art and industrial direction. Here the foundations of the national secondary and higher professional education were laid. The curricula and programs of craft educational institutions took into account the experience of secondary art and industrial educational institutions. At school, in addition to general subjects, they studied linear drawing (i.e. drawing) and pattern drawing. Future masters learnt to analyze the best samples, fostering analytical thinking. The combination of theory and practice in the training system became the start for developing project creativity.