Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens. Institute of Noble Maidens

November 4th, 2013

The traditions of female education go back to the reign of Catherine II, Empresses Maria Feodorovna and Maria Alexandrovna. Under their patronage, women's handicraft schools, gymnasiums, boarding schools, private schools, higher courses, institutes - Mariinsky, Ekaterininsky, Smolny and others - were opened in St. Petersburg.

In 1764, by a special decree of Catherine II, the Educational Society was created in St. Petersburg noble maidens”, which later became known as the “Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens”. The purpose of this educational institution, as stated in the decree, is “...to give the state educated women, good mothers, useful members of the family and society.”

According to the Charter of 1856, only the daughters of noble hereditary nobles and senior officials were admitted to the Smolny Institute. The upbringing was of a courtly and aristocratic nature. The entire education system was aimed at instilling in girls respect for elders, a sense of gratitude, goodwill, neatness, frugality, courtesy, patience, hard work and other virtues. Particular attention was paid to: religious, moral, physical, artistic, and labor education of girls. Everyday life here it was distinguished by simplicity and monotony, strict order and discipline. It is appropriate to draw Special attention on the appearance of Smolyans, which was distinguished by simplicity and modesty: they dressed and combed their hair strictly according to their uniform, no variations were allowed.

Initially, to enter the institute it was necessary to pass exams (some French, even less Russian, plus the presence of a certain religious upbringing) and pass a selection based on origin, which significantly reduced the number of applicants. For example, in the first admissions, only the daughters of those nobles whose families were included in the III, V and VI parts of the noble genealogical books, or those who had ranks of at least 9th class (captain) could count on admission. military service or 8th grade (collegiate assessor) in civilian. However, few of the nobility agreed to condemn their daughters to 12 years of endless study, after which the difficult question arose about the further marriage of an overly educated girl. That is why the majority of the students were well-born, but poor.

By the way, after 1825, many children of the Decembrists studied at institutes: both of Kakhovsky’s daughters, for example, graduated from the course with silver medals. They say that when the princesses came to the institute, the daughters of the emperor and the daughters of the leaders of the uprising played happily together.

“Foreign women” also studied here: the granddaughter of Shamil and the daughters of Georgian princes, princesses of Montenegro and Swedish aristocrats. Despite the fact that, according to pathetic official sources, the head of Smolny, Princess Lieven, said to a young classy lady: “You, perhaps, do not yet know the traditions of Smolny. The princess must be demanded twice and thrice, because the fate of her subjects will depend on her character,” the attitude towards them was certainly not ordinary. For example, although the august ladies wore uniform institute dresses and went to regular classes, they were provided with other living quarters and their own kitchen; the girls spent their holidays on the estate of the head of the institute, and went to the imperial family on holidays.

The institute dictated its own standards of appearance. Pupils were required to wear special uniform dresses of a certain color: in younger age- coffee, in the second - dark blue, in the third - blue and in older age - white. Brown color symbolizes closeness to the earth and, in addition, is more practical, especially for younger children. Lighter colors symbolize increasing education and accuracy.

In addition to the “state” places for pupils, there are quite a large number of The girls were supported by special scholarships contributed by both the imperial family (by the way, the Kakhovskys were boarders of Nicholas I) and simply rich people. I. I. Betskoy, who initially stood at the head of the Educational Society, taught ten girls from each reception, depositing special capital in the bank in their name. And in 1770, Chamberlain E.K. Stackelberg bequeathed the money received for the estate to pay for the maintenance in Smolny of girls from poor families of Livonia nobles and to provide them with benefits upon graduation. The Orlovs and Golitsyns, the Demidovs and the Saltykovs made annual contributions to support the scholarship recipients. Smolyanka students who were studying with someone else's private capital wore a ribbon around their necks, the color of which was chosen by the benefactor. So, the scholarship recipients of Paul I wore blue ones, the Demidovskys wore orange ones, Betsky’s protégés wore green ones, and Saltykova wore crimson ones. For those who could not receive any scholarship, their relatives paid a fee. At the beginning of the 20th century it was about 400 rubles per year. The number of places for such students, however, was still limited.

In 1765, the Alexander School was opened for girls of non-noble origin, which provided education according to a shortened program, and later became the Alexander branch of the institute.

After the annexation, however, many remnants of class relations remained for a long time. For example, the best graduates were not given maid of honor codes and were not introduced to the court, at church services the place of the “philistines” was next to the nannies and maids, when meeting with pupils of the Nikolaev half they were supposed to curtsy first, and guess in whose half the park was in the winter for convenience Walking alleys were lined with boards...?

Initially, the course in the noble Nikolaevskaya half was designed for 12 years, later it was reduced to 9. In the Alexandrovskaya half they studied for 6 years. In order to limit any outside influence on the pupils, all these years the girls lived at the institute without a break, seeing their families only during short hours of official meetings under the watchful gaze of the class ladies and not being able to visit the house even on vacation. The tradition of strict isolation was interrupted only in the second half of the 19th century.

Go to new class, respectively, recruitment and graduation occurred every three years. This made it very difficult to work with the laggards - keeping the girl in class for another three years was considered inhumane for her and inconvenient for herself. Those who failed were simply transferred to a weak department and were rarely called in, but a certificate was issued one way or another. Such girls, who consider Alexander Nevsky to be the Polish king and limit the duration of the Seven Years' War to ten years, but who possess papers of graduation from the most prestigious women's educational institution, greatly undermined the prestige of their alma mater. In the early 1860s, with the light hand of Ushinsky, pupils of both parts of Smolny began to study for 7 years (VII grade was the youngest) and were transferred to a new class every year, then other institutes borrowed the innovation. By the way, he, having tested high school students, selected 30, in his opinion, hopeless and formed a separate class from them, which (for the first time in the history of Smolny!), after a year of training, was graduated without certificates.

The conditions of stay at the institute were strictly regulated. Its secrecy was controlled primarily: parents could visit girls only in certain days and only with the permission of management. In 1764, 60 girls aged 5-6 years old were admitted to the Educational Society for the first time. Training and upbringing took place “by age” (by age group): at first, when the training lasted 12 years, there were four ages, then, when the training period decreased to 9 years, there were three ages. Girls every age group wore dresses a certain color: the youngest (5-7 years old) were coffee-colored, so they were often called “coffee girls”, 8-10 years old were blue or dark blue, 11-13 years old were gray, older girls wore white dresses. The daily routine was also quite strict: getting up at 6 o’clock in the morning, then classes, then a little time for walking under the supervision of a lady assigned for this. Girls were taught reading, spelling, languages, basic mathematics, physics, and chemistry. In addition to general education subjects, it was necessary to learn everything that virtuous mothers should be able to do: sewing, knitting, dancing, music, social manners.

The Empress constantly kept everything related to the Smolny Institute in her field of vision. A few years after its founding, she wrote to Voltaire: “These girls... exceeded our expectations; they have time amazingly, and everyone agrees that they become as amiable as they are enriched with knowledge useful to society, and with this they combine the most impeccable morality.” Another letter to the same Voltaire said: “... we are very far from the idea of ​​​​forming them into nuns; we raise them so that they can decorate the families they join; we do not want to make them either cutesy or coquettes, but amiable and capable of raising their own children and taking care of their home.”

Another important resolution regarding the classes of pupils of this age was that they were assigned daily, in turn, to teach in the lower grades, which was intended to accustom them to the pedagogical practice necessary for future mothers-educators. IN common system education included questions about the physical development of children and concerns about their health. It was considered useful for children to move on fresh air both summer and winter. The pupils spent a lot of time in the garden on the banks of the Neva. In winter we went ice skating, downhill skiing; in the summer - rounders, tag - for the younger ones, ball, tennis, croquet - for the older ones. In 1840, in addition to pedagogical gymnastics, medical gymnastics was introduced. And from the beginning of the twentieth century, compulsory gymnastics was introduced for everyone. Rhythmic gymnastics has been introduced in grades 6-7. The charter required that “the girls have a clean and tidy appearance” and that “there be fresh and ventilated air in the rooms.”
In 1853, daily labor classes appeared: lessons in cutting, sewing, embroidery, knitting, and turning. Throughout the training, economics and home construction were studied with applied classes. Girls aged 12-15 were taught practical housekeeping. Teaching was entrusted to twenty-four foreign teachers, mostly French, because there were not enough Russian teachers even for men's schools. Naturally, the teaching was in foreign languages. Only the Law of God was taught by the priest, and Russian literacy was taught by nuns. Teachers taught drawing, music and dancing.

Catherine II often visited the institute, corresponded with students, delved into all the affairs of the Educational Society, and donated a lot of personal funds to the institute. Smolny graduates contributed greatly to the education of Russian society. It was they who, when creating families or, due to circumstances, being forced to raise other people’s children, instilled in them a love of culture, respect for the history of their country, and a thirst for knowledge. The educational society of noble maidens laid the foundation for women's education in our country; on its basis and in its likeness, not only women's institutes and gymnasiums of the Department of the Empress Maria's institutions were subsequently created, but also women's institutions of other departments of Russia and even beyond its borders.

The very first college girls were fenced off from the influence of the family, but not from the world in general. They were privately taken out for walks and court events, and ceremonial dinners and performances were held within the walls of Smolny. In the 19th century, the concept changed and they tried not to let the pupils go into a life other than the barracks. If once a year they were taken to the Tauride Garden, it was under strict control, doing everything to prevent the schoolgirls from coming into contact with other walkers. Several times a year (on the name day of the Emperor and Empress, on New Year) balls were held, which were attended by all the pupils and the authorities. For several hours the girls danced with each other, unable to laugh or fool around without being punished. Occasionally (and by no means everywhere) balls were held with the invitation of gentlemen-relatives (kinship was considered a prerequisite), and in some places (oh promiscuity!) and students of friendly male educational institutions (“Junkers” by Kuprin). And with the outbreak of the First World War, these few holidays also ceased: it was considered prejudiced to have fun when fighting was going on.

Pupils of the Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens at a dance lesson. 1901

The main thing was done: “The question itself was touched upon, the moral task of the school was indicated, the ideal of social benefit and human dignity was set - for the first time the need for proper female education was stated.” A “new breed” of people, significantly different from the rest of Russian society, was created, and this was recognized by society itself. For the first time, educated women appeared in the Russian family, who brought a stream of new light and air into the refuge of ancient prejudices - new healthy and humane principles contributed to the emergence of interest in issues of education and awakened the desire to imitate. The idea of ​​women's education and positive experience were used in the newly formed gymnasiums, and then in the creation of a women's university - the Higher Women's Courses (Bestuzhev). In no other country in the world has the government paid so much attention to women's education - this is an indisputable fact.

However, students from many institutes complained about poor nutrition, sometimes poor in quality, more often meager in quantity. In some places, in addition to the main portion of food, you could take as much bread as you wanted, but Smolyans were not indulged in such luxury.

The usual menu of the mid-19th century in Smolny:
-Morning tea with a bun
- Breakfast: a piece of bread with a little butter and cheese, a portion of milk porridge or pasta
- Lunch: liquid soup without meat, for the second - meat from this soup, for the third - a small pie
- Evening tea with a bun

During Lent, the diet became even less nutritious: for breakfast they were given six small potatoes (or three medium ones) with vegetable oil and porridge, for lunch there was soup with cereal, a small piece of boiled fish, aptly nicknamed “dead meat” by hungry college girls, and a miniature lean pie.

This way they fed not only during long fasts, but also every Wednesday and Friday. At one point, more than half of the girls ended up in the infirmary with a diagnosis of exhaustion - their posts were reduced... to one and a half months a year. Nobody canceled Wednesdays and Fridays.
If a girl had pocket money, then she could, having paid a special fee, drink tea in the morning with more nutritious food in the teachers’ room, separately from other institutes, or negotiate with the servants and buy some food at exorbitant prices. However, the latter was severely punished by classy ladies.

“1859 September 6th Sunday. Frishtik: bread with butter and sausage, grated potatoes. Lunch: rice soup, steak with cucumbers, brushwood cake.

September 7, Monday: Frishtik: bread with butter and beef, barley milk porridge. Lunch: borscht with sour cream, beef with potato sauce, drachona with sugar.

September 8, Tuesday: Frishtik: semolina milk soup, beef pies. Lunch: pureed root soup with pies, roast veal with salad. cabbage, pastry cake, Muscat Lunel wine.

September 9, Wednesday: Frishtik: buckwheat milk porridge, fried potatoes. Lunch: lazy cabbage soup, beef with carrot sauce, pancakes with jam.

September 10, Thursday: Frishtik: bread with butter and cheese, pasta with butter. Lunch: pearl barley soup, clonefleisch with potatoes, patesha with sugar.

September 11, Friday: Frishtik: milk noodles, pies with porridge. Lunch: pea soup with breadcrumbs, fried beef with boiled potatoes, cheesecakes with sugar.

September 12, Saturday: Frishtik: jelly with horseradish, millet milk porridge. Lunch: rice soup, beef with cabbage sauce, carrot pies.”
“Registers food for the pupils of the Society of Noble Maidens”

Meetings with relatives were limited to four hours per week (two visiting days). It was especially difficult for girls brought from afar. They did not see their relatives for months and years, and all correspondence was strictly controlled by classy ladies who read the letters before sending and after receiving.

The main criterion for selecting class ladies responsible for ensuring the decent upbringing of girls was usually their unmarried status. At a time when a successful marriage was the main (and, accordingly, the most desirable) event in a woman’s life, the unsettled personal life had a very negative impact on the character. Surrounded by young girls, realizing that life did not live up to expectations, the aging person began (consciously or not) to take it out on her charges, forbidding everything she could and punishing them for the slightest offense. Corporal punishment for pupils was not accepted, however, those who committed any offense were not treated especially on ceremony: shouting, scolding, punishment - this was the usual arsenal of means and methods of institute pedagogy.

It was possible to earn a reprimand for any deviation from the rules: talking too loudly during recess, carelessly making the bed, not tying a bow on an apron according to regulations, or a curl that had strayed from a strict hairstyle. Complete obedience to the rules and customs of institute life was highly valued here, as evidenced by the very definition of female students who were distinguished by obedience and excellent behavior - “parfettes” (a distorted French “parfaite” - perfect). Any violation of order was a deviation from institutional “good behavior” and was considered “bad behavior.”

Therefore, naughty girls and shrews were called “moveshki” (“mauvaise” - bad). Even the appearance of the students was strictly regulated: the same hairstyles, different for different ages(younger girls often had their hair cut short, while older girls were forced to keep their hair strictly pinned up), neat uniform.

It consisted of a dress with short sleeves and a neckline, an apron (apron), a cape and arm ruffles with ribbons. The color of the uniform depended on the class of study. Initially, under Catherine II, pupils wore dresses of brown (“coffee” class, the youngest), blue, gray and white flowers. The first three ages were given white aprons, the oldest were given green ones. With the shortening of the training period in the Nikolaev half, gray dresses were “shortened”, and the white class began to be given green ones with a white apron. There was no blue class in the Alexandrovskaya half. The same colors - coffee, blue, green - were most often used in other institutes. Pepinieres usually wore gray dresses. (Pepigners were girls who remained after completing the basic course to receive further education and further career growth to become a class lady. They were given an additional course in pedagogy and were used as assistant teachers as practice).

Even the men who were admitted in front of the institutes were tried to be optimized. Teachers were recruited mainly from married people, but if a bachelor was found, then they were either aged or of very plain appearance, often with physical disabilities, so as not to lead virgin girls into temptation.

However, this did not help much - usually anyone who had at least some connection to the institute had fans. This was associated with a very specific institutional tradition - adoration, that is, the desire to find an object of worship, an idol in the person of whoever comes to hand. A friend, a high school student, a priest, a teacher, an emperor... Only classy ladies were not favored, but this was a consequence of the fear of being suspected of outright sycophancy. The admirer gave the object of love gifts for the holidays, experienced all sorts of ritual torments in order to be “worthy”, for example, carved out the initials of the “deity” with a knife or pin, ate soap or drank vinegar as a sign of love, sneaked into the church at night and there prayed for well-being of the beloved, provided various practical services: repairing pens or sewing notebooks. The adoration of the emperor, encouraged by the leadership, generally crossed all boundaries - the institute girls collected and carefully stored “pieces of roast, cucumber, bread” from the table at which the king dined, stole a scarf, which was cut into small pieces and distributed among the students who wore these “talismans” on your chest. “Do what you want with me,” Alexander II said to the students of the Moscow Alexander Institute, “but don’t touch my dog, don’t even try to cut his fur as a keepsake, as they say was the case in some institutions.” However, they say that the girls not only cut off the wool from pet Alexandra, but they even managed to cut out the expensive fur from the fur coat in several places.

Let's try to imagine that perfect image Ladies, mothers of the new generation of people, which enlightened Europeans saw in Smolensk. First of all, she was the bearer of the ideal of nobility and purity, she believed that this ideal was feasible despite adversity and hardship real life, accepting them steadfastly, without grumbling or bitterness. In society she was cheerful and relaxed, striking with her elegant taste and vivid imagination, witty speech, development and charm of an “elegant mind.” She is an example for others to follow. We find all these traits in the best Smolensk women - Nelidova, Rzhevskaya, Pleshcheeva...

Subsequently, both home and private education were oriented towards this image, this ideal. And already the women and girls of the 1820s largely created the general moral atmosphere of Russian society; they were able to introduce new ideas and new aspirations into it. They read Voltaire, Rousseau, Goethe, while simultaneously comprehending the ideals of love, fidelity, giving, and a woman’s moral duty to children, husband and society. Among them were court ladies, writers, educators, hostesses of aristocratic salons and unknown mothers and wives - all of them brought something new, bright, and living into the environment to which they returned after college. A new one appears female image which becomes reality. Those who were called “tender dreamers” raised a heroic generation of Decembrist wives. They set a high spiritual bar and had a tremendous impact on the formation of not only Russian female character; in their literary and musical salons those who in the future would become the color of Russian culture found inspiration - Pushkin, Lermontov, Turgenev, Tolstoy...

or for example. But for some, this information may be unexpected - The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made - October 8, 2013, 20:05

Aren't nymphs of goddesses appearing before us here?
Or the angels themselves came down from heaven,
To dwell among mortals on earth,
That the eyes and hearts of all spectators were nourished,
Like the rays of the sun, so their eyes shine,
With the beauty of heaven, the beauty of all nymphs is equal;
With unloving hearts, their innocence is obvious;
Of course, they manifest divinity in themselves.
How the garden was now decorated with their presence
This is how the whole Russian country will be painted.
The Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens is the first women's educational institution in Russia, which laid the foundation for women's education in the country.
The institute was founded on the initiative of I. I. Betsky and in accordance with the decree signed by Catherine II on May 5 (April 24), 1764. The purpose of its creation was, as usual, the best - “to give the state educated women, good mothers, useful family members and society." Another thing is that over time, the system, which initially gave good results (especially against the backdrop of the social situation at that time), degenerated into a self-sustaining swamp, categorically opposed to any changes.

It was then, a hundred years later, that ironic remarks began to be heard about “cute little fools”, “gentile white-handed girls” and “sentimental young ladies” who believed that “rolls grow on trees” and “after the mazurka tour, the gentleman is obliged to get married,” and the word “ "schoolgirl" has become synonymous with excessive sentimentality, impressionability and narrow-mindedness.

Initially, to enter the institute it was necessary to pass exams (some French, even less Russian, plus the presence of a certain religious upbringing) and pass a selection based on origin, which significantly reduced the number of applicants.

For example, in the first sets, only the daughters of those nobles whose families were included in the III, V and VI parts of the noble genealogical books, or those who had ranks of at least 9th class (captain) in military service or 8th grade (collegiate assessor) in civil. However, few of the nobility agreed to condemn their daughters to 12 years of endless study, after which the difficult question arose about the further marriage of an overly educated girl. That is why the majority of the students were well-born, but poor. By the way, after 1825, many children of the Decembrists studied at institutes: both of Kakhovsky’s daughters, for example, graduated from the course with silver medals. They say that when the princesses came to the institute, the daughters of the emperor and the daughters of the leaders of the uprising played happily together.

“Foreign women” also studied here: the granddaughter of Shamil and the daughters of Georgian princes, princesses of Montenegro and Swedish aristocrats. Despite the fact that, according to pathetic official sources, the head of Smolny, Princess Lieven, told the young classy lady: “You may not yet know the traditions of Smolny. The princess must be demanded twice and thrice, because the fate of her subjects will depend on her character,” the attitude towards them was certainly not ordinary. For example, although the august ladies wore uniform institute dresses and went to regular classes, they were provided with other living quarters and their own kitchen; the girls spent their holidays on the estate of the head of the institute, and went to the imperial family on holidays.
Smolny Institute. Dormitory. Graduate album of the institute in 1889.

In addition to the “state” places for pupils, quite a large number of girls were supported by special scholarships contributed by both the imperial family (by the way, the Kakhovskys were boarders of Nicholas I) and simply rich people. I. I. Betskoy, who initially stood at the head of the Educational Society, taught ten girls from each reception, depositing special capital in the bank in their name. And in 1770, Chamberlain E.K. Stackelberg bequeathed the money received for the estate to pay for the maintenance in Smolny of girls from poor families of Livonia nobles and to provide them with benefits upon graduation. The Orlovs and Golitsyns, the Demidovs and the Saltykovs made annual contributions to support the scholarship recipients.

Smolyanka students who were studying with someone else's private capital wore a ribbon around their necks, the color of which was chosen by the benefactor. So, the scholarship recipients of Paul I wore blue ones, the Demidovskys wore orange ones, Betsky’s protégés wore green ones, and Saltykova wore crimson ones. For those who could not receive any scholarship, their relatives paid a fee. At the beginning of the 20th century it was about 400 rubles per year. The number of places for such students, however, was still limited.
Teachers of the Smolny Institute.

The daily routine at the institute was strict: getting up at 6 a.m., then 6 or 8 lessons. Time for games was very limited. The girls lived in dormitories of 9 people with a lady assigned to them. In addition, there was also a cool lady who monitored the behavior of the girls in class.

With the exception of the first years of the existence of Smolny and short period Ushinsky's inspectorate, dialogues between teachers and girls were not encouraged. Asking questions about the topic being studied was also not allowed.
Smolny Institute. In the sewing workshop. Graduate album of the institute in 1889.

Grades were given on a twelve-point scale, ratings were compiled based on the results of academic performance and intermediate insignia were issued - in some places, cockade bows, the colors of which indicated the success of the wearer, in others - laces with tassels, which were tied on the hair.

Physical education lessons (some gymnastics) and dancing were compulsory. However, given that it was forbidden to run or play outdoor games within the walls of the institute, and daily walks were short, there was no excess physical activity did not have.
A. Belousov, Meadow in front of Smolny. Girls on a group walk

The ability to gracefully curtsey in Smolny in the 19th century was valued more than success in mathematics, for good manners they forgave failures in physics, but they could expel you for vulgar behavior, but certainly not for unsatisfactory grades. The only science considered sacred was the study of the French language.
Smolny Institute. Girls in class.

Meetings with relatives were limited to four hours per week (two visiting days). It was especially difficult for girls brought from afar. They did not see their relatives for months and years, and all correspondence was strictly controlled by classy ladies who read the letters before sending and after receiving.

The main criterion for selecting class ladies responsible for ensuring the decent upbringing of girls was usually their unmarried status.
Harp lesson. Graduate album of the institute in 1889.

Corporal punishment for pupils was not accepted, however, those who committed any offense were not treated especially on ceremony: shouting, scolding, punishment - this was the usual arsenal of means and methods of institute pedagogy. Punishments were considered usual when the offender was disgraced in front of the entire institute: they took off her apron, pinned an untidy piece of paper or a torn stocking to her dress, and left her standing in the middle of the dining room during lunch.

It was very difficult for children suffering from, say, enuresis - such a pupil had to go to breakfast with a wet sheet over her dress, which was considered a terrible shame not only for her personally, but for the entire dormitory. After this, the girls, so that such a misfortune would not happen again, usually woke up their classmate at night. There were a lot of people in the room, each student pushed the unfortunate girl away a couple of times; one can imagine how “positively” this method affected the nerves of an already humiliated child.
Smolny Institute. Handicraft lesson.

It was possible to earn a reprimand for any deviation from the rules: talking too loudly during recess, carelessly making the bed, not tying a bow on an apron according to regulations, or a curl that had strayed from a strict hairstyle. Complete obedience to the rules and customs of institute life was highly valued here, as evidenced by the very definition of female students who were distinguished by obedience and excellent behavior - “parfettes” (a distorted French “parfaite” - perfect). Any violation of order was a deviation from institutional “good behavior” and was considered “bad behavior.” That's why naughty girls and shrews were called "moveshki" ("mauvaise" - bad). Even the appearance of the students was strictly regulated: identical hairstyles, different for different ages (younger girls often had their hair cut short, while older girls were forced to strictly pin up their hair), neat uniforms. It consisted of a dress with short sleeves and a neckline, an apron (apron), a cape and arm ruffles with ribbons.
Smolny Institute. Singing lesson. Photo from 1889

The color of the uniform depended on the class of study. Initially, under Catherine II, pupils wore dresses in brown (the “coffee” class, the youngest), blue, gray and white, respectively. The first three ages were given white aprons, the oldest were given green ones. With the shortening of the training period in the Nikolaev half, gray dresses were “shortened”, and the white class began to be given green ones with a white apron. There was no blue class in the Alexandrovskaya half. The same colors - coffee, blue, green - were most often used in other institutes. Pepinieres usually wore gray dresses. (Pepigners were girls who remained after completing the basic course to receive further education and further career growth to become a class lady. They were given an additional course in pedagogy and were used as assistant teachers as practice).
Smolny Institute. Pupils in class.

The graduates took exams in all subjects. The real tests at which awards were distributed were inspector tests, public ones (in some institutes with the presence of royalty) - a simple formality: the best students recited the tickets they had memorized in advance.

Based on the results of the training, awards and codes were given out. The cipher is the metal monogram of the reigning empress; it was worn on the left shoulder on a bow made of white striped ribbon. The color of the stripes depended on the educational institution. If an institute who had a code complained to the ladies-in-waiting, to whom the code was assigned as a sign of a court rank, then the bow was double, from the institute’s ribbon and the blue one from the maid of honor. (This often happened in the Nikolaev half of Smolny, in other institutes - almost never). Gold and silver medals of various sizes (or orders) were also awarded.
Code for the best graduates of the Smolny Institute.

The very first college girls were fenced off from the influence of the family, but not from the world in general. They were privately taken out for walks and court events, and ceremonial dinners and performances were held within the walls of Smolny. In the 19th century, the concept changed and they tried not to let the pupils go into a life other than the barracks. If once a year they were taken to the Tauride Garden, it was under strict control, doing everything to prevent the schoolgirls from coming into contact with other walkers. Several times a year (on the name day of the Emperor and Empress, on New Year's Day) balls were held, which were attended by all the pupils and the authorities.

For several hours the girls danced with each other, unable to laugh or fool around without being punished. Occasionally (and by no means everywhere) balls were held with the invitation of gentlemen-relatives (kinship was considered a prerequisite), and in some places (oh promiscuity!) and students of friendly male educational institutions (Kuprin's "Junkers"). And with the outbreak of the First World War, these few holidays also ceased: it was considered prejudiced to have fun when fighting was going on.
Pupils of the Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens at a dance lesson. 1901

Teachers were recruited mainly from married people, but if a bachelor was found, then they were either aged or of very plain appearance, often with physical disabilities, so as not to lead virgin girls into temptation.
Smolny Institute. At leisure. Photo 1889

However, this did not help much - usually anyone who had at least some connection to the institute had fans. This was associated with a very specific institutional tradition - adoration, that is, the desire to find an object of worship, an idol in the person of whoever comes to hand. A friend, a high school student, a priest, a teacher, an emperor... Only classy ladies were not favored, but this was a consequence of the fear of being suspected of outright sycophancy. The admirer gave the object of love gifts for the holidays, experienced all sorts of ritual torments in order to be “worthy”, for example, carved out the initials of the “deity” with a knife or pin, ate soap or drank vinegar as a sign of love, sneaked into the church at night and there prayed for well-being of the beloved, provided various practical services: repairing pens or sewing notebooks.

The adoration of the emperor, encouraged by the leadership, generally crossed all boundaries - the institute girls collected and carefully stored “pieces of roast, cucumber, cold :)” from the table at which the king dined, stole a scarf, which was cut into small pieces and distributed among the students who wore these “ talismans" on your chest. “Do what you want with me,” Alexander II said to the students of the Moscow Alexander Institute, “but don’t touch my dog, don’t even think about cutting his fur as a keepsake, as they say was the case in some institutions.” However, they say that the girls not only cut off the fur from Alexander’s pet, but even managed to cut out the expensive fur from the fur coat in several places.
Smolny Institute. Drawing lesson. Graduate album of the institute in 1889.

The usual menu of the mid-19th century in Smolny:
-Morning tea with a bun
- Breakfast: a piece of bread :) with a little butter and cheese, a portion of milk porridge or pasta
- Lunch: liquid soup without meat, for the second - meat from this soup, for the third - a small pie
- Evening tea with a bun
During Lent, the diet became even less nutritious: for breakfast they were given six small potatoes (or three medium ones) with vegetable oil and porridge, for lunch there was soup with cereal, a small piece of boiled fish, aptly nicknamed “dead meat” by hungry college girls, and a miniature lean pie.
Smolyanka in the dining room. Graduate album of the institute in 1889.

This way they fed not only during long fasts, but also every Wednesday and Friday. At one point, more than half of the girls ended up in the infirmary with a diagnosis of exhaustion - their posts were reduced... to one and a half months a year. Nobody canceled Wednesdays and Fridays.

If a girl had pocket money, then she could, having paid a special fee, drink tea in the morning with more nutritious food in the teachers’ room, separately from other institutes, or negotiate with the servants and buy some food at exorbitant prices. However, the latter was severely punished by classy ladies.
Smolny Institute. Teachers.

It was warmer in the infirmary than in the huge dormitories, enhanced nutrition was provided, and many girls took “vacations” for themselves, feigning corresponding illnesses. However, many did not have to pretend.
There were usually two rooms: a reserve infirmary, which was used during epidemics or for seriously ill patients, and a regular one, where all other patients were placed.
Smolny Institute. Medical checkup. Graduate album of the institute in 1889.

The specific attitude towards the few men and the absurd opinion of college girls about the rules of decency caused a lot of trouble for doctors. The very idea of ​​undressing in the presence of a person of the opposite sex made shy girls endure pain to the end. Periodically - tragic.
Smolny Institute. Last graduate of 1917.
Smolny Institute. Downhill ride. Photo from 1889.
Smolny Institute. Admission - an exam on knowledge of good manners. Graduate album of the institute in 1889.
Girls sewing.
Choir of students of the Smolny Institute.
Smolny Institute. Tea drinking with guests. Graduate album of the institute in 1889.
Smolny Institute. Gymnastics lesson. Photo 1889
Smolny Institute. Washing room. Photo from 1889.
At the skating rink. Photo from 1889.
Alexandrinsky Institute of Noble Maidens. Nicholas I gave his consent to the establishment of the Institute of Noble Maidens in the provincial Oryol. This is how he responded to the request of the Oryol nobles, who in 1851 decided that the need for such an elite educational institution was ripe. Of course, noble girls were sent to study at institutes in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but these cases were still not widespread.
Meanwhile, education has long become a necessary part of the upbringing of a class noble corporation. Institutes for noble maidens, opened by decree of Catherine II back in 1764, were designed to spiritualize the moral needs of noblewomen and give her a first-class, albeit specific, education. It included teaching languages, Russian literature, music, dancing, drawing, and handicrafts, but even then the basics of mathematics and physics were considered mandatory for study. They taught very well at the institutes, and the education they received was of high quality.
To open the institute, Oryol nobles had to collect 220 thousand rubles. Nicholas I allowed income from the estates of the late Countess Anna Alexandrovna Orlova-Chesmenskaya to be added to this amount. Her estates were located in the Moscow, Oryol and Yaroslavl provinces.
The place for the institute was allocated in the noble part of the city on Polesskaya Square, where until 1847 there was a wooden theater. At the beginning of 1865, the institute building was completely rebuilt. On February 6, 1865, it was illuminated by His Eminence Polycarp in the presence of Governor N.V. Levashov, trustee of the institute A.M. Apraksina and numerous guests. The first head of the Oryol Institute was Agnes Aleksandrovna von Wessel.



Photos from Vera Isakova's graduation album - 1913, the last happy year Russian Empire. Its first page is dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov. On the second we see the trustees of the Institute, a portrait of A. A. Orlova-Chesmenskaya, a photograph of His Grace Gregory, Archbishop of Oryol and Sevsky, the head of the Institute Natalya Nikolaevna Vasilchikova-Levenshtein (by the way, the mother-in-law of the writer Ivan Novikov, author of novels about Pushkin); institute inspector (in other words, head teacher), state councilor Evgeniy Nikolaevich Tikhomirov and two classy ladies from graduation - Elizaveta Nikolaevna Bonch-Bruevich and Anna Pavlovna Belikova.

The album introduces us to teachers, many of whom were in the rank of state councilors. It was almost a general's rank. So, a teacher of history and geography in 1910 - 1912. there was state councilor Nikolai Vladimirovich Menshikov, by the way, who ran the 7-grade Oryol women's commercial school named after him. It was located on Vvedenskaya Street (now November 7). Menshikov was replaced by University graduate Viktor Alekseevich Preobrazhensky, who lived in the prestigious Skoropadsky house on the banks of the Orlik, where after the revolution and before the war the regional committee of the CPSU (b), the regional committee of the Komsomol and the editorial office of Orlovskaya Pravda would be located. Now this place is the Banking School. Physics and cosmography were taught by State Councilor Vladimir Fomich Sobolevsky. He also taught the same subjects at the theological seminary. Russian language and literature was taught by state councilor Matvey Pavlovich Azbukin, from a family of famous Oryol educators. Azbukin was the author of the “Little Reader,” published in Orel in 1912. Judging by the postcards of his pupils, he knew how to teach them to express their thoughts correctly and write without mistakes. The girls' mathematics was taught by Antonina Aleksandrovna Kedrova, German by Erich Eduardovich Kurtz, who lived in the Germut house (the famous house of Lisa Kalitina), French by Victorina Frantsevna Debiol.



The owner of the album is Vera Isakova.

Vera had girlfriends at the Institute. Among them are the names of Zinaida Dobroserdskaya and Lelya Grabbe, from the family of General Grabbe. Already under the Bolsheviks, in 1918, Zina wrote to Vera from the city of Litin, Podolsk province, asking what happened to the institute, to her classmates, whether the students were sent home. There is no information about Zina's fate. But it is known that one of the first beauties of the class, Lizochka Naryshkina, one of those same Naryshkins whose ancestry went back to Peter I, died in 1915 from transient consumption, the impetus of which was a cold. Her brother Alexander, a graduate of the Oryol Cadet Corps, died near Dvinsk in 1916. And only the youngest in this family, Kirill Tikhonovich Naryshkin, lived to an old age.
In 1913, it seemed that nothing foreshadowed future storms, but echoes of the first revolution were heard within the walls of the institute. Here the girls write their credo in the album:
Our will of reason is weak,
Our desires are willful.
Whatever fate promises us, -
We are always unhappy with her
- L. Likhareva thought so. Her classmate M. Polozova, probably from the family of the Oryol provincial leader of the nobility M.K. Polozov, owner of lands near Zmievka, philosophically notes: “There are many treasures at the bottom of the sea, But the ocean will not give them away.” But N. Sakharova already writes differently: “Struggle is the joy of life!” Poor girls! Four years later, in 1917, they all learned what real struggle was. She didn't bring them any joy. After the revolution, they hid the fact that they studied at the Institute, but they were too different from others - in culture, knowledge, posture, cultivated calmness, attitude towards life in general. Some of the former students of the Institute probably paid for all this with crippled destinies. The building of the institute was destroyed during the German retreat from Orel in 1943. And in that prosperous year of 1913, the girls took photographs for memory. The photographer seated them all, as expected. Vera Isakova is not in the group photo: she was late! The rest dutifully took their places near the classy ladies. And so they passed into eternity - in their ceremonial capes and aprons. ..
And a few more photographs of teachers of the Alexandrinsky Institute of Noble Maidens.

Photos of graduates Kyiv Institute noble maidens. Portrait of students with classy ladies of the Kyiv IBD. Interesting group photo of Smolny graduates of 1901, with inscribed names. Moscow Catherine IBD.
Pupils of the Moscow School of St. Catherine (Catherine Institute) 1902-1903.
Poltava Institute of Noble Maidens. Anastasia Gaevskaya, student of the Poltava IBD. 1898 Teacher of the Institute of Noble Maidens. Poltava. Khmelevsky. Group photo of the Odessa Institute of Noble Maidens. Moscow Mariinsky IBD and its graduates. Institute teachers.
Kharkov IBD. Maria Petrovna Bok (nee Stolypina, 1885-1985) - eldest daughter Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin. Next, forgive me, the photographs are without captions, there are too many of them.

The Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens became the first women's educational institution in Russia, and its opening marked the beginning of an era of reforms in the field of education. Not the least role in this was played by Ivan Betskoy - president of the Academy of Arts, trustee of the Smolny Institute and the Moscow Orphanage, head of the Land Noble Corps. It was according to his project that the Educational Society of Noble Maidens was created in 1764, and then the decree “On the education of noble maidens in St. Petersburg at the Resurrection Monastery” was sent throughout the Russian Empire. Attached to the decree were the charter and staff of “this Educational Society.”

From coffee to white

In many ways, the Smolny Institute was similar to modern schools. Girls from noble families were accepted there from the age of six, and their education lasted 12 years and was divided into four “ages” of three years each. Depending on the age of the pupil -"Smolyanka" had to wear uniform dresses: the youngest - coffee-colored, from 9 to 12 years old - blue, from 12 to 15 years old - blue and from 15 to 18 years old - white. The six best graduates were awarded a distinctive sign - a golden monogram with the empress's initials.

At the same time, about 200 girls were studying at the institute. In 1765, an educational institution was opened at the Smolny Institute for girls of other classes (except for serfs), where they could receive general education training according to a simplified program and learn the basics of home economics.

Employment guaranteed

Girls from noble families received service at court upon graduation, some became ladies-in-waiting. The educational program of the institution, compiled with the participation of Ivan Betsky, was also aimed at this. Here they studied the Law of God, three foreign languages, arithmetic, drawing, history, geography, literature, dance, music, social manners, handicrafts and home economics. Particular emphasis was placed on foreign languages ​​and the Law of God, and graduates were required to know “the rules of good upbringing, good behavior, secular behavior and courtesy.” IN staffing table The institute included 29 teachers: Russian language, foreign languages, drawing, vocal and instrumental music, history, geography, heraldry and architecture, two dance masters.

The charter of the institute was strict - the girls lived according to a clear daily routine, and could see their relatives only on weekends and holidays and only in the presence of the boss. The girl had no right to leave the institution before her 18th birthday at her own request or at the request of her family.

The institute was located in a monastery until early XIX century, until a special building was built nearby. Photo: AiF / Ekaterina Stekolshchikova

Many graduates remained at the institute and worked as class ladies - for them, as a reward for many years of work, honorary badges were provided: an orange bow “For Labor” and a silver and enamel “Badge of the Institutions of the Department of Empress Maria Feodorovna.” Girls who were brought up in the petty-bourgeois department of the institute could subsequently count on the position of governesses.

Imperial reform

Changes in the institute's charter began after Catherine's death. Paul I entrusted his wife Maria Feodorovna with the leadership of all charitable and women's educational institutions in Russia. She subsequently ran the institute for 32 years and changed a lot. Under Maria Feodorovna, an hourly teaching schedule for each subject appeared, and the entire course of study was reduced from 12 to 9 years. There were only three “ages” left, and each was divided into three parallel groups: for excellent students, “average students” and underachievers. Each lesson at the institute lasted two hours. Twice a year, Smolyans took intermediate exams, and at the end of the year they had a final exam.

Girls began to be accepted into the institute from a later age - at 8-9 years old, and bourgeois women were accepted at all from 11-12, since their program was limited to six years of study. With the arrival of Maria Feodorovna, girls began to be trained as wives rather than as maids of honor, so instead of the book “On the Positions of a Man and a Citizen,” which was read in Catherine’s time, they began to read “Fatherly Advice to My Daughter.” Almost all of Maria Feodorovna’s innovations existed at the institute until its closure in 1917.

New breed

Education, of course, was not the only goal of the Smolny Institute. When establishing this institution, Catherine made sure that the charter spelled out not only the professional requirements for teachers and the “Smolyans” themselves, but also the rules of behavior and treatment of each other. Corporal punishment at the institute was strictly prohibited, and all employees of the institution were obliged not only to pass on knowledge to students, but also to set an example for them to follow.

In Levitsky’s famous portraits, the “Smolyans” are modest and cheerful - as it should be according to the charter of the institute. Photo: Creative Commons

“The charter urgently required that children always look cheerful, cheerful, contented and “free actions of the soul.” Therefore, it was prescribed not to make science subjects of boredom, grief and disgust and to facilitate the assimilation of knowledge by all means, while paying attention to the degree of development and abilities of each girl individually, she wrote Zinaida Mordvinova in 1914 in his historical essay “Smolny Institute in the era of Catherine II.” - As for the education system, the charter gives instructions to the teachers themselves, starting with the boss. When dealing with children, the following are required: “meekness, decency, courtesy, prudence, fairness and also unfeigned cheerfulness and the absence of unnecessary importance in treatment.”

The means of correcting the guilty was shaming in front of the whole class, “so that the shame of one would always serve to abstain from others from similar actions.” But this measure was applied only in very important cases, which included the slightest violation of decorum during prayer or during church services. “Obviously, here there is a question not only about social manners, but about the development of a cultural type that would carry out its state task: to create a new breed of people,” writes Mordvinova.

Hall of Fame

Over the 153 years of the existence of the Smolny Institute, 85 graduates passed through it. Of course, among the hundreds of noble graduates there were those whose names remained in history. One of the last to enter the Institute of Noble Maidens in 1914 was Baroness Maria Budberg, the lover of Maxim Gorky and the heroine of Nina Berberova’s book “The Iron Woman.” In 1911, Nina Komarova, the future poetess Nina Habias, a student of Alexei Kruchenykh and one of the first futurists, graduated from the institute.

Karl Bulla photographed the last students of the Smolny Institute in 1917. Photo: Creative Commons

In 1900, one of the graduates was Maria Dobrolyubova, a teacher, sister of mercy, revolutionary and sister of the poet Alexander Dobrolyubov. At the age of 26, she committed suicide, unable to find the strength to carry out a terrorist attack organized by the Social Revolutionaries. In 1895, a graduate of Smolny was Ksenia Erdeli - harpist, composer, teacher, People's Artist USSR and the founder of the Soviet school of harp performance. In 1891, the institute was graduated from the daughter of King Nikola I of Montenegro and his wife Milena Vukotic, Princess Elena of Montenegro, who, in marriage to Victor Emmanuel III, became the queen of Italy and Albania, and the empress of Ethiopia. Her sisters, Grand Duchesses Militsa Nikolaevna, Zorka Nikolaevna and Anastasia Nikolaevna, also studied here.

In 1848, Elena Burman (married Molokhovets) graduated from the institute and is the author of the book “A Gift for Young Housewives, or a Means for Reducing Expenses in household"(1861) and a classic of Russian culinary literature. Even earlier, Elena Poltavtseva, the future wife of General Dmitry Skobelev and the mother of General Mikhail Skobelev, the head of the infirmaries during the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878, studied here. Ekaterina Kern, the daughter of Anna Kern, the lover of composer Mikhail Glinka and the mother of academician Yuli Shokalsky, was also a graduate of Smolny.

It was believed that the most elegant ladies-in-waiting, respectable wives and simply great smart women came out of the Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens. After the girls entered this educational institution, they practically did not see their parents, and the conditions in which they lived were truly spartan. Our review contains 30 photographs from Smolny, which will allow you to see how its pupils lived.

The Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens, which opened in St. Petersburg on May 5, 1764, became the first women's educational institution in Russia.

Empress Catherine entrusted the management of the institute to her personal secretary Ivan Ivanovich Betsky, who was the initiator of the opening of the Institute of Noble Maidens. He was educated abroad, communicated a lot with encyclopedists and adhered to rationalistic views, being confident that the most important thing was enlightenment, enlightenment and once again enlightenment!

True, Smolny clearly did not reach the level of an educational institution, since the sciences there were studied superficially. The emphasis in the institution was on foreign languages, good manners and discipline. Reasoning women were not honored.

The charter of the Institute was sent “to all the provinces, provinces and cities... so that each of the nobles could, if he wishes, entrust his daughters in their young years to this education established by Us.” There were few people willing to send their children to prison for 12 years. Many doubted what I would teach their children there. But in 1764 the first recruitment took place.

However, instead of the expected 200 students, only 60 girls aged 4-6 years were recruited. These were children from low-income but well-born noble families. A year later, a faculty “for bourgeois girls” was opened at the institute. Peasant girls were not accepted into the institution.

The main goal of the Smolny teachers was to make a “parfette” (parfaite French - “perfect”) out of the girl. A girl could receive a reprimand for the slightest deviation from the rules: not making the bed neatly enough, talking loudly during recess, a loose curl, or a bow tied on her apron that was not in accordance with the regulations.

For a torn stocking, for carelessness or for mischief, the girls were left standing in the middle of the dining room while others were having lunch. Girls were so carefully protected from vices that the seventh commandment about adultery was sealed in the Bibles.

The conditions at the institute were spartan, since Betskoy was sure that only a healthy mind resides in a healthy body. He believed that children should be accustomed to the cold, so the temperature in the bedrooms of Smolny was no more than 16 degrees. The girls slept on hard beds, and in the morning they always went out to exercise and washed themselves with cold water from the Neva.

The diet in Smolny was more than modest in today's times. The daily menu looked like this:

Morning tea with a bun.
- Breakfast: a piece of bread with a little butter and cheese, a portion of milk porridge or pasta.
- Lunch: liquid soup without meat, for the second - meat from this soup, for the third - a small pie.
- Evening tea with a bun.

There were days when at the institute they spoke only French or German, and for what was said Russian word an inattentive girl had a cardboard tongue placed around her neck. She had to wander through the galleries of the institute and could not even sit down. This lasted until she heard Russian speech from someone else, and then the language passed to another victim.

At the second stage of training, geography and history were added, and at the third stage - reading moralizing and history books, heraldry, architecture and physics. On last stage The training repeated everything previously learned, paying special attention to the Law of God and home economics, which was supposed to prepare the girl for her future family life. In addition, in Last year training, the girls conducted lessons in the lower grades to gain experience in raising children.

The six best students upon graduation received a golden cipher - the metal monogram of the reigning empress. It was worn on the left shoulder on a white striped bow. The graduates were awarded gold and silver medals.

After graduating from the Institute, Smolyans were either given a job as a maid of honor at court, or married off, or left at their native institute as a teacher or class lady.

The harsh rules at the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens can only be compared with those that exist in choreographic schools. Ours allows you to immerse yourself in this atmosphere.

This experiment actually marked the beginning of female education in Russia. We tell you how noble maidens lived.

New breed

In the 18th century, the generally accepted norm of Russian society was Domostroevsky traditions: girls were not treated on ceremony, they were not taught sciences, their life scenario was predetermined.

However, Empress Catherine II, as a progressive ruler, decided that in Russia, following the example of France, an educational institution for girls of the noble classes should appear. The main goal The institution was aimed at “improving the breed of Russian fathers and mothers.”

The plan was ambitious: “To bring happiness to the individual and thereby raise the well-being of the entire state.” The Empress intended to take girls from their families in order to protect them from ignorance and, placing them in an ennobling environment, create a completely new type women who in the future will pass on their experience, skills and knowledge to the next generations.

The empress did not have daughters, and she became attached to some of her pupils, visited and even corresponded. Four letters from Catherine II to a certain girl Levshina have been preserved.

The Empress wrote: “My bow to the whole society<…>tell them that I am pleased to see their successes of all kinds, it gives me real pleasure; I’ll prove this to them when I come one evening to play to my heart’s content with the company.”

Strict regime

At the same time, about 200 girls were studying at the institute. At first, the institute's rules were harsh. Girls from noble families were accepted from the age of 6 for a period of study of 12 years. The parents signed a document that they would not demand their daughters back and had the right to visit them at strictly allotted times and only with the permission of the manager.

From the middle of the 19th century, relaxations began to be allowed; “philistine girls” began to be accepted into the institute - they were housed in a separate building. Girls could go home for the holidays, and the period of study was reduced to 7 years.

Future society ladies lived like Spartans: they got up at six in the morning and had a strict daily routine, there could be up to 8 lessons a day. The young pupils walked in formation - both for prayer and for a walk. The girls were hardened, so the temperature in the bedrooms did not exceed 16 degrees, they slept on hard beds and washed their faces with cold water.

The girls were fed simple food and small portions. The usual menu for noble maidens looked like this: morning tea with a bun, for breakfast a piece of bread with a little butter and cheese, a portion of milk porridge or pasta, for lunch a liquid soup without meat, for the second - meat from this soup, for the third - a small pie, and there was also evening tea with a bun.

During Lent, the diet became even more meager: for breakfast they were given no more than six small potatoes with vegetable oil and porridge, for lunch - soup with cereals, a small piece of boiled fish, which the hungry pupils nicknamed “dead meat” for its disgusting taste and appearance , and a miniature Lenten pie.

Girls enrolled in training were divided into groups by age. Under Catherine there were four “ages”, then they were reduced to three groups. Visually, the division was emphasized by the color of the dress: the younger ones (from 6 to 9) are coffee-colored, hence their nickname “kofulki.” Next came blue (from 9 to 12), the third age (from 12 to 15) wore gray dresses, and graduates (from 15 to 18) wore white.

When choosing such colors, we were guided both by practical goals, because small ones get dirty more often, and by global-spiritual ones: from indivisibility with the earth to high thoughts befitting graduates. But regardless of the color of the dress, the style was modest and of an old-fashioned cut.

The most terrible punishment for pupils was deprivation of a white apron. They were punished mainly for sloppiness, mischief in class, stubbornness and disobedience. The pupils were stripped of their aprons, pinned a piece of paper or a torn stocking to their dress, and forced to stand in the middle of the dining room during lunch.

It was very difficult for girls suffering from incontinence. Such a pupil was obliged to go to breakfast with a wet sheet over her dress; this was a shame not only for her personally, but also for the entire group. The most exemplary pupils were called “parfettes” (from the French “parfaite” - perfect), and the naughty ones “moveshki” (from “mauvaise” - bad).

Education system

The main subjects that girls studied were all types of art, the word of God, languages, exact sciences and humanities. There was physical education with elements of gymnastics and dancing.

The ability to gracefully curtsey was valued more than success in mathematics; teachers forgave bad grades in the exact sciences for good manners, and they could expel you from the institute only for indecent behavior. Their “sciences” especially revered the study of the French language.

The female institutes were rated on a twelve-point scale. At the end of the year, they were required to compile a performance rating and issue intermediate insignia: cockade bows or laces with tassels, which were tied to the hair.

The main goal of education was not to teach, but to educate. Cleverness was not encouraged; a noble girl had to be modest, be able to behave with dignity, and have impeccable manners and taste.

Inequality

Many children of the Decembrists attended the Smolny Institute, for example, Kakhovsky’s daughters graduated from the course with silver medals. Foreign high-ranking persons also studied here: Swedish aristocrats, Shamil’s granddaughter and daughters of Georgian princes, princesses of Montenegro.

According to official sources, the head of Smolny at that time, Princess Lieven, told the young classy lady: “You may not yet know the traditions of Smolny. The princess must be demanded double and triple, because the fate of her subjects will depend on her character.”

In practice, everything was different. Although the august ladies wore uniform institute dresses and attended regular classes, they were provided with other living quarters and their own kitchen; the girls spent their holidays on the estate of the head of the institute.

Girls from poor families who could not afford long-term education were supported by scholarships organized by the imperial family and rich people. They wore a ribbon around their neck, the color of which was chosen by the benefactor.

Star graduates

The first graduation from Smolny was truly famous: the empress knew almost all the girls by name, and assigned some to the court. In the future, the tradition continued: the best candidates of noble birth became ladies-in-waiting.

The maids of honor had a chance to get married successfully, because their circle of acquaintances included the most brilliant grooms in the country. Well, those who were less fortunate with their pedigree, after graduation, looked for a position as a teacher or governess.

Among the famous graduates, we can remember the daughter of King Nikola I of Montenegro and his wife Milena Vukotic, Princess Elena of Montenegro, who, in her marriage to Victor Emmanuel III, became the Queen of Italy and Albania, and the Empress of Ethiopia. Her sisters Grand Duchesses Militsa Nikolaevna, Zorka Nikolaevna and Anastasia Nikolaevna also graduated from the institution.

In 1895, a graduate of Smolny was Ksenia Erdeli, People's Artist of the USSR, harpist, composer, teacher and founder of the Soviet school of harp performance.

In 1911, Nina Komarova, the future poetess Nina Habias, a student of Alexei Kruchenykh and one of the first futurists, graduated from the institute.

The conceived plan of Catherine II ended in success. The girls who graduated from Smolny played an important role in the education and improvement of Russian society. They were brilliant teachers, wonderful mothers, selfless sisters of mercy.

Many Smolensk women served people: they opened girls’ schools and gymnasiums, built hospitals and clinics for the poor. The October Revolution put an end to “noble education,” and to this day in Russia there is no institution similar to the legendary Smolny Institute.