Государственные и общественные инициативы в деятельности комитета попечительства о народной трезвости в Таврической губернии (1894 -1914)

Abstract

Автор исследует деятельность общественной организации Комитета попечительства о народной трезвости и частных лиц в развитии системы образования и пропаганде здорового образа жизни в Таврической губернии (1894-1914). Исследование основано на архивных материалах.

Автор досліджує діяльність громадської організації Комітета піклування про народну тверезість і приватних осіб в розвитку системи освіти і пропаганді здорового способу життя в Таврійській губернії (1894-1914). Дослідження виконано на основі архівних матеріалів.

The author investigates the activity of the public organization The Commitee of the consideration for the people’s sobriety and private persons for the development of the system of education and the popularization of a healthy lifestyle in Tavrida province (1894-1914). The investigation was based on a wide range of archival sources. An idea whose time has come… The Committee of the consideration for the people’s sobriety was established in 1894 by the government, employing state treasury funds in a public movement against mass alcoholism. The local offices of the Committee acted in the territory of Tavrida province as a national public organization until 1914. The internal difficulties which the Russian government had to grapple with were increased by the influence of mass alcoholism. The other side of the problem was the rise of the people’s cultural level through education. The author considers the problem of organizing several local offices as a part of the domestic policy approved by Emperor Nicolas II. As a result of the investigation the author concludes that the Emperor entrusted the direction of The Committee to local leaders.Both landed gentry and common people were involved in the service and made incomparable contributions to cultural life. The article gives examples of interesting experiences of cooperation between rich and poor people as they worked to develop cultural institutions in Russia. A number of libraries, teahouses, Sunday-schools, auditoriums, amateur theaters and musical troupes were established. The article draws on archive materials which report that The Committee dealt with the spread of literacy and the creation of orchestras and choirs in Tavrida province. These materials indicate that the Committee spent a lot of money on newspapers and magazines and give other important facts. Another significant consequence of the local offices was the verdict to prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages during the holy days. The Committee was the largest public organization, and the Committee’s participants acted according to the internal policy of the Russian government. In 1904 a review was made of information about all aspects of the activities of The Committee, and the author argues that the cultural level of the population has grown considerably.