TO THE HISTORY OF THE UKRAINIAN GYMNASIUM IN LUTSK (ACCORDING TO THE MATERIALS OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF VOLYN REGION)

Abstract

This article explores the activities of the Ukrainian Gymnasium in Lutsk—one of the three private secondary schools with Ukrainian as the language of instruction that operated in Volyn during the period when the region was part of the Second Polish Republic (1918–1939). Documents preserved in the State Archive of the Volyn Region (funds 73: «Lutsk Private Ukrainian Gymnasium of the Lesia Ukrainka Society» and 190: «Lutsk Society named after Lesia Ukrainka») reveal little-known aspects of the institution's history and attest to its role as a significant center of cultural and educational life for the Ukrainian population of the region. Among the most interesting archival materials are teacher and student lists from different years, event diaries from the 1920s–1930s, minutes of parent committee and pedagogical council meetings, gymnasium curricula, administrative and financial records, reports from Polish school inspectors on inspections of the gymnasium, correspondence with Polish educational institutions, student certificates, statutes of school clubs and self-governing institutions, as well as memoirs of former students. The study clarifies the national and social composition of the gymnasium’s student body. It demonstrates that the high level of education and upbringing was ensured by a faculty composed of highly qualified teachers. At different times, the institution employed such talented educators as I. Vlasovskyi, M. Levytskyi, V. Fedorenko, R. Shkliar, B. Biletskyi, S. Dybenko, R. Zhehalovych, and others. The Lutsk Ukrainian Gymnasium was a humanities-oriented educational institution. The curriculum included subjects such as Orthodox religion, Latin, German, and French languages, geography, history, physics, and chemistry, among others. According to school records, the greatest number of instructional hours per week was allocated to Ukrainian and Polish languages. The primary language of instruction at the gymnasium was Ukrainian, except for Polish history and geography, which were taught in Polish. Based on archival materials, the author identifies key factors influencing the educational process. Among the most significant were insufficient funding, the lack of adequate material and technical resources, and constant pressure from the Polish school administration. The study shows that the authorities sought to maintain strict control over the gymnasium’s activities through personnel policies, approval of curricula (with Polish language, geography, and history being mandatory subjects), and annual inspections by Polish educational officials. Particular attention is given to the role of national-patriotic education as an integral part of the gymnasium’s educational process. Annual academic celebrations were held in honor of Taras Shevchenko, and prominent Ukrainian historical and cultural figures were commemorated. Documents also provide insight into the forms of cultural and recreational activities for gymnasium students.