FROM THE HISTORY OF TOMSK STATE UNIVERSITY
1. The Founding of the University.
Tomsk University is one of the oldest universities in Russia and the first higher educational institution in the vast area from the Urals to the Pacific Ocean. It was established in 1878 and opened in 1888. The idea to open a university in Siberia had been discussed by progressive people in Russia for more than half a century before it was fulfilled in the late 19th century.
Tomsk was one of seven cities in Siberia that competed for the honour of hosting a university. Eventually Tomsk was chosen as the best site. On May 28th, 1878 Emperor Alexander II signed a Decree permitting the establishment of the Siberian Imperial University in Tomsk.
Soon a construction committee was formed headed by Professor V.M. Florinsky. Half of the expenses of the construction was covered by voluntary donations from local notables. Along with the construction of the university, a library was being collected, as well as materials for laboratories, museums, the botanical garden and its greenhouse, and the herbarium.
The architects A.Bruni and P.Naranovich designed the university building in classic style. The ceremony of laying the cornerstone took place in August 1880. Most of the construction was completed by 1884. By the opening date in 1888, the main building housed a library, a church, assembly halls, lecture rooms and museums. The professors’ apartments were situated in the wings.
The opening ceremony was held in the church on the first floor on July 22nd, 1888. After the ceremonial church service the guests moved to the Assembly Hall that was decorated with tropical plants and garlands. The hall was packed full with those who wanted to see the opening. Professor Florinsky said in his speech there: “We would like our professors and scientists, inspired by their love for the Motherland, to serve both students and science with equal eagerness. We would like them to be independent in their scientific research and set up their own scientific schools. Only the integration of the academic process and scientific research will enable our university to fulfil its great mission”.
The first professors who taught at the university arrived in Tomsk from Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan. In 1888 the University was opened, having only one faculty – the Faculty of Medicine. Professor Gezekhus was appointed Rector. In 1898 the Law faculty was opened, and in 1917 –the faculties of Physics-Mathematics, and History-Philosophy-Philology. The University was run by the Academic Board. The sessions of the Board were held in the hall on the ground floor (to the right of the main entrance).
The lectures were given in 3 lecture rooms on the ground and first floors. The first lecture theatre (today room 123) occupied 2 floors and had enough seats for 300 people. There, lectures in theology, mineralogy, zoology and physiology were delivered, as well as lectures for the general public. The second lecture room (No. 141) on the ground floor seated 100 people. Lectures in physics, chemistry, general pathology, hygiene and therapy were given in it. The third lecture room for an audience of 80 was situated on the first floor. In addition, there were two more lecture rooms for different classes on the first floor in the north wing. The professors, including the Rector himself, had apartments in the 3-storeyed wings of the main building.
Before the University was opened, V.Florinsky asked the 80-year-old Count Stroganov to donate his family library to the newly-born university. Stroganov’s library contained over twenty-two thousand volumes. There were other contributions, too. The Siberian industrialist A. Sibiriakov contributed V. Zhukovsky’s library of 4,600 volumes as a gift. Between 1875 and 1885 the University received over 70,000 books and magazines. At first the books were kept in a special room in the main building. In 1914, a new library was completed (architects A. Shishko and A. Kriachkov) that included an assembly hall and a book depository. The façade was made in monumental palace style. The new building was technically advanced: there was central heating, ventilation and electricity. In October 1914 the new library started lending books.
The first residence hall for students was opened in August 1888 (now building 3). There were 45 rooms for 72 students on the first and second floors, a dining hall and a reading room on the ground floor. Most of the rooms were shared by 2 students. The student’s average stipend/scholarship at that time was 22 roubles, out of which 10 roubles was paid for room and board. After the second faculty – Law- was opened in 1898, the number of students grew to 450.
The pride of “Siberian Athens” – the Botanical garden came into being thanks to the university, because it needed a garden for growing medicinal herbs for the Medical faculty. The gardener Porfiriy Krilov arrived in Tomsk from Kazan and with great difficulty brought with him 700 potted plants, transporting them by horse-drawn carts, ships and railway carriages. The hothouses, the conservatory, the flowerbeds, paths and green hedges made the surrounding grounds very picturesque. By the time the University opened there were 17,000 plants in the
garden. Some palms and tropical plants have survived until now.
Exercise 1. a) Read and learn the words.
vast area - обширная территория
to fulfil -исполнять, осуществлять
to establish -учреждать, основывать
honour - честь
to host -принимать у себя
eventually -в конце концов; в конечном
счете; со временем
to sign /sain/ -подписывать(ся), ставить
подпись
to permit -разрешать
voluntary donations -добровольные пожертвования
to donate -жертвовать, дарить
as well as - а также и
along with -наряду с
to complete -заканчивать, завершать
assembly hall -актовый зал
to integrate -объединять в единое целое,
объединяться
to inspire -вдохновлять
to contribute -внести, пожертвовать
(деньги); содействовать,
способствовать, вноситьвклад
technically advanced /k/ /a:/ - технически передовой
scholarship, grant, stipend / sk/ /a;/ /ai / -стипендия
to enable -давать возможность, право
(делать что-то)
to share -делить, разделять; владеть
совместно
to survive - выжить, уцелеть
b) Pay attention to the pronunciation of the following words.(, ‘ - here: stress marks to show where stress is placed)
Si’beria /ai/ , la’boratory, mu’seum, ‘architect /k/, ‘architecture, ‘ceremony/s/, to ‘decorate, ,deco’ration, to ‘integrate, ‘inte’gration, ,aca’demic ‘process/s/, to con’tribute, ,contri’bution, fa’çade/a:/, ‘technically/k/, ‘medicine/s/, ‘stipend/ai/ ,mine’ralogy, chemistry/k/, ,co’mmittee, to be ‘situated, to ‘occupy, ,scien’tific, de’pository, ,pictu’resque, palm/a:/, lecture, lecturer, ‘area, i’dea, to ful’fil.
Exercise 2. Study the vocabulary commentaries.
To establish – to start or create an organization, a system that is meant to last for a long time. Syn: to set up.
e.g. To establish a new state. The committee was established in 1999.
To fulfil – a) to do or achieve what was hoped for or expected.
e.g. To fulfil your dream/ambition/potential.
b) to do what is necessary.
e.g. to fulfil a duty/ an obligation/ a promise; to fulfil the terms/ conditions of an agreement.
To cover (expenses) – to provide enough money for sth.
e.g. A thousand roubles should cover your expenses. The show barely covered its costs.
To donate – to give money, food, clothes, etc to sb, especially as charity.
e.g. Some people regularly donate thousands of pounds to charity. To make a donation. Voluntary donations; a generous donation.
Along with –in addition to sb/sth, in the same way as sb.
e.g. When the factory closed, she lost her job, along with hundreds of others.
To hold – to arrange: to hold a meeting, a competition, a conversation.
e.g. The meeting was held in the assembly hall.
To enable – to make it possible for sb to do sth. Syn: to allow.
e.g. The software enables you to access the Internet in seconds. The new programme enables older people to study at college.
To lecture (in) – to give a talk or a series of talks to a group of students.
e.g. She lectures in Russian literature. Syn: to give/to deliver a lecture.
Lecture theatre – a large room with rows of seats on a slope, where lectures are given.
Hall of residence / hall (Br.E.), dormitory (Am.) – a building for university or college students to live in.
To share – a) to use sth at the same time as sb else:
She shares a room with two other students.
b) to give some of what you have to sb else:
The conference is a good place to share information and exchange ideas.
Exercise 3.Answer the questions.
1. What distinguishes Tomsk University from other Siberian universities?
2. How long did it take to carry out the idea of opening a university in Tomsk?
3.Was Tomsk the only town that wished to have a university?
4. Who approved the establishment of the university in Tomsk ? When?
5. How was the construction funded?
6. What facilities were being prepared along with the construction of the main building?
7. Who designed the main building?
8. When and where was the opening ceremony held?
9. The first professors were not from Siberia, were they? Where were they accommodated?
10.What faculties were opened first?
11.Who ran the University?
12.How many lecture rooms were there in the main building? Were they large?
13. How was the University library collected?
14. Where were the books kept?
15. The new library was outstanding in many ways, wasn’t it?
16. What things in the first hall of residence seem unusual by modern standards?
17. Was the Botanical garden meant for decorating the town?
18. Who was the founder of the Botanical garden?
Exercise 4.Correct the following statements.
1. Tomsk University was the second in Siberia.
2. The idea to open it came to Tsar Alexander II quite spontaneously.
3. The money for the construction came from the government.
4. The library, museums, the Botanical garden were opened in the early 20th century.
5. The main building was completed in 15 years.
6. Professors arrived from Siberia and abroad.
7. In 1888 three faculties were opened.
8. The University was run from St. Petersburg.
9. There were ten lecture rooms.
10.The rooms could seat only 50 people each.
11. The first professors had to buy their own houses to live in.
12. The books for the library were bought by students.
13.The library built in 1914 looked humble.
14. The first University students had to rent rooms.
15 The gardener Krilov gathered plants for the Botanical garden in Siberia.
Exercise 5.Identify the following dates, people and numbers with the events in the University’s history.
a) May 28th,1878; 1884; July 22nd,1888; 1898; 1917; October 1914; August 1888.
b) Tsar Alexander II; Professor Florinsky; Bruni and Naranovich; A. Kriachkov; Professor Gezekhus; P. Krilov; A. Stroganov; A. Sibiriakov; V. Zhukovsky.
c) seven cities; half of the expenses; 3 lecture rooms; 300 people; room 141; three-storeyed wings; 80-year-old; 4,600; 72 students; 450 students; 22 roubles; 700 potted plants; 17,000 plants.
Exercise 6. Make up your own sentences with the following words:
In the late 19th century, in the early 20th century, to permit, eventually, to cover expenses, to complete, to be held, to enable sb to do sth,, to appoint, to run sth, to deliver lectures, to donate, to contribute, to share sth with sbd, average scholarship, to come into being, thanks to sb/sth, picturesque, to survive.
Exercise 7.Translate into English.
1. В 19 веке на обширной территории Сибири не было высших учебных заведений.
2. Томску выпала честь разместить у себя первый университет.
3. Указ о создании университета был подписан Александром Вторым.
4. Половина средств поступила от правительства (из госбюджета), другая половина -от частных пожертвований.
5. Глава строительного комитета Флоринский заботился также о создании музеев, библиотеки и других необходимых вещах.
6. Торжественная церемония открытия происходила 22 июля 1888 в актовом зале.
7. В классическом университете учебный процесс должен сочетаться с осуществлением научных исследований.
8. Лекции читались в трех больших аудиториях.
9. Аудитория 141 вмещала 100 человек.
10. Некоторые известные деятели России передали библиотеке свои книжные коллекции.
11. Самый большой книжный дар библиотека получила от графа Строганова.
12.Несколько выдающихся научных школ возникли в университете.
13. Так как было невозможно хранить все книги в основном здании, было построено новое здание библиотеки.
14. Одновременно с учебным корпусом было построено общежитие для студентов. Студенты жили на 2 и 3 этаже, по 2 человека в комнате.
15. Студенты должны были платить 10 рублей за проживание и питание.
16. Ботанический сад был создан с целью выращивания лекарственных трав для медицинского факультета.
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