Exercise 8.

Student life at Tomsk University in the late 19^th Century.

What was student life like at the Imperial Siberian University over

a hundred years ago? Do modern students differ much from their predecessors of the 19^th century? Compare, decide and answer these questions after reading the information below.

1. In 1888 72 students were admitted to one faculty. In 1898 there were 447 students at two faculties. While Moscow University admitted mostly children from the upper classes, the student body at TU was more diverse and included those who came from upper and lower middle classes, the clergy and merchants. Most of the first students came from theological seminaries, many of them were non-residents and arrived from Ryazan, Kostroma, Novgorod, Vologda, Orel, Penza, Perm, Samara, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Omsk, Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

2. All the students had to pay tuition fees of about 100 roubles per academic year. In addition, they paid for food, housing and clothes. Since most came from low-income families, they lived in poverty and had to save every penny. Average costs for one person amounted to 22 roubles per month.

3. All that money came from 4 sources: parental income; financial support from the government in the form of scholarships (incidentally, there were only 20 scholarships of 300 roubles each per year); financial aid from charity organisations and sponsors; students’ own earnings from part-time jobs. The most popular kinds of part-time work were private teaching, keeping records or accounts in offices and shops, carrying loads as porters at hotels and dockers at train stations and ships.

4. In 1901 75 % of all students lived in rented accommodation, usually sharing flats with fellow-students. The living conditions in the only hall of residence/dormitory were quite satisfactory: the dormitory dwellers were provided with furniture, beddings, library and servants. However, not every student could afford to stay in the dormitory as they were to pay for it in advance a sum of 110 roubles per year.

5. Once young people were enrolled, they had to wear a uniform. The set of clothes consisted of a suit for special occasions, a jacket and trousers for everyday wear, overcoats for winter and summer, and a cap. Many bought these things second-hand. Financial difficulties made students economize on everything, especially on food and clothing, which inevitably led to health problems. Poor health, namely tuberculosis, was a common problem. Every student could consult a doctor and receive medical treatment and prescribed medicines without payment.

6. Students of those days didn’t spend all their time working, they, too, needed to relax. Amateur concerts and theatricals were very popular. A lot of former seminarians sang in the university choir. The money raised from those activities was used to support needy students. A. Morachevsky, an alumnus of the Law Faculty, described student parties of his young days in the following way: “In order to arrange a party we pooled our money and hired a large flat. Then we bought all necessary things and invited friends and acquaintances to spend cold long winter evenings together. We enjoyed singing, drinking wine, chatting and discussing topical issues. Professors were often invited to take part. The parties were open to everyone: their announcements appeared everywhere – in the main building, dining halls and dormitory.”

Exercise 9.Speak on the following topics.

1. Imagine your great-great-grandfather was among the first students/professors at Tomsk University. What things did he witness? What memories do his descendants keep?

2. The architecture of the University buildings. Do you feel the special atmosphere of TSU?

3. Places at the University that remind you of its early days.

4. The main stages in the establishment of the University.