Our History
The first decade (1919–1929) | Prewar years (1930–1941) | |
The Years of Hardship (1941–1959) | 1960–1990 | |
The first years of independence of Ukraine (1991–2001) | ||
Prewar years (1930–1941)
Industrial development in 1930-es and social structure changes required higher level of education of the workers, and fostered implementation of obligatory, free of charge primary and seven-year education. The extension of the school network needed further enlargement and improvement of teachers’ staff education. The number of the students increased.

233 students were accepted to Zhytomyr social education institute in 1930–1931. 159 students were enrolled to the daily workers’ college, and 90 — to the evening courses. The new departments were created in 1931: Geology department, Chemistry, Philosophy, Political Economics, Agriculture, Language and Literature Department. The institute staff (43 members) was improved. 18 graduates were left to work at the institute in 1931. They were Y. F. Matkivskyi, later an assistant professor of the Chemistry department; I. S. Ljah, later a head of the department of Political Economics, S. P. Alber, professor of Mathematics. From 1933 he headed the department of Physics and Economics.
1930-es were full of obstacles for the Zhytomyr institute staff. 379 students left the institute in 1932, 286 — in 1933. The reason was famine. Due to it the number of students was decreased. As a result, the number of specialists was low. 183 students graduated the institute in 1931, 106 — in 1932, and 96 — in 1933.
Persecutions, purges and repressions were hold against teachers and students. 50 students were sent down from the institute for hiding their social class and so called counter-revolution activities. In 1932–1933 — 33 students, treated as enemy elements, were sent down, teachers Zhukov, Ruban, Posuvalov were accused of nationalist activities and fired. Lecturers S. V. Bilskyi, M. A. Mihailevich, M. A. Buinitskyi, L. K. Kulbitskyi were enrolled to the enemy group list also. Unreasonable repressions took place at the institute in the following years. The most serious damage was made to the lecturer and professors’ staff. The head of the institute K. M. Tabakmaher was arrested in 1936, 18 lecturers — in 1937. 15 got the death penalty: heads of the institute K. Ye. Konik, V. P. Hotsa, O. S. Panteljeev, head of Pedagogy department L. M. Hinkivskyi, professor P. H. Postojev, assistant professor S. K. Kovalevskyi, teachers of Ukrainian language H. M. Holovatyi, V. K. Omelchenko, I. D. Suhan, Chemistry teacher A. O. Musika, Ukrainian literature teacher A. P. Suprunovich, German language teacher R. I. Paul.

1930-es were the years of reorganization. According to the decision of the Ministry of Education of the republic Zhytomyr institute became pedagogical in 1934, and from the 1st September 1935 it was called teachers’ institute with two faculties: humanitarian faculty with literature and language department and historical department and natural faculty with geographical and natural departments. The institute prepared secondary school teachers majoring in Ukrainian language and Literature, History, Biology, Chemistry and Geography. The education of a teacher was highly social in 1930-es. The institute authority strived to attract children of workers and peasant families. For that reason two subsidiary colleges were created in Malin and Cherniahiv with 240 students.
General sophistication and language competence were the most urgent problems at that time. In order to solve them Ukrainian language classes were implemented at all faculties.
There were made changes of the History and Geography plans and programs according to the regulation “About studying of History and Geography at primary, incomplete secondary and secondary schools” (1934).
In 1930-es it was possible to apply to the institute two times — in the spring and in the autumn. In 1936 the total number of the students 1938 brought again reorganization. The institute finally became state pedagogical with four-year studying. It cooperated with the two-year teachers’ institute till 1952. There were specialists for incomplete secondary schools prepared. Each institute had History, Language and Literature, Natural and Geographical Faculties. In 1938 Zhytomyr pedagogical institute sent 700 teachers with higher education to work at the schools of the region. There was still lack of teachers’ staff at the schools of the region. The number of the part-time students and college students was growing. The courses (1 year or 6 month) prepared the applicants for the institute. According to the data of the Ministry of Education of the republic Zhytomyr institute had the largest number of the part-time students.
85 lecturers worked at the both universities the same year: two professors S. V. Bilskyi, S. M. Smolinskyi, three assistant professors and two candidates of science. The other lecturers did not possess any degree. After the reunion of West Ukraine with Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1939 the institute lecturers were sent to work in Bessarabia (there was lack of teachers’ staff in the region): V. Dobrianskyi, O. M. Popadenko, P. I. Chernjavskyi, professor S. M. Smolinskyi who headed the Department of Pedagogy in Lviv institute. He was appointed a head of the institute after the war.
The number of students and graduates increased in the pre-war years. 1170 students studied at the daily basis in 1940–1941: in pedagogical institute — 490; in teachers’ — 680; at the part-time basis — 2300. The introduction of the studying on the paying basis (Regulation of Council of People’s Commissars of the Ukrainian SSR) decreased the number of the students (428 students were sent down). During 22 years Zhytomyr institute prepared 5.5 thousand skilled teachers.
During 1930-es the institute staff and the students combined educational work with participation in the social and political city life. In 1930 “Literacy Committee” was organized at the institute. There were 345 members, mainly students.
The institute staff was occupied with scientific work; the students participated also. 17 volumes of the scientific works were published in 1935–1940.
The institute scientific conferences became tradition. The students took part in scientific work. In 1930 the departments of Physics and Mathematics, Geology, Chemistry, Political Economics, History, Philosophy, Ukrainian language and literature created circles where students were involved in scientific work.
Tense political situation, hazard of military conflict fostered patriotic and military education. Military disciplines were included into the educational programs.
In 1934 the military department and class were created. The circles were formed — shooting, glider pilots, motorcycles, and first medical help. The lecturers and students studied shooting, to use a medium machinegun and light machine-gun. In pre-war years the work intensified there.
In November 1940 a military group, consisting of 254 people, was organized from the reservists. From February 1941 a day of defense was introduced (it took 12 hours per month). Reservists formed 13 groups to study military disciplines: radio operators, motorcycles, machinegun, parachutist, self-defense, medical orderly. The lecturers formed the defense group.
The attention was paid to cultural and sport activities too. 155 students participated in choir, theater, wind and ballet circles. Morozova, an actress of the local theater, headed the theater circle. The students organized cultural events for the villagers of Barishivka and Stanishivka, soldiers.
Five sport clubs functioned at the institute: gymnastics, weightlifting, athletics, volleyball and football. 120 students participated there.
The material base of the institute expanded each year. The institute was located in the city block called student town. It comprised a main and two accessory studying buildings with class-rooms, laboratories, workshops, assembly halls and sport hall, museum, library with more than 150 thousand of books. A sports ground was made at the institute, four-floor dormitory was built (1932) and five houses for lecturers. A botanical garden with unique trees surrounded the institute.
The War destroyed creative plans and thoughts of the teachers and students.