District commission for eradication of illiteracy founded in Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky

On October 12, 1929 the Presidium of the Sakhalin District Executive Committee in Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky adopted a resolution declaring the foundation of a district commission for eradication of illiteracy.

After the revolutionary events of 1917 the struggle for universal literacy in Russia became one of the decisive prerequisites for radical reforms in social relations, national economy and culture. In December 1917 the Department for Extramural Education headed by N. K. Krupskaya was established as part of the People's Commissariat of Education of the RSFSR. One of its main objectives was to eradicate illiteracy in the country. The First All-Russian Congress of Extramural Education took place in May 1919. At the initiative of Congress participants the People's Commissariat of Education prepared a draft decree “On Eradication of Illiteracy Among the Population of the RSFSR". The eradication of illiteracy was regarded as a necessary condition for ensuring the involvement of the whole population in the political and economic life of the country. On December 26, 1919 the Council of People's Commissars adopted the decree “On Eradication of Illiteracy Among the Population of the RSFSR”. The decree provided for the complete elimination of illiteracy across the country: from now on, people aged between 8 and 50, who could not read or write, were obliged to learn to read and write in their native language or the Russian language.

In July 1920 the Council of People's Commissars founded the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Eradication of Illiteracy, which was under the control of the People's Commissariat of Education. The commission was in charge of ‘likbez’ (elimination of illiteracy) courses, teacher training and publication of educational literature. The state literacy program was implemented under difficult economic conditions. However, the recovery of the national economy in Russia required an improvement in the general educational and cultural level of people. On August 14, 1923 the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars issued the decree "On Eradication of Illiteracy", which extended the decree of 1919. The working day of those, who learned to read and write, was shortened by two hours for the entire period of training, and the salary remained unchanged. In order to organize classes for teaching illiterates the national education authorities were allowed to use people's houses (leisure and cultural centers), churches, clubs, private houses, suitable premises at factories and other institutions. The People's Commissariat of Education and local authorities were given the right to involve all public organizations as well as the entire literate population of the country in teaching the illiterate population as a duty.

In 1925 enthusiasts, who struggled with illiteracy united into the voluntary society “Down with Illiteracy”, which set up local branches across the country. The objective of the society was to promote elimination of illiteracy among adults in the USSR. Schools and groups were being set up. Their members taught illiterates, and were also engaged in political and educational activities. A branch of the voluntary society was also set up in Sakhalin District. Likbez centers were opened in Sakhalin. Likbez campaigners provided training within individual training groups. Propaganda campaigns for eradication of illiteracy were launched everywhere and involved all the cultural force of the district. A variety of forms of work were used: lectures on literacy, propaganda speeches and reports, information sheets on classes for illiterates, which were distributed at markets and public meetings, propaganda in periodicals, wall newspapers, libraries; arrangement of literacy evenings. Students, who underwent training, were honoured at graduation ceremonies, while the lists of those, who became literate, were placed on ‘boards of honour’. Measures of moral and social influence, including public disapproval of illiterates, appointment of literate students to public positions were also effective means. The economic interest (beneficial loans) was also used. The campaign was carried out under the slogans: “Down with illiteracy”, “Literates, Teach Illiterates”.

On October 12, 1929 by a resolution of the Presidium of the Sakhalin District Executive Committee a district commission for elimination of illiteracy was set up in Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky to control this work. The commission included the following representatives: a chairman of the district special commission (from the district executive committee), a representative of the district committee of the CPSU, a representative of the district committee of the Komsomol, a representative of “Down with Illiteracy” society, as well as a representative of the district department of professional unions. At the First Congress of Soviets of Sakhalin District in January 1929, it was noted that 80 percent of the total population were literate. The All-Union Census of 1939 showed that the literacy rate among the population aged 8 and older was approaching 90 percent countrywide.

Lit.: Социалистическое строительство на Сахалине (1925–1945 гг.) : сб. документов и материалов. Южно-Сахалинск, 1967. С. 178; Календарь памятных дат Сахалинской области. Октябрь // Красное знамя. 1995. 3 окт.; Кузин А. Т. Образование // Сахалинский ревком : док.-ист. очерк. Южно-Сахалинск, 2000. С. 119-123.

Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:

Sakhalin Region: pages of history: [digital collection]

The materials were provided by the Sakhalin Regional Research Library