Education, science, and printing in Azerbaijan
1918-1920
"Azerbaijan has created its own centre of education, and a brilliant new page is inscribed in the history of the Turkic people. A new lamp has been lit at the crossroads of Asia and Europe."
The first rector of Baku State University, V. I. Razumovskiy,
about the opening of the university
Education.
In the Azerbaijan Republic, the Ministry of Public Education (MNE) was in charge of the country's network of educational and cultural institutions.
A commission to reform the alphabet was organized to accelerate the education of the people. The commission drew up several projects and submitted them to the government. A project proposed by teacher Abdullah Afandizadeh was approved and taken as a basis for the new alphabet. However, the April invasion prevented the reform of the alphabet.
From the very first day, the Azerbaijan Republic paid special attention to the training of national staff and the creation of a new education system. One of the first measures of the Azerbaijani government was the nationalization of institutions of education. On the basis of the decision of 28 August 1918, education was conducted in the mother tongue of the students in all primary schools, but at the same time the teaching of the state Azerbaijani language was mandatory. In higher-elementary and secondary educational institutions, lessons were conducted in the state language. For students who did not know the Azerbaijani language, Azerbaijani departments were opened in the third and fourth forms where the teaching of the Azerbaijani language was carried out so intensively that students could continue their education in that language within two years.
To teach the Azerbaijani language to public officials, Baku teaching courses, of which Rashid Afandiyev was the director, were created; here more than 500 officials learnt the language.
As a result of the measures taken by the government, there were 637 primary and 23 secondary specialized schools operating at the expense of the state in the country at the beginning of 1919. Secondary schools included 6 men and 4 women's gymnasiums, 5 real schools, 3 teachers' seminaries, 3 girls' schools of the St. Nina educational institution, and polytechnic and commercial schools. By the end of the year, another male and female high school and a real school in Goychay were opened. The number of students in these schools (except for teachers' seminaries) was 9,611 people. The expansion of the chain of primary schools was an important event in the field of public education.
For the education of the adult population, Azerbaijani language courses were organized in Baku, Ganja, Sheki (Nukha), Shusha, Qazakh, Qusar, Salyan and Zagatala on 15 September 1919, and from November 1919, evening courses for Azerbaijani workers were opened in Baku. In the Baku courses, more than 200 Azerbaijani workers received vocational education.
To train teachers, 8 men's and 3 women's pedagogical courses were opened, and each of them was attended by 50 students; on completion of the course, they were appointed as teachers in different schools. Also 50 teachers were invited from Turkey. To improve the teacher training process, a teachers' seminary in Qazakh was opened. The director of the seminary established on the basis of the Azerbaijani branch of the Gori seminary was the well-known educator and literary critic Firidun Bey Kocharli.
To discuss issues in the field of school reform, the 1st congress of Azerbaijani teachers was held in Baku on 20 August 1919.
To provide schools with textbooks, the MPE established a special commission, which included well-known teachers H. Javid, M. Mahmudbayov, A. Shaig, J. Jabrayilbayli, S. Ajalov, F. Agazadeh, A. Afandizadeh and so on. In 1918-1920, nine titles of new books were prepared and published. For the purchase of textbooks in Turkey, the MPE was given one million manats. Previous libraries were rebuilt, and three new working libraries, as well as specialized libraries of the Health and Justice Ministries were opened.
A major achievement in the field of education was the opening of the first university of the European type in Baku. On 1 September 1919, the parliament adopted a law "On the establishment of Baku State University". Four faculties were identified: History and Philology (with a department on the East), Physics and Mathematics, Law, and Medicine. In 1919-1920, the staff and budget of the first 4 grades of the medical and the first grade of the history and philology faculties were approved. In all faculties, Azerbaijani language teaching was mandatory. The first rector of the University was Professor V. I. Razumovskiy. On 15 November 1919, the first lectures were given at the university.
On the basis of the 1 September 1919 decision of the parliament, it was decided to send 100 Azerbaijani students to the best universities abroad at public expense. To this end, the MPE was allocated 7 million manats. The commission for the selection of entrants included Mammad Amin Rasulzadeh (chairman), Ahmad Pepinov, Gara Garabayli, Mehdi Hajinski and Abdulla Afandizadeh. As a result, 49 people were sent to universities in Germany, 27 in France, 4 in Italy, 1 in England and 6 in Turkey. 13 people were selected for education in Russia, but due to the civil war in Russia, they were not sent there. The ceremonial departure of students took place on 14 January 1920. However, the fate of those who were so carefully selected and sent with hope was tragic. After the April 1920 occupation, they completed their education with great difficulty (due to financial problems), and on their return, most of them fell victim to the "red terror".
Science.
On 29 December 1919, a Society for the Study of the Muslim East, which was engaged in the study of monuments of history and culture of Muslim countries, was founded at Baku University. The first national museum Istiglal was opened in December 1919 in Baku. The museum collected and exhibited materials on the archeology, history and ethnography of the Azerbaijani people. In early 1920, an archeology department was created at the MPE. The society to protect Islamic culture and art, the Turkic hearth and others were also engaged in scientific research.
The Press.
In 1918-20, 89 newspapers and magazines were published in Azerbaijan. This period in the history of the Azerbaijani press is considered the heyday. Among the publications were such newspapers as Istiglal, Azerbaijan, Ovragi-Nafisa, Musulmanstvo, Gurtulush, Madaniyyat, Ganjlar Yurdu, satirical magazines Sheypur, Zanbur and others. Also, the pro-Bolshevik newspaper Hummat and newspapers in Russian, Armenian, Georgian, Hebrew, Polish and Persian were published in the country.
Cultural development in Azerbaijan
1918-1920
Creation of the national state promoted cultural development. It is especially accelerated the theater developed.
Since October 9, 1918 theatrical business was under authority of the Ministry of Public Education. On October 18, 1918 the Azerbaijani State theater has been created for the first time. G.N. Sharifzadeh has been appointed the director of the State theater.
On October 24, 1919 with participation of members of the government of the republic the opening ceremonial of the Azerbaijani State Theater with statement of a performance of the historical play "Azerbaijan" of Isa Bey Ashurbeyli has taken place.
In the State theater opera, musical and theatrical performances, concerts of a folk music were put, and also festive government events were held. Theater works of the Azerbaijani playwrights M.F.Akhundov, N. Vezirov, N. Narimanov, H. Javid, J. Jabbarli, U.Hajibeyli, Z.Hajibeyli, M. Magomayev were staged. On March 7, 1919 the premiere of the opera of M. Magomayev "Shah Ismail" has taken place.
Theatrical companies were created also in other cities of the republic. On November 17, 1919 at a meeting of the Government the bill of creation of the State Turkic theater of the opera and the drama has been approved.
On August 22, 1919 for the purpose of development of national theater, preparation of actor's shots and increase of their professional level the decision on creation of the art courses consisting of 4 offices has been made: drama, comedy, musical, literary. Drama office A. M. Sharifzadeh, H. Sarabski, comedy – M. Aliyev, musical – Z.Hajibeyli, U. Hajibeyli, M. Magomayev, Q. Primov, literary – A. Muznib, R. Zaki directed.
In 1919 the Azerbaijan's first studio of painting has been created.
The outstanding Azerbaijani artist Bahruz Kengerli (1892-1922) has created a series of portraits of the Azerbaijani refugees and subject pictures lighting exile of Azerbaijanians from native lands by the Armenian chauvinists. He has also organized a circle of young artists.
In October, 1919 the creative Union of journalists and writers has been created (journalists, writers and poets). L. Umansky, the deputy Khalil Ibrahim, one of board members U. Hajibeyli was the chairman of the Union.
