The dissertation provides the theoretical generalization and proposes a new approach to solving an important and actual problem, which is in a complex and comprehensive illumination of the genesis of public and educational activities of the Yelysavethrad Charitable Society for the Dissemination of Literacy and Crafts.
For the first time, based on the analysis of sources and modern understanding of the problem, the public and educational activities of the Yelysavethrad Charitable Society for the Dissemination of Literacy and Crafts are comprehensively characterized; the preconditions for the establishment of public associations in the Yelysavethrad region in the second half of the XIX – early XX century were revealed: political, economic, socio-cultural, educational; the stages of the development and the main directions of public-educational activity of the Yelysavethrad Charitable Society for the Dissemination of Literacy and Crafts were clarified: 1873–1877 (the society was limited exclusively to the care of the Yelysavethrad Crafts and Literacy School); 1878–1882 – the stage of decline and inactivity of the society (the council of the society was not convened even for consideration and approval of reports and election of officials of Yelysavetgrad craft and literacy school, which was taken care of by the society. In fact, the school functioned independently); 1894–1899 – the most fruitful period of the society's activity (some new sources were found, replenishment of the society's treasury , a free public library-reading room was opened in the city, a national theater in the form of public performances was established, invitations of professors of metropolitan universities to give lectures in Yelysavethrad, etc. were introduced into the practice of the society; 1902–1914 – changing the regulations for the second time, the Yelysavethrad Society for the Dissemination of Literacy and Crafts continued educational and cultural activities (maintenance of a craft and literacy school, the establishment of kindergartens, the promotion of art, art exhibitions, theater performances, concerts, etc.); the contribution of the society members to the development of educational processes of the region is investigated; the experience of the organization of preschool, vocational and technical, art education in the system of work of the society in the specified historical period is generalized; the concept of «public associations», information on the activities of public associations in the Russian Empire; features of educational development in Yelysavethrad region of the specified period; the historiography of the problem was further developed; generalization of the experience of pedagogical and public-educational activity of the Yelysavethrad Charitable Society for the Dissemination of Literacy and Crafts in a specific historical period.
