University culture in the 19th century through the memoirs of Dean D.F. Belyaev’s daughter

Abstract

The unpublished memoirs of Zoya Dmitrievna Belyaeva, who was the daughter of D.F. Belyaev (1846–1901), an esteemed Byzantinist and the dean of the Faculty of History and Philology at Kazan Imperial University, reveal how her father’s professional duties were inextricably intertwined with his personal experiences. These reflections not only capture the nuances of the scholar’s everyday life but also share the author’s perspective on the university culture of the late 19th century, thus enriching its history with many new, previously unknown, details and facts. The rhythm and lifestyle of D.F. Belyaev’s family were defined by the university events, corporate rituals, and professional interests. Z.D. Belyaeva skillfully captured the mindset typical of the classical academic community in those times. The celebration of the Emperor’s name day, religious holidays, visits to educational museums, jour fixes were especially important for both the family and the entire university. The descriptions of the interactions among the faculty members flesh out the portrayals of D.F. Belyaev’s colleagues at Kazan University: D.A. Korsakov, F.M. Mishchenko, N.A. Firsov, and D.I. Naguevskii. The social circle of the family included the families of D.I. Dubyago, the dean of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, and A.S. Nikol’skii, the head of public schools in the Kazan Governorate. D.F. Belyaev enjoyed the favor of K.V. Voroshilov and N.A. Kremlev, the rectors of Kazan Imperial University, as well as N.G. Potapov, the trustee of the Kazan Educational District.

Keywords

• d.f. belyaev
• kazan university
• faculty of history and philology
• university culture
• mindset of the academic community
• educational museums
• corporate rituals
• everyday life of the dean’s family
• institution of deanship