Bagbustan Mukminova and her school for girls (based on secondary analysis)

Abstract

The study is dated to 140th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding representative of the Tatar people, Bagbustan Vildanovna Mukminova (1884–1963). She is a well-known educator, teacher and author of numerous articles on women’s issues. Thanks to her, in 1908 the first new-method school, the Bagbustan School, was opened in Orenburg, which operated until 1918. Baghbustan Khanum resumes summer pedagogical courses created at the turn of the 19th – 20th centuries on the initiative of Gabdulgani Khusainov in the village of Kabanovo, Burzyan-Kipchak Volost, Orenburg Province. She is one of the first Tatar women to receive an official certificate from the Orenburg Muslim Spiritual Assembly, which allowed teaching activities. B. Mukminova went to Turkey in 1914 to study teaching experience and improve education. There she seeked permission to enter the parliament and spoke before local deputies. That was an unheard of event for Turkey and was covered by the Turkish press. The presented article presents the biographical facts and principal directions of B.V. Mukminova’s pedagogical activities. The study is based on a secondary analysis of information from the book “Un ellyk gyilmi hezmat”, dedicated to the 10th anniversary of Baghbustan School and its leader's pedagogical work. The book, prepared by members of the Orenburg Muslim Women’s Society, describes the history of the Bagbustan School from the first days of its existence, mentions people who provided material and moral support to the school, lists the subjects taught, discloses the income and expenses of the educational institution, and highlights the work of pedagogical courses. The publication describes in detail Baghbustan Khanum's trip to Turkey and contains the memoirs of the teacher of the Ak-Mechet girls’ school, Hermez Muhammedova, who was a participant in the summer pedagogical courses. Particular attention is given to the note about Baghbustan Khanum from the Turkish newspaper “Tasfire Afkar”.

Keywords

• bagbustan khanum
• women’s education
• pedagogical courses
• ak-mechet
• orenburg
• crimea
• orenburg muslim women’s society