ELIZAVETA RAZINA — SCHOOL TEACHER AND CHILDREN’S AUTHOR: IN SEARCH OF A PROFESSIONAL PATH

Abstract

This article examines the creative biography of Elizaveta Alexeevna Razina (1856–1915) on the basis of materials from the “autobiographical collection” of S. A. Vengerov at the Institute of Russian Literature (Pushkin House) of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Central State Historical Archive in St. Petersburg, as well as other documents. An exploration of biographical facts, literary works, and textbooks makes it possible to see how two lines interact in Elizaveta Razina’s destiny and work: on the one hand, reflection on the heritage and life of her father, the famous children’s writer Alexej E. Razin, and on the other hand, her pedagogical activities. This article presents the results of the study of Elizaveta Razina’s professional path in the context of school education reforms and emerging opportunities for women educators. Children’s literature has become a focus for informal teachers’ communities and one of their activities, primarily in the form of a recommendatory bibliography. Elizaveta Razina took part in collective bibliographic reviews and in the compilation of a textbook for upper primary schools, but in her case, the desire to give children a really good book and the desire to be worthy of her father’s memory and to continue his work led to the emergence of a new children’s author.

Keywords: Elizaveta A. Razina, Alexej E. Razin, Semjon A. Vengerov, children’s literature, writer-teacher, system of elementary education, bibliography of a children’s book