Male Progymnasium was founded in the late 19th century. It got its name in honour of the 25-year reign jubilee of the Emperor Alexander II. The opening of the educational institution was an important milestone in the history of Borisoglebsk. The official ceremony was attended by the Tambov governor baron Alexander Frederiks, the head of the uyezd nobility, and the teachers’ collective.
At first the institution had only four grades, but in three years its administration managed to add two more grades. Alexander Progymnasium in Borisoglebsk was one of four gymnasiums with the biggest number of students in the whole provincial Russia, even though it was paid education and only children from the wealthy families could afford it.
In 1897 the institution started to function as a full-fledged eight grade gymnasium, where a student could get secondary-level education. The administration and the teaching staff were aimed at the high quality education for their educatees. A big scholarly library was organized for the students. However, the institution wasn’t only the centre of scientific world, but also had an intense cultural life. Exhibitions, theatre plays and public meetings were organized there.
With arrival of the new regime in 1918 Alexander Gymnasium turned into the Soviet school, so boys and girls both studied there, and education became available for poor families.
Former gymnasium functions in Borisoglebsk nowadays as well.
The author of the graduation photo from Alexander Male Gymnasium in Borisoglebsk in 1914 is a Borisoglebsk-born photographer Ivan Nezhelsky, who changed the course of photo history in his native town. While previously photographers from the bigger cities were invited, with appearance of its own specialist there was no longer any necessity to do so. Ivan Nezhelsky came from a peasant family. In 1888 he founded his own photo atelier. He became famous for his portrait photography and various city views.
It’s notable that the wooden house where the photographer used to live survived to this day.
