In this portrait, Stepan Pavlovich Titov, the father of Gherman Titov, depicted the Soviet writer, literary critic, and publicist Adrian Mitrofanovich Toporov. Titov drew him from memory in the city of Shchyolkovo, Moscow Region.
Adrian Toporov was an enlightener, teacher, Esperanto practitioner, one of the founders of the May Morning commune, and the author of the book “Peasants on Writers”. He was born in the Belgorod Region where he worked in church and parochial schools but later moved to Altai where he settled down in one of the most remote villages — Verkhneye Zhilino of Kosikhinsky District.
Initially, Toropov did not get a warm reception. However, over more than 15 years of working in this district, he managed to make a very significant impact. Under his guidance, the commune members were able to set an example with their clean houses, good roads, community hall, kindergarten, school, and dining hall. Apart from reading, local school students studied music, singing, drawing, handicraft, and modeling. The village had not only educational institutions but also a functioning theater, string orchestra, children’s choir, and local history museum. Women were also allowed to attend Sunday school with the help of Adrian Toporov.
His orchestra included violins, violas, a cello, domras, guitars, mandolins, balalaikas, and a physharmonica and was the only one of its kind among all Siberian collective farms. The amateur art groups of the May Morning commune were known well beyond the Kosikhinsky District. Various handcrafted items made by local students were displayed at an All-Union Exhibition.
Thanks to the scientific literature ordered by Toporov, the commune members started growing tomatoes and watermelons never seen before in the Kosikhinsky area. Animal breeding soared to new heights. Toporov was the teacher of Stepan Titov and Alexandra Nosova — Gherman Titov’s parents. It was Adrian Toporov who cultivated in his student, whom he considered very talented, a love of music, drawing, and literature.
In his numerous articles and publications, Titov Senior commented that owed a great deal to his teacher, referring to him as his mentor. Stepan Titov also became a teacher. He loved drawing, playing the violin, and gardening. Adrian Toporov considered Gherman Titov to be his spiritual grandson even though they met rather late and knew each other mostly through the stories told by Titov Senior.
Adrian Toporov was an enlightener, teacher, Esperanto practitioner, one of the founders of the May Morning commune, and the author of the book “Peasants on Writers”. He was born in the Belgorod Region where he worked in church and parochial schools but later moved to Altai where he settled down in one of the most remote villages — Verkhneye Zhilino of Kosikhinsky District.
Initially, Toropov did not get a warm reception. However, over more than 15 years of working in this district, he managed to make a very significant impact. Under his guidance, the commune members were able to set an example with their clean houses, good roads, community hall, kindergarten, school, and dining hall. Apart from reading, local school students studied music, singing, drawing, handicraft, and modeling. The village had not only educational institutions but also a functioning theater, string orchestra, children’s choir, and local history museum. Women were also allowed to attend Sunday school with the help of Adrian Toporov.
His orchestra included violins, violas, a cello, domras, guitars, mandolins, balalaikas, and a physharmonica and was the only one of its kind among all Siberian collective farms. The amateur art groups of the May Morning commune were known well beyond the Kosikhinsky District. Various handcrafted items made by local students were displayed at an All-Union Exhibition.
Thanks to the scientific literature ordered by Toporov, the commune members started growing tomatoes and watermelons never seen before in the Kosikhinsky area. Animal breeding soared to new heights. Toporov was the teacher of Stepan Titov and Alexandra Nosova — Gherman Titov’s parents. It was Adrian Toporov who cultivated in his student, whom he considered very talented, a love of music, drawing, and literature.
In his numerous articles and publications, Titov Senior commented that owed a great deal to his teacher, referring to him as his mentor. Stepan Titov also became a teacher. He loved drawing, playing the violin, and gardening. Adrian Toporov considered Gherman Titov to be his spiritual grandson even though they met rather late and knew each other mostly through the stories told by Titov Senior.
