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Ukrainian Philology at Taurida University

Brief summary: the development of the Ukrainian Philology Department at the Crimean Pedagogical Institute (successor to Taurida University) — from the organization of the department in 1954 and the creation of the Department of Language and Literature in 1955 to a full-fledged Faculty of Ukrainian Philology and Ukrainian Studies in 2005.

Overview

Post-war Crimea remained within the RSFSR until 1954; hence, an academic department of Ukrainian language and literature emerged at the Crimean Pedagogical Institute only after the region was transferred to the Ukrainian SSR. Documents of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine (CPU) attest to the development of the educational curriculum: engaging scholars (P. Kyrychok, H. Nedilko), creating the first class of 25 students (1954), and subsequently admitting two classes (50 students) and establishing a dedicated Ukrainian studies department in 1955. Mandatory study of Ukrainian language and literature was also introduced for the russian department.

Prerequisite for creation: a catastrophic shortage of Ukrainian language and literature teachers in Crimean schools, resulting from the pre-war educational crisis and the 1944 deportation.

Key Details / Subtopics

  • 1954: Memo and Organization of the Department: A memorandum from the School Department of the Central Committee of the CPU dated September 29, 1954, confirmed the initiative to establish a Ukrainian Language and Literature Department within the Faculty of History and Philology at the CPI. By order of the Minister of Education of the Ukrainian SSR on October 14, 1954, the first academic class (25 students) was formed. For the 1955/56 academic year, enrollment for 50 students (2 classes) was established.
  • 1955: Creation of the Department and New Curricula: On August 26, 1955, the Department of Ukrainian Language and Literature was opened, headed by Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor Petro Kyrychok. Its faculty included H. Ya. Nedilko, Antonina Yova (Smyrnova), Volya Zakhanevych, and Mariya Dotsenko. Curricula of the Ukrainian SSR including Ukrainian language (190 hours) and literature (140 hours) were implemented for the CPI russian Language and Literature Department.
  • 1975: Division into Two Departments: Separate Departments of Ukrainian Language and Ukrainian Literature were formed. The academic faculties grew out of the original department.
  • 2005: Faculty of Ukrainian Philology and Ukrainian Studies: A rectorial order on January 19, 2005, established the faculty based on the two departments (language, literature). The Department of Ukrainian Studies and Ukrainian Language Culture extended to 15 faculties.
  • Key Figures: Petro Kyrychok, H. Ya. Nedilko, Antonina Yova, Oleksandr Hubar, Musiy Bohutskyi, Mykhailo Vyshnyak, Yevhen Rehusevskyi, Kateryna Pokotylo, Viktor Humenyuk.
  • Petro Kyrychok — head of the first Department of Ukrainian Language and Literature (1955), organizer of the Ukrainian section.
  • Antonina Yova — department lecturer brought from Kryvyi Rih Pedagogical Institute.
  • Yevhen Rehusevskyi — linguist, researcher of the Ukrainian language in Crimea.
  • Mykhailo Vyshnyak — member of the Ukrainian Literature Department.