In the history of the Volga shipping and shipbuilding, in the development of the technical progress of river transport, the Nizhny Novgorod River School named after I.P. Kulibin occupies a prominent place. This first Russian river educational institution was established in 1872, it has trained tens of thousands of highly qualified specialists and continues to work successfully to this day.

Two schools: trade and river

In 1868, in the year of the 50th anniversary of the death of Ivan Petrovich Kulibin, the public of Nizhny Novgorod decided to perpetuate the memory of the great mechanic. On April 1, 1872, the Nizhny Novgorod Vocational School was opened. I.P. Kulibin, which was supposed to train artisans from orphans and children of poor parents. First, the specialty of wood carvers was opened. Then carpenters, joiners, blacksmiths were added.

But what about the river, you ask? Graduates of the carpentry and blacksmith department repaired steam engines. The steamers turned to the school, gave orders for the repair of external combustion engines. The school had models of these same engines. Graduates sometimes went to the navy, where specialists in ship mechanics were required.

Initially, the school did not have its own premises and rented a private apartment for classes on donations from the provincial zemstvo, the city duma, the Nizhny Novgorod city public bank and private individuals. The school did not receive a penny from the treasury. Later, the school occupied the house of Verderevsky, who was convicted in a high-profile salt case and his property was confiscated. The mansion was leased to the Kulibino School, and then it was transferred to “perpetual use”. Until 1919, the school trained carpenters, blacksmiths, mechanics, including those for the needs of the river fleet.

There were no other educational institutions for the fleet at that time. But in 1887, after the tragedy on the ship "Vera", when more than 200 people died in a fire on the ship due to the inept actions of the crew, through the efforts of Governor Baranov and thanks to donations from the merchant steamship-owning community of Nizhny Novgorod, the River School appeared in the city. It was already a profile river educational institution. The first in Russia. Initially, it did not have its own premises. Rented apartments, moved. There were two departments - skipper and steamship mechanics. After 3 years, they found opportunities to build their own building. The school bought Peter's House and the plot behind it on Pochainskaya Street, hired a fair architect Ivanov, he restored Peter's House itself and built a building for the River School behind it. In 1890 the building was completed. And at that moment, when they started studying in a new place, they realized that the department of steamship mechanics is not in demand, because there is a Kulibino vocational school, which has developed much better material base for 15 years. And so many people went to the skipper's department that there was not enough space for everyone in the new building. Therefore, the mechanical department at the river school was closed, since 1890, the training of mechanics for the Volga fleet was completely transferred to the Kulibino vocational school.

Following the example of the Nizhny Novgorod river school, river schools were opened in Kazan, Rybinsk, Perm and other cities of the Volga region.

Thus, from 1990 to 1919, two educational institutions were engaged in training personnel for the river fleet - the Kulibin vocational school on Bolshaya Pecherskaya Street and the Nizhny Novgorod River School, which graduated future navigators, fleet commanders, skippers, located next to Peter's House - on Pochainskaya Street. These two educational institutions, opened before the October Revolution of 1917, are considered the predecessors and are the basis of today's Nizhny Novgorod River School named after I.P. Kulibin, known for its long history and traditions in the training of river specialists.

Early 20th century

In 1919, two schools were merged - River and Kulibinsky. They were transformed into a technical school for water transport, later renamed the Polytechnicum of Waterways named after. V.M.Zaitsev.

In the early 1920s, the Makaryevskaya almshouse with an orphanage and two house churches was closed, and all these buildings were given to the technical school, which had already become the Polytechnic, since many new specialties were opened, the premises were needed. And already at the end of 1920-1930, of all these three buildings at the beginning of Bolshaya Pecherskaya, the very “Stalinka” that we have now was rebuilt.

In 1930, the Institute of Water Transport Engineers (GIIVT) was established. Due to the lack of its own building and material base, the new institute was included in the Nizhny Novgorod (Gorky since 1933) training plant named after. V.M. Zaitsev. After the transfer of the GIIVT to its own building in 1933, the Polytechnic School of Water Transport retained the name of V.M. Zaitsev until 1938.

Years of the Great Patriotic War

In 1941, 18 cadets volunteered for the front, in total 798 students and teachers fought at the front. Of these, 143 people did not return from the battlefields. Three graduates of the technical school were awarded the title of Heroes of the Soviet Union: Nikolai Vilkov, Ivan Petrov and Mikhail Stupishin. The title of Hero of Russia was awarded to A.M. Fadin for the military feat shown during the Battle of Stalingrad.

The students of the Polytechnic who remained in the rear worked on the construction of a defensive line, on the construction of the Gorky-Kerzhenets railway line or a telegraph line, participated in the collection of warm clothes for the front, and organized concerts for wounded soldiers. The cadets replaced the rivermen who had gone to the front, which was a very difficult and responsible task.

In 1944, the Gorky River College was reorganized into the River School. Students began to be called cadets. A military department was opened, the cadets were transferred to the barracks. At that moment, the admission of girls to all specialties was stopped, although in the pre-war period the Polytechnic graduated the first two female captains on the Volga (Lisina, Popova).

The life of the school and the glorious names of its graduates

The post-war years were a difficult time when the country's economy was recovering. In 1953, the construction of the first building of the Cadet's House building, a hostel, was completed, which is still located near Sennaya Square. The pupils of the school took an active part in its construction. Up to this point, the cadets lived in the part beyond the river, daily moving to study on foot columns.

In 1958 - in the year of the 140th anniversary of the death of I.P. Kulibin - his name was returned to the school.

School life has always been very full. Cadets participated in various sports and creative events, often won prizes in competitions, and visited theaters and cinemas together.

The glorious traditions of the school are preserved to this day. Today, one of the most important tasks is not only the training of technically competent specialists, but also the education of morality, morality and civic responsibility of cadets. The educational work of this educational institution is set at a high level, which is important. Maybe that's why the graduates of the school at all times were in demand by society in various fields. It was they who were and are the main core among the commanders of the Volga basin and other basins of the Russian Federation, occupy high positions in the country's water transport system.

Here, future scientists received a start in life - Professor Olshamovsky S.B., Professor Andryutin G.I., Honorary Academician Bogdanov B.V., Doctor of Medical Sciences Ryzhakov D.I. There are poets and writers among the former pupils - Viktor Ilyin, Vyacheslav Gorbachev, composer V.A. Zabyvaev, editors, artists. Graduates of the Nizhny Novgorod River School work both in the field of astronautics and in business. The Lenin Prize was crowned with the work of the discoverer of the Volga high-speed routes V.G. Poluektov. It was he who tested the hydrofoil ships "Rocket", "Meteor", "Sputnik", gas turbine ship "Burevestnik".

For success in training personnel for the river fleet, the school was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor.

Over the history of its existence, the school has trained more than 50 thousand competent specialists.

Today, the Nizhny Novgorod River School is a structural subdivision of the Volga State University of Water Transport and is headed by D.N. Kostyunichev.

By the 145th anniversary of the school, a lot of work has been done to improve the material base and the state of the school premises, the building is being overhauled, which also affects the quality of education, reinforces positive motivation and the mood for productive joint work of cadets and teachers in the future.

And we, on behalf of the editors, wish the Nizhny Novgorod River School further development, may a fair wind accompany you. And as Lao Tzu said: To be strong, you have to be like water. There are no obstacles - it flows; dam - it will stop; the dam breaks - it will flow again; in a quadrangular vessel it is quadrangular; round is round. Because she is so compliant, she is most needed and strongest of all.».

Nizhny Novgorod River School named after I.P. Kylibin- this is a forge of personnel for water transport. Founded in 1872, it invariably prepares its graduates with high quality. Thousands of graduates of this educational institution forever inscribed themselves in the history of shipping in Russia. The school has laboratories for electrical engineering, radio engineering, radio receivers, geodesy and water surveys.

The school has an excellent library. The material equipment of the classrooms makes the learning process exciting and exciting, because real devices and natural layouts are used here as aids.

The school also has its own training center for training ship captains and navigators. The cadets of the school successfully take first places in various competitions and competitions. The school also has a museum that tells about the glorious past of the school and its graduates. Cadets practice on the operating ships of the fleet, which allows cadets to quickly get acquainted with the harsh realities of their future work.

The school actively participates in all events held by the fleet, conferences, solemn rallies and the opening of memorial plaques are held.

Address: N. Novgorod, st. Bolshaya Pecherskaya, 2.

Director: Kostyunichev Denis Nikolaevich

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