The following is an account of the work of a Russian landed proprietor whose memory still lives among all those who knew him, and throws a light on conditions in a village situated in the Government of Tambov. The opinions of the villagers themselves are herein expressed, as voiced by their executive committee.

 

GENERAL MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT

NOVO-ALEXANDROVKA, now called NOVIKOVO:

 

“I will begin my report by quoting the words of our beloved benefactor Alexander Novikoff, who, in the year 1892, wrote as follows: ‘Whichever side of village life I touch, the same need invariably confronts me—more light, more light, away with darkness! Alas! the light lingers long on the way, the darkness grows ever gloomier and more unbearable for our suffering, starving villagers.’

“It is only since recent years that I have devoted all my energies in the capacity of landed proprietor to the interests of my schools. I have fulfilled, at various periods, the duties of Marshal of the Nobility, chief of the zemstvo, President of the Board of Education, member of the local diocesan council, and I have, in addition, founded, built, and organized numerous Board and Church schools. And now, as I look back upon all my activities during what the world would call the best years of my life, I see clearly that my only good work is to be found in the schools and all that is connected with them. My dear, dear schools! The torch they have kindled is not, forsooth, a brilliant or dazzling one; but their little light burns bravely, and they do what good they can. God grant that the time may soon come for much wider activities. The foundations are laid, and to build on will not be so difficult. It is sad, indeed, that we workers will die without seeing the full glory of that light for whose attainment we have given all our strength. Yes, all that is sad; but we take courage from our faith in the usefulness of our work. However dark and stifling may be the atmosphere of this moment, the time will undoubtedly come when the fresh air and sunshine of culture will revive and transform our helpless, downtrodden Russian peasant; and then he will arise and astonish the world with his boundless supply of love and charity, now so systematically suppressed by lies and Phariseeism.”¹

To-day it would be unpardonable to forget the writer of the foregoing words, that enlightened, fervent, liberty-loving patriot, our fellow-countryman Alexander Ivanovitch Novikoff, who, in the darkest days of the past, believed in the brighter future of our dear land, and struggled against the gloom, sparing neither means nor health and strength. It is true, alas! that he is no longer among us. His strength failed him before he had carried his glowing torch into the dawn of our dazzling day of liberty; but, like a true knight, he carried it nobly to the very brink of his grave, and left it as a legacy to his successors, when he passed away on the 24th of January, 1913. The sparks of this torch have never been extinguished, but have conquered the shadows, have burst into a flame that illumines his grave and ourselves, and speaks to us of him. His soul lives in his good works, not only in our village, but on the cold Finnish shores, in Petrograd (where his writings are published), and in the regions of the burning Kolchida (Baku) where there is a street named after him. His services to his country will find their place in history, while his good works in our village are ever before us, and are inscribed as follows in our local reports:

“On the 30th of August, 1892, a new parish church was opened and blessed, by which our village becomes a self-supporting, independent parish. The donor of the church is our local landowner and benefactor, A. I. Novikoff, this beautiful shrine having been erected entirely at his cost and under his supervision. The building was commenced on the 2nd of May, 1891, and, together with the painting of the Ikonostass, has cost 65,000 roubles (£6,500). Mr. Novikoff has also built, at the cost of 8,000 roubles, two large stone houses for the parish, and has made a free gift to the parishioners of 114 dessiatius of ground (about 300 acres).

“In 1890 he founded and opened in our village his first school for forty boys, one of the earliest teachers in which was one of our local, self-educated peasants—Kamoroff. In 1891 Mr. Novikoff opened two parish church schools, one of which was at first housed in his own home, and later transferred into a new building, erected opposite the church, and including a special branch for painting. The expenses and salaries of the entire staff of these schools were paid by our benefactor.

“Among the pupils preference was given to orphans and children of very poor parents, who, in their turn, were in many cases kept entirely by his generosity. In 1894 Mr. Novikoff built two more stone houses, one to accommodate the school-teachers, the other a hospital. On the 20th of April, 1898, the foundation-stone was laid of our large St. John’s Seminary for church teachers, towards the building of which Mr. Novikoff again gave 17,000 roubles (£1,700); and later he added 1,000 roubles (£100) more, for the installation of a laboratory in this college. The original boys’ school was turned into a secondary one for girls, and afterwards, for purposes of practical agrarian studies, Alexander Ivanovitch made over to this school 14 dessiatius (about 42 acres) of ground, also 12 dessiatius (about 36 acres) to the boys’ establishment. The latter provided accommodation for 230 youths, mostly boarders maintained at the expense of the founder.”²

All the above-mentioned schools continue still, after the death of their founder, to benefit the inhabitants of our parish both morally and materially. But the public services of our benefactor by no means end there. In his capacity as chief of the local zemstvo, he spared no pains always to ensure the best interests of his peasants. In his own words he “struggled against the drink problem, introduced order in the parish administration, and insisted on the election of the most deserving and capable parishioners for all local duties.” Large-hearted idealist that he was, he remained always, in public as in private, an enthusiastic worker for the good, to which fact his influence over our people and his achievements in our midst bear striking testimony. Having given up his land to the railway that was being planned through our regions, he paid 3,000 roubles for the building near our village of a small station, having successfully insisted on the passing of the line at that point. The station was called “Novikoff” in his honour.

In 1890 there was a famine. The indefatigable Mr. Novikoff immediately set to work, establishing public free meals, and providing food for the starving cattle. A sum of £2,000, collected among generous friends and helpers in England, helped largely to tide over the difficulties of that trying year.

In 1891 our population was visited by the scourge of cholera. Thanks to the energy and care of Mr. Novikoff, this parish was fully provided with doctors and medicaments and all possible sanitary measures, the result being that innumerable lives were saved. In 1892 a great fire ravaged the neighbourhood. Again the generosity that never failed us stepped in: Mr. Novikoff rebuilt most of the houses that had been burnt down, replacing stone buildings for the old wooden ones, and in other cases making good all losses with money.

It is impossible to recall and enumerate all the good works of this public benefactor in connection with our parish and our people. One thing only can be said, to include everything: there existed no need, no sorrow, no trouble to which Alexander Ivanovitch did not lend a sympathetic ear and hold out a helping hand. Did a peasant want to provide for his son, to marry his daughter, to build a house, to buy a horse or a cow; did he need bread, coal, food for his cattle? There was always the “Squire” to be appealed to. And never was the appeal known to have been made in vain. The proofs of all this confront one very clearly in the fact that on the death of this landowner no trace remained of his former estate of 1,000 dessiatius (3,000 acres), while the benefactor himself, during the last years of his life, derived his sole income from his literary work. In his “Memoirs of a Village School,” Mr. Novikoff wrote: “Let us hope that in the not far distant future public opinion will write a new page, for Russia, the page of her liberation from illiteracy. To write but a few words on this page is already in itself a merit.”

To these sincere and weighty words we can now reply: “Your hope, great spirit, has become a reality, and your good deeds will never be forgotten. May your soul rest in peace.”

In conclusion, I propose to the committee to rename our village, that it be known in future as “Novikovo.” The necessary legal formalities will be immediately arranged.

1. “Memoirs of a Village School,” published 1902.
2. Tamboff Diocesan News, February 8, 1913.