Rare Russian Women's Degrees Given Under Tsarist Law in 1910 and 1916 Despite Government Opposition To Women Education

This small archive consists of 2 certificates awarded for degree completion from Russian women's education programs. Dated 1910 and 1916. Partially Printed Document. Each is 4 pages and measure aprox 14" x 9" inches. Official document In Cyrillic. During the imperial Russia era, most higher educational institutions were closed to women. However, Russian women created their own academies across a broad field of disciplines and during the last twenty years of tsarist rule, women were an important, if not yet welcome, part of the educated elite. The 2 certificates have the double-headed eagle coat of arms of the Russian Empire, and below list years and courses completed by the 2 women. The second pages include multiple faculty signatures conferring the degrees. The 1910 certificate is for the Samarkand Girls School's, (now in Uzbekistan) is certifying 7 year general and upper courses toward home teaching certificate. The 1915 certificate is from Orenburg( in southwest Russia) and issued by the Orenburg Gymnasium for Jewish Women. Historically, Most Russian higher educational institutions were closed to women before 1917. That these women's institutions awarded official state degrees would have been rare during this time. The history of higher education for women in Russia is an important part of the broader progressive struggle to modernize Russia despite opposition by an autocratic state determined to stay in power (information via "The Forgotten Minority: Women Students in Imperial Russia," 1872-1917, Ruth A. Dudgeon, Russian History, 1982) In 1917, following the revolution, the provisional government granted Russian women the right to vote and to hold political office. Minor black ink stain to front of 1916 certificate does not affect text. Overall good condition.