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The Land Noble Cadet Corps set up in Saint Petersburg
An imperial decree “On establishment of Cadet Corps” regarding the foundation of the first Cadet Corps in Russia, prepared by General Fieldmarshal Münnich, was adopted on July 29 (August 9) 1731.
In the Imperial Land Noble Cadet Corps pupils were taught not only military subjects but general subjects as well, “because not every person was born to serve”, — read the imperial decree of Anna Ioannovna. The mission of the new institution was to prepare both servicemen and civil officials — a principle distinctive feature of the Russian Cadet Corps unlike those in Europe. The Corps was decided to set up in St. Petersburg on Vasilievsky Island, in the former house of Prince A. D. Menshikov, favorite of Peter the Great. A priest, some officers, teachers and guards were to live in this house.
On enrollment to Corps preference was given to children, whose parents perished or were injured during the war, or to children of impoverished noblemen. Compulsory condition was ability to read and write. Cadets were taught mathematics, history and geography, artillery, fortification, fencing, horse riding and “other sciences essential for military art”, as well as German, French and Latin, calligraphy, grammar, rhetoric, painting, dancing, moral and heraldry. Education started at the age of 5-6 and lasted for 15 years; within the whole education period parents were not allowed to take their children home.
In the First Cadet Corps the dramatic art had immense popularity. Here was established a Society of Russian Literature Lovers, whose life and soul was the cadet A. P. Sumarokov, who later became a famous poet and playwright. In the Corps also studied the founder of the first Russian professional theatre F. G. Volkov, writers M. M. Kheraskov, V. A. Ozerov, Decembrists F. N. Glinka, A. Ye. Rozen, K. F. Ryleev, V. K. Tizenhaus.
In 1800 the institution was renamed the First St. Petersburg Cadet Corps, and in 1864 the First St. Petersburg Military Gymnasium, because right then in Russia military gymnasiums were introduced instead of cadet corps. With establishment of Soviet power the First Cadet Corps was abolished in 1918.
Lit.: Бецкой И. И. Устав Императорского шляхетского сухопутного кадетского корпуса для воспитания и обучения благородного российского юношества. СПб., 1766; Бецкой И. И. Рассуждения, служащие руководством к новому установлению Шляхетского кадетского корпуса, сколько принадлежит до воинской части оного. М., 1766; Висковатый А. Краткая история первого кадетского корпуса. СПб., 1832; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://books.google.com/books?id=ujgEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=true; Волховский К. Первый кадетский корпус. 1732–1863. СПб., 1884; Лапаев М. С. Исторический очерк военно-учебных заведений, подведомственных Главному их управлению. Ч. 1. СПб., 1880; Геринг А. Первый кадетский корпус. Его роль в создании русского драматического театра // Военная быль. 1969. № 90; Кадетские корпуса // Военная энциклопедия. Т. XI. СПб., 1913; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://www.runivers.ru/lib/detail.php?ID=128548; Крылов В. М. Кадетские корпуса и российские кадеты. СПб., 1998; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://history.scps.ru/cadet/00.htm; Меньшов В. М. Российские кадеты. Т. 1-3. М., 2005; Первый Кадетский Корпус [Электронный ресурс] // Международная военно-историческая ассоциация. Б. д. URL: http://www.imha.ru/knowledge_base/base-15/1144525547-pervyjj-kadetskijj-korpus.html.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Антонов А. Н. Первый Кадетский корпус: краткие исторические сведения. СПб., 1906;
Лузанов П. Ф. Сухопутный шляхетный кадетский корпус. Вып. 1. СПб., 1907;
Полное собрание законов Российской Империи. Собрание 1-е. СПб., 1830. Т. 8 (1728-1732). № 5811.