Alexandra Kalmykova is a contemporary of Leo Tolstoy and Vladimir Lenin, an enlightener and public figure. Her main idea was public education, Kalmykova combined her activities in this field with active revolutionary work.
Childhood and youth
The beginning of the biography of Kalmykova (nee Chernova) is usually enough for the end of the 19th century in Russia. Alexandra was born in Ukraine, in the city of Yekaterinoslav in 1849, in a middle-income family. Little is known about the childhood of the future enlightener, she herself always emphasized that the real life for her began in the late 1860s. The young girl was carried away by social activities and dreamed of a teaching career. After the gymnasium, on the first attempt, she entered the Mariinsky Women's School, graduated with honors and received a teacher’s diploma.
An exemplary student remained in her native school, worked there for 4 years. By the 70s, the educational institution was transformed into a gymnasium. At about the same time, Alexandra got married and was forced to move to Simferopol, and then to Kharkov. Here, a young woman joined the Southern Region circle promoting the ideas of popular unification and universal education. Alexandra Mikhailovna conducts classes at the Sunday women's school, helps in compiling the almanac "What to read to the people."
Social and revolutionary activity
In 1885, the Kalmykova family moved to St. Petersburg. The main occupation of Alexandra Mikhailovna is teaching in a female school. The authorities are quite a new teacher, but do not know the main thing - a young woman is actively involved in the work of the university Marxist circle. She studies modern publications, writes her own articles, and distributes underground literature. When the school management finds out about this, the teacher is fired with a wolf ticket.
Alexandra Mikhailovna focuses on community service. Kalmykova joins the party of Social Democrats. At her apartment, she creates a warehouse of party literature, organizes meetings of associates, acts as a liaison, treasurer and literary secretary. Alexandra Mikhailovna compiles lists of available books for workers and rural libraries, collaborates with L.N. Tolstoy in the preparation of his work "Greek teacher Socrates." At the same time, she is published in the journal Russian School. Subsequently, the works of Kalmykova withstood several reprints and were highly appreciated by contemporaries.
The pre-revolutionary time could not leave Alexander Kalmykov indifferent. The enlightener worked closely with members of the Union of Struggle organization: Ulyanova-Elizarova, Krupskaya, Nevzorova, Yakubova. At Kalmykova’s apartment, party meetings of Social Democrats and People’s Volunteers were held, and editorial boards of Marxist newspapers sat. Alexandra Mikhailovna maintained contacts with Leo Tolstoy, Gorky, Korolenko, Lenin, provided all possible material assistance to the needy party members.
In 1901, the enlightener was sent abroad for 3 years. Returning to St. Petersburg, she taught at female courses and at the Zemstvo school, lectured at the university. Despite active Marxist activity, Aleksandra Mikhailovna did not fall into the spotlight of the police and was considered quite trustworthy. Such a reputation helped her to transport and store prohibited literature, and organize illegal meetings in her apartment.
After the revolution, Kalmykova began work at the Commissariat of Education, taught at the Institute. Ushinsky. Another important activity is the maintenance of the extensive archives and catalogs that were used to form the public libraries.
