G.I. Rossolimo Boarding School No. 49 is a boarding school for orphans with mental disabilities, located in Moscow. Founded in 1873, initially known as the St. Mary's Shelter (), served as a center for research in child psychopathology under the direction of
G.I. Rossolimo. It was named for him in 1928.
History
During the Russian Empire
St. Mary's Shelter was founded in 1873 through the efforts of a well-known philanthropist and pediatrician
Varvara Evgrafovna Chertovaya (1805–1903), and
N.A.Tolskogo (1832–1891), a professor at a
Moscow University
M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU; russian: Московский государственный университет имени М. В. Ломоносова) is a public research university in Moscow, Russia and the most prestigious ...
. The shelter accepted children as young as the age of five who had dementia, epilepsy, and blindness. The number of children was gradually increasing and by 1907 had reached 62. The institution was a charity organisation and was supported by private donations.
[Boarding: from past to future // V.Molodtsova, "Teacher's Newspaper», №35 from August 28, 2007](_blank)
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In 1909, a neuropathologist
Neuropathology is the study of disease of nervous system tissue, usually in the form of either small surgical biopsies or whole-body autopsies. Neuropathologists usually work in a department of anatomic pathology, but work closely with the clinic ...
who focused on defects in children, Grigory Ivanovich Rossolimo
Grigory Ivanovich Rossolimo (russian: Григо́рий Ива́нович Россоли́мо) ( – September 1928) was a Russian Empire and Soviet neurologist who was a native of Odessa. (He was of Greek origin; his grandfather had gone sail ...
(1860–1928) became the chief organizer of the developmental and pedagogical process. Under his leadership, the orphans were divided into two groups. The first group, composed of intellectually disabled children, was under the supervision of a caretaker and several nurses. Upon reaching 18 years of age the children from this group were further divided among specialised psychiatric hospitals. Children with other intellectual disabilities were put in the second group, where they would receive a specialized educational program developed by Rossolimo. The basis of the programme was manufacturing, although other subjects were included. In addition, the shelter studied the nervous systems of the child-patients. It also conducted psychological research. The activity of Rossolimo at the shelter was highly praised by the renowned physician and educator V.P. Kaschenko.
During the Soviet Union
After the October Revolution
The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...
, the shelter came under direct management by the state and was converted into an orphanage, under the name "Children's Home No. 13" (). From 1925 to 1952, the new director V.P. Knyazeva worked to maintain the pre-revolutionary traditions and achievements. In 1928, the institution was named after Grigory Ivanovich Rossolimo.
During WWII, the children attending the school were evacuated to Bashkortostan
The Republic of Bashkortostan or Bashkortostan ( ba, Башҡортостан Республикаһы, Bashqortostan Respublikahy; russian: Республика Башкортостан, Respublika Bashkortostan),; russian: Респу́блик ...
, although the school was re-opened in Moscow by 1945.
In 1949, the orphanage moved from the center of Moscow to Izmailovo, into a two-story building with bedrooms and other facilities (the intent was that the children would study in a regular school). In 1976, the orphanage officially became into a G.I. Rossolimo Specialised Boarding School No. 50 for children with intellectual disabilities
Intellectual disability (ID), also known as general learning disability in the United Kingdom and formerly mental retardation,Rosa's Law, Pub. L. 111-256124 Stat. 2643(2010). is a generalized neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by signific ...
.
After the Soviet Union
In 1996, the institution was again reorganized and renamed as the "№ 49 G.I.Rossolimo Boarding School for Orphaned children with Intellectual Disabilities". The old school building gradually fell into disrepair. In 2007 a new complex consisting of three residential buildings, school buildings, administrative block, a sports complex and a medical center, connected by a glass gallery, was built.
Present
The current director of the school is Russian teacher T.A.Tyurina (russian: Тю́рина Татьяна Александровна}). The activities of the teaching staff the school are aimed at effectively teaching children (after the end of 9th grade students are usually issued certificates of basic general education), improving social skills, strengthening their health, and creating a favorable atmosphere for their development, as well as performing medical and educational diagnoses and the research of further effective methods in their pedagogical and medical work. School staff collaborate with scientists from the Department of Defectology MPGU. The school further engages in support of former students to help the graduates to adapt to the modern world.The sun shines all /data/m1113/kzg-11-2013.pdf // S.Korshunov, "Culture healthy life», No 11/2013
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References
{{coord missing, Russia
Schools in Russia