Analysis of G. Gubaydullin’s articles published in the “Maktap” magazine in 1913

Abstract

The paper analyses the articles of the famous Tatar historian G. Gubaydullin published in his student years in the magazine “Maktap” (1913). The articles are devoted to the problems of teaching logic and history in Tatar madrasas at the beginning of the twentieth century. The introduction of new secular subjects into the learning process was especially relevant for the national school. Moreover, new teaching methods were developed in the absence of school textbooks in the Tatar language. Gubaydullin, as a future professional historian, understood full well the importance of humanitarian subjects, especially history and logic, in the formation of national identity of young people. In the article “Din madrasalarenda tarikh ukytu” (“Teaching history in religious madrassas”) he discusses the methodological recommendations for teachers and shakirds. The recommendations were important because Tatar educators had no experience in teaching history. Logic was studied in old-fashioned madrasas, but after the 1905 revolution the training programs were changed and there was a demand for a new textbook which would meet the requirements of the era. The historian writes about this issue in the article “Din madrasalarenda mantyk” (“Logic in religious madrassas”). At the beginning of the new century, the Tatar public had heated discussions about the concept of “nation”. G. Gubaydullin expressed his opinion about the preservation of the unity of the Turkic peoples in the article “Iske tel ham millat” (“Old language and nation”). He considered it necessary to introduce a new school subject – the Chagatay language for a better understanding of the ancient Turkic literature. The analysis of these articles gives an idea of the scholar’s views on national pedagogy.