The Circle of Correspondents of S.F. Platonov and N.N. Platonova During their Summer Vacation in Valuyki (1909)

Abstract

The summer stay of Professor S.F. Platonov's family in Valuiki, a provincial town in Voronezh province, is of great interest. The first researchers who addressed this issue made many inaccuracies and mistakes, which are gradually being eliminated with the involvement of archival materials. The question of the circle of correspondents who wrote to Valuiki remains poorly researched. It has now been considerably expanded. Among the correspondents were: prominent local historians M.V. Muravyev from Novgorod and I.A. Ivanov from Tver, the chairman of the Archaeographic Commission, Count S.D. Sheremetev and his collaborator V.V. Maikov. During the summer months, he had correspondence with university friends V.G. Druzhinin, I.G. Druzhinin, I.A. Shlyapkin, A.A. Spitsyn, K.A. Ivanov, the content of their letters being not only of a personal nature, but also touching upon professional and scientific issues.  It turns out that letters and telegrams came from abroad (V.A. Volkovich – teacher of the Institute, I.A. Shlyapkina).  The post office in Valuiki even received a telegram from the representative of the ruling dynasty, Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich. This is a unique fact in the history of the settlement. The first acquaintance of S.F. Platonov with the place of his summer residence took place due to his wife's letters, which she sent to the places where her husband was travelling – he accompanied the students of the Women's Pedagogical Institute (WTI) on an excursion to Constantinople and a number of cities in Greece. The locals remembered the professor’s educational activities (demonstration of an archaeological excavation and lectures) and his household (contests with local children).