1748

General military office was a training center for new secular-oriented Ukrainian elite, gaining proficiency in state thinking and art of public administration. In Hlukhiv was opened the special Kantseliarsky Kuren - Office for the training of government clerks. According to Omelyan Pritsak, the authoritative historian, the state of military clerks in Hlukhiv in the 18-th century reflected the historical memory and state consciousness.

The Kantseliarsky Kuren is a special type of paramilitary institution in Ukraine in 17-18 centuries. It was established in the General Military Office and functioned in two hetman capitals - Baturin and Hlukhiv. The exact date of its foundation is unknown. For the first time it was mentioned in "Diary" of Jakov Markovych, General treasurer, approximately in 1748.

The Kantseliarsky Kuren was meant to prepare servants for civil, administrative, judicial and financial authorities of Hetmanschyna. It was governed by the general scribe, and directly by the senior clerk. Kuren mostly consisted of clerks, originated from noble families of Cossack officers. The applicants should have had good knowledge in grammar, rhetoric, principles of philosophy, logic. Having graduated from Kyiv-Mohyla Academy students often entered the Kantseliarsky Kuren. Those of them who passed the entrance exams were attested and listed as military clerks. Clerks lived in a separate kuren and were provided with full state support (according to other information resources, studied at their own expense).

The listeners studied foreign languages, law, cameral sciences (i.e. financial and economic sciences), military. The curriculum also included singing, music (playing the violin, flute) and sports. On Sundays and religious holidays the kuren clerks sang in the local church and were known as the best singers of the capital. The irresponsibility or any other fault of the Stationery kuren listener was punished by the "referring to the cannon" (the offender had to sit on a military cannon for three hours), considered to be a great shame.

The training of military clerks was closely combined with the practices. They were charged with separate matters (including complaints on decisions for land distribution) and appointed to the various commissions, going for the trial to regiments and sotnias. In sotnia military clerk was greeted with gonfalons and all military honors. Hetman himself treated clerks with great respect. Because of their education and exquisite manners the listeners of the Kantseliarsky Kuren were often invited to Hetman court to participate in various celebrations.

Having graduated from the Kantseliarsky Kuren the clerks held high public offices, became famous diplomats, lawyers and administrators.

Necessary to read:

Лазаревский А. Дневник генерального подскарбия Якова Марковича // Киевская старина. – 1893. - №№ 1, 3-6, 10-12; 1894. - №№ 1-6, 11-12, 1896. - №№ 4-12.