The textbook "Parts of Machines" by V. O. Dobrovolsky and its importance for the development of higher technical education in Ukraine

The article describes the activities of the famous Ukrainian researcher, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor of the Odessa Polytechnic Institute Victor Opanasovich Dobrovolsky on the preparation of seven editions of the textbook «Parts of Machines». At the present stage of development of the history of science and technology, a comprehensive analysis of the scientific activities of V. O. Dobrovolsky, in the field of general engineering is extremely limited, and coverage of its role in the organization and development of higher technical education in Ukraine is practically absent. The scientist was one of the first who responded to the lack of a full-fledged manual on the discipline «Parts of Machines» for higher education and devoted most of his work at the Odessa Polytechnic Institute to solving this issue. The evolution of the textbook, from the publication of scientists in 1926 the first edition «Lecture notes» to the last, the seventh, personal edition of the «Parts of Machines» 1954 has been analyzed. The main directions and priorities that were identifying by the researcher in each of the publications for the preparation of students and technician have been defined. The place of personal scientific achievements, developments, inventions of V. O. Dobrovolsky and his colleagues and students in the preparation of materials of the textbook, conformity of the given information to the courses' programs and all sorts of recommendations from the Ministry of Education and a wide stake of scientists with whom Viktor Opanasovich collaborated have been considered. The correspondence of textbooks to modern achievements of science and technology and the scientist's constant attention to new home and foreign developments and inventions have been described. The common features and differences in the structure of textbook, causes of reductions, additions, and the emergence of new sections, in accordance with the tasks, which were faced V. O. Dobrovolsky in different periods of its activities have been established. The great popularity and widespread use of the textbook by the majority of higher technical institutions throughout the USSR which was a consequence of the general availability and in-depth processing of the stated theoretical and practical material, its relevance and compliance with the challenges of time have been noted.