The value of the Naturalists Society at Kharkiv University (1869-1930) in the development of scientific research and the popularization of scientific knowledge in Ukraine

The article reveals the importance of the Naturalists Society at Kharkiv University in the development of scientific research and the popularization of scientific knowledge in Ukraine. Social, economic, political processes that occur today in Ukraine actualize historical memory and direct historical science to comprehend the scientific processes that took place in Ukraine in ancient times. The reconstruction of scientific Ukraine in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries would be incomplete without an indication of the role and importance of the Naturalists Society at Kharkiv University. The author proves that the activity of the Society was versatile, large-scale, imbued with high scientific ideas and democratic tendencies. It is stated that the effectiveness of this activity was ensured by the active work of the most prominent figures of science, culture, education, namely: V. M. Arnoldi, P. I. Biletskyi, O. A. Hrosheim, O. V. Hurov, V. Ya. Danylevskyi, A. M. Krasnov, I. F. Levakovskyi, O. V. Nahornyi, O. M. Nikolskyi, Ya. V. Roll, M. M. Somov, P. P. Sushkin, V. I. Taliev, L. S. Tsenkovskyi, O. V. Chernaуa, V. O. Yaroshevskyi. In particular, the role of scientists in deployment of a wide range of floristic, faunistic, geological and geographical researches as in the territory of provinces of the Kharkov educational district, and it is far beyond its limits is shown. It is emphasized that thanks to the fruitful activity of members of society considerable scientific results which promoted the development of many branches of domestic natural sciences were received. It was a company with an effective organizational structure and program of activities; it achieved outstanding results both in applied research and in the popularization of science. The Society was one of the channels for ensuring the interconnection of science and society. It acted as a certain social institute, which envisaged conducting active communication activity both within the Society and beyond. Besides, training of future generations of scientists was carried out at a high level, which testified to another feature of the Society as a social institute and a phenomenon in the system of science. The author provides little-known information about the Society, specifies evaluations and conclusions, which relate to separate parts of the scientific and popularizing activity of the Society.