Homelessness in the urban space of everyday life in the 1920s: Children’s playground in the everyday life of Stavropol in the 1920s

Introduction. The article examines childhood homelessness as a part of everyday urban life, which led to the emergence of the Children’s Town system across the country. In describing the activities of the Stavropol Children’s Town, the authors, drawing on a significant amount of archival material, demonstrate not only the main activities of the town but also the serious challenges of caring for children in these institutions.

Materials and methods. Based on the principles of interdisciplinarity and historical anthropology, and the methods of new local history, the article analyzes official documents of local government bodies.

Analysis. The paper presents material on the activities of regional authorities and educational staff in dealing with street children in the urban environment in the 1920s. The analysis of the problem in the city of Stavropol draws on not only the regional but also the national context. In the 1920s, unique institutions for children, Children’s Towns, were established across the Soviet Republic to tackle child homelessness. These institutions, along with educational and upbringing work, also provided practical preparation for life for children, as they focused on agricultural or industrial activities. Their existence and problems significantly impacted the daily lives of Stavropol residents.

Based on a comprehensive study of archival sources, the article provides a detailed analysis of the problems of the Stavropol Children’s Town named after the October Revolution, which were part of everyday urban life in the 1920s. The authors note that despite the efforts of the authorities the children in the town experienced a significant shortage of clothing, footwear, dishes, and bedding. There were no books or school supplies, but most importantly, the children were undernourished, emaciated and sick.

Despite this, the Children’s Town contributed to the reduction of child homelessness. Thanks to this social institution, a huge number of homeless children were taken from the streets of Stavropol. Child labor was actively used. Children’s Town workers helped combat urban crime by working specifically with juvenile delinquents and finding jobs for children.

Results. One of the most important results of the actions taken by the Soviet government in the difficult economic conditions of the 1920s was the creation of a state social system to provide assistance to homeless and disadvantaged children, which transformed both children’s daily lives and the city everyday life in general. The authors of the article focus on the establishment and development of the Stavropol Children’s Town named after the October Revolution as one of the government social policy instruments, which contributed to the formation of a new everyday life for the residents of Stavropol.

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