Club history

The history of our astronomical club is lost at the end of 1970s - by the begining of 1980s. Its founder – Petro Pavlovych Mel’nychenko, had been teaching at then still secondary school №59 physics and astronomy. To him at club I (Sergiy Staryi) also came being in the higher forms. Those years astronomy was a popular science and similar sort clubs, I am sure, existed at many schools of city of Kyiv. But at ours, among other things, was also school astronomical observatory, created under the initiative and efforts of my teacher (those years such grandiose operation could be made with minimum expenses of means, resorting basically to the help of chieves of school and parents). Here it would be desirable to honour Petro Pavlovych’s memory by publication of his brief biography and to ask close reader behind this set of dry figures and facts to see complex and full of events human life of the man that, Soviet, generation.

Petro Pavlovych Mel’nychenko was born on January 12, 1921 in village Buda-Vorob’yivs’ka of Malyn region of Zhytomyr area. In 1939 finished Irsha secondary school of Malyn region with distinction and at the same year entered at the Taras Shevchenko Kyiv State University on mechanical and mathematical faculty, but in some months was called up for Red Army in connection with the Finnish war of 1939. After termination of the war with Finland continued correspondence course at the Kyiv University, and also at biennial courses of fine art, musical courses on the class of national instruments and courses of the press photographers at the trust "Ukrfoto". From 22.08.1940 to 06.07.1941 worked as a teacher of mathematics at Lyubovets’ seven-years school of Malyn region. Here, in Lyubovets’ school, he constructed his first telescope. During the Great Patriotic War served in infantry army. Was marked to his feats by the Orden Velikoy Otechestvennoy Voyny (the Order of the Great Patriotic War) of II degree, and medals. After demobilization, from 22.04.1944 worked as a teacher of mathematics, and from 27.05.1944 head master of Ivanovo seven-years school. In 1951 graduated from the Kyiv State Teacher's Institute (physical and mathematical faculty) with honours. From 15.07.1952 to 15.08.1957 worked as a zavped (a manager of pedagogical process) of Chapaev Ivanovo children's house. At the children’s house, together with schoolchildren, constructed his second telescope. From 15.08.1957 to 01.11.1970 worked as a head master of Ivanovo eight-years school. In 1962 in absentia graduated from physical faculty of the Kyiv State University (KSU). After graduation, was invited to post-graduate studies. During the period of work at the school, and at the children’s house, was marked by several official honorary letters of raiono, oblono (departaments of national education structure in the USSR) and Ministry of Education of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialistic Republic (UkrSSR), and in 1965 was rewarded by the honorary badge «Exemplary worker of national education of the UkrSSR». From 01.11.1970 to 01.11.1971 a head master of Chopovets’ eight-years school №2. From 01.11.1971 to 25.08.1972 a head master of Lyubovets’ secondary school. From 25.08.1972 to 11.08.1976 a deputy director on teaching and educational work of secondary school №59 of Kyiv. At that time school reached the indexes of the best progress for last two decades. In 1976 Petro Pavlovych was ill heavy, and a year was not working. 25.08.1977 he was appointed as a teacher of mathematics of secondary school №59 of Kyiv. During different schoolyears he taught mathematics, physics, drawing, astronomy.

In 1980 constructed with schoolchildren the third powerful telescope - refractor, which now is in the school observatory. The lenses of the objective with effective diameter of 28 sm were made by the experts of the "Arsenal" plant. About making of telescopes-refractors by own forces Petro Pavlovych wrote in magazines “Yunyi Tekhnik” / «Juvenile Technician» (№10, 1981) and “Radyans’ka shkola” / «Radyans’ka school» (№2, 1982). In 1981 started and in 1985 finished construction the first in Kyiv school astronomical observatory. Under creation of this building of original construction teachers and schoolchildren worked, they were helped by the parents and the chieves. So, for example, at manufacturing of technical devices the help by materials was rendered by chieves - workers of the plant "Komunist", workshops of the Pivdenno-Zahidnoyi (Southwest) railway, the research institute "Reduktor", the plant "Rembaza", the observatories of Academy of Sciences of the UkrSSR (MAO) and KSU (KAO), technical training colleges №5 and №21. Besides, in 1983, together with schoolchildren Petro Pavlovych made the camera such type as «road camera» with size of negatives 13х18 sm. The procedure of creation of such cameras in conditions of school workshop is described in his book «Self-made camera», which issued in publishing house «Radyans’ka shkola» in 1984.

In 1985 the rank «Senior teacher» was given to Petro Pavlovych. In 1986 - he the laureate of Republican competition of technical creativity of schools of the Ukraine also was awarded with the honorary letter of Ministry of Education of the UkrSSR, in 1987 - a participant of the Exhibition of Achievement of National Economy of the Ukraine and was awarded with the diploma I degree and the medal of the Exhibition, in 1988 - was awarded with the A.S.Makarenko medal. In 1989 book «Astronomical observations at school» were written by him, which should be printed by publishing house «Radyans’ka shkola» in 1991, but through shortage of paper it has not yet been issued. In 1990 book «Decoration of country estate by products from wood» was written, this book was issued in 1992 by publishing house "Urozhay".

For the period from the moment of opening observatory (1985-1991) seven candidates and diplomants (in astronomy) of MAS (Minor Academy of Sciences) Kyiv schoolchildren were prepared by him. For this time with the members of the astronomical club three telescopes were constructed.

In the autumn 1991 Mel’nychenko has left life, not having had time to make much more that conceived.

Since 1993 the astronomical club is supervised by Mel’nychenko’s pupil Sergiy Staryi. About our present activity it is possible to know from other pages of the site, for example About us.

In summary it would be desirable also to tell words of gratitude to administration of our gymnasium, in particular, to head mistress, Tetyana Stefanovna Antonenko, which renders the organizational help and every possible assistance to the work of our club. Being herself a teacher of physics, she always supported teaching at the school (and then and at the gymnasium) astronomy (this subject was taught at us even then, when it had been excluded from the list of the obligatory disciplines for secondary education – the status of a gymnasium allowed to do it).

Head of club Sergiy Vasyl’ovych Staryi.