In the vast array of different typological features for national periodicals rightful place takes scientific journals, including high school publications, as an important element of the periodic scientific and educational communication and effective means of integrating educators, scientists in the international scientific community. Journals and scientific collections of educational institutions of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Ukraine significantly differ in thematic focus and readership, scope, frequency and level of use of new technologies. There is a completely new edition, newly established, and there are those that were established during the Soviet era and have a long way before you get ranked high among scientists. So does scientific journal “History pages” that was established over 20 years ago at the Kiev Polytechnic Institute.
At the end of the 1980s, the country experienced radical changes associated with the declaration of policy of restructuring and publicity. Freedom of speech strengthened, in intellectual circles intensified the free exchange of ideas and continued heated discussion on socially important topics. All these processes haven’t passed by the humanities departments Kyiv Polytechnic, among them – the Department of History of the Communist Party, led by Professor Boris P. Kowalski. Having considerable human resources, extensive scientific communications, including international, department actively participated in numerous seminars, symposiums, “round tables” and conferences, during which he discussed current problems of socio-economic and political development of the country and held the organization of measures. The desire to convey their views to a wider audience and was the main motivation for the creation of the collection “The pages of political history”, the first edition of which was published in late 1989.
Among the authors of the first number of “Pages” were Ukrainian scientists and their Polish colleagues, representatives of the Wroclaw University of Technology (Wroclaw University) – longtime partner of the Kiev Polytechnic Institute. Published the first collection of Russian, Polish and Ukrainian material was presented at scientific conferences that took place during the 1987-1989. The second number of the scientific journal appeared in mid-1990 and also had a Ukrainian-Polish architectural composition and contained performances educators -scientists at scientific conferences and methodological seminars.
According to Assistant Professor Nelya F. Hnatiuk, founders never dreamed of becoming periodic. It was understandable, because despite advances in public life, the economic situation, in particular in the printing field, became more and more difficult. Shortage and high cost of paper, no printing capabilities, lack of basic office supplies needed to prepare the collection – all this made future edition of “History Pages” uncertain. However, the undeniable success of the first editions of the collection and the desire to strengthen it – primarily because of the awareness of how important is to publish the results of research of university scientists, prompted organizers to overcome all obstacles and ultimately led to the transformation of the collection to a solid scientific periodical publications.
At first, journal published only once a year (1989, 1990) and even once in two years (1992). Later editions began to appear regularly twice a year. The exception was 1995, 1996 and 2007, when it was published in one issue of the collection, as well as in 2001 when, due to financial difficulties editions did not appeared.
Reorganization of educational space of Ukraine, which began after declaring its independence, had positive impact on the work of higher education. After some delay and difficultness Department of History of the CPSU was transformed into the Department of History. Implementation of the learning process of new historical subjects began – especially the history of Ukraine, whose development required hard work from the teaching staff. In these circumstances, journal of the Department started to play an important role in the context of testing various educational materials – work programs, teaching methods, historical subjects, which could be an important element of meaningful programs for new academic disciplines. All this has led to some changes in the structure and content of publications, most publications which now were not speaking at conferences, and specially prepared for printing scientific articles. The name of the publication also refreshed. Starting from the fifth year, journal was called “History Pages”. “It was assumed that journal will publish not only political history, but also the general history of the USSR, Ukraine, local history, the history of other nations and peoples. The implication was that our publication will give the right to enter the defense of the thesis “- later recalled Professor Borys P. Kowalski.
The first three issues of “Pages of political history” had a rather modest printing design. Paper, print quality cover – all these elements need substantial improvement. Amounts of printed volumes were also minor. For example, the first volume (1989) had 25 copies and slightly more than 5 printed pages. The second volume of the journal (1990) already had a circulation of 50 copies, its size increased to 6.7 printed pages. However, circulation and the amount of the third volume (1992) again decreased and amounted to, respectively, 30 copies and 5 printed pages. The fourth edition of the “History Pages” (1993) appeared with a new cover, a distinct element of which have become symbols of the Cossack era. However, the number of release of this volume and subsequent volume were small.
This situation was related to material need. In the early years of the publication “kept afloat” only through enthusiasm of its organizers – especially Assistant Professor Nelya F. Hnatiuk, who took on the role of responsible man for release of journal. Acquisition portfolio editions scientific editing articles, their proofs performed by the Department of History. Computer set provided partial to publishing students, and the editing was usually assisted by professors of linguistics.
Incredible complications had to overcome in order to ensure production of publications, because even within the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute of the importance of the release of “History Pages” some administration officials were unaware. “Because there were tears – remembered Nelya F. Hnatiuk – but there were good people who helped us.”
Of course, the output of the journal would not be possible without charity support. It provided by relatives of employees of the department, and later – colleagues from related universities, as well as the administration of the Kiev Polytechnic Institute. The first six numbers of “History Pages” was printed on offset duplicator of trust “Orhdorstroy” and the company “Ukrdortehnolohiya” due diligence of associate’s professor Olga S. Belyavskaya family. According to the memories of Associate Professor Nelya F. Hnatiuk, printing staff was willing to work in an effort to help university researchers and hoping to receive as a gift several editions, evaluating them as extremely interesting. The financial support of the two parts of the sixth year edition (1994) provide scientific and production enterprise “Monokon”. The Seventh (1995) – office workers of Starokyivsky department of Saving Bank of Ukraine, the fifteenth edition (2000) was published with the help of the Rector of the European University Tymoshenko I.. Sponsorship contributions to support the publication were made by representatives of the Association of Historians of Higher Education of Ukraine, Kyiv International University (Rector W. H. Khachaturian) and others.
However, the stable release of “History Pages” became only after its support was taken on himself Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. The first released edition on printing factory of KPI (volume 13, 1999) was fundamentally different from its predecessors – high quality paper, printing and quite a winning cover (made in color collage depicting the scenic landscapes of the capital, symbolizing the past and present of Ukraine) provided a modern look scientific periodical.
Slowly situation was stabilized with the volume and circulation of “History Pages”. Now, as a rule, a collection published in volume of 15-16 printed pages and 100 copies. This amount fully enough in order to provide publications in the leading libraries of Ukraine. Stronger presence in a scientific world ensured by placing journal in open source databases and journal’s web site.
At first volumes of “History Pages” were recommended to printing by the History Department, from the fourteenth volume (2000 year) – by Academic Council of the Faculty of Sociology, from the twenty-eighth volume (2009 year) – by Academic Council of NTUU “KPI”. 12 February 2002 Journal received a certificate of state registration of periodical (Certificate number CR 5860), and three years later on May 12, 2005 year the Higher Attestation Commission of Ukraine included it to the list of professional publications. All this, of course, indicating that the periodical recognized by scientific community.
Every year strengthened the editorial board of the “History Pages”. The first four editions of the collection had no Editorial Board but only a responsible for the printing (Assistant Professor Nelya F. Gnatyuk). From the fifth volume (1993) the Editorial Board took care of collection. Assistant Professor Nelya F. Gnatyuk remained as Executive editor of “History Pages”, Assistant Professor V.I. Ulyanych became Deputy Editor, the duties of the Secretary assumed by the lecturer Larysa R. Ignatova. At first editorial board included well-known scientists – Professor B. P. Kowalski, G. Goncharuk, S.M. Klapchuk, A.V. Lykholat, V.F. Panibudlaska, V.E. Kondratiuk and associate professors B. Gordeev, G. Popov, R. P. Rudenko. In subsequent years, the composition of editorial board unaltered. From the thirteenth number it includes Ph.D., Professor Borys V. Novikov – Head of Department of Sociology. Since 2009 Ph.D. in History, Professor, Head of the History Department Svietlana O. Kostylyeva became Chairman of the Editorial Board. Assistant Professor Nelya F. Hnatiuk took duties of Deputy Editor, Lecturer Antonina A. Kizlova became executive secretary in 2010. After reregistering periodical in 2010, the composition of the Editorial Board of “History Pages” renewed, replenished professional historians and political scientists – representatives of the National Academy of Sciences as well as many higher educational establishments. Nowadays “History Pages” have a permanent editorial board, which defines the functionality and coordinates the program of volume.
Scientific face of any scientific journal is its authors. According to our calculations, during 29 volumes of “History Pages” in 1989-2010 was published 837 scientific articles, abstracts conference papers, written by 928 authors. Most of the authors of the journal are representatives of the teaching staff of Ukrainial universities, as a rule – Ph.D.’s in historical sciences. A number of publications owned by post graduate students as well as students. Significant role in enriching the portfolio collection have employees of History Department.
Geography of authors, as well as the establishment of various institutions printed in the “History Pages” sufficiently broad. Unfortunately, tradition of printing foreign author’s articles later interrupted. However, among the authors of the journal are representatives of all regions of Ukraine. Journal actively cooperating with the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and many leading universities in the country. There are many regular authors from capital universities: Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics, Kyiv Slavonic University, Kyiv National University named by Taras Shevchenko, National Aviation University, National Pedagogical University named by Mykhailo Dragomanov, Kyiv National Economic University named by Vadym Hetman, Kyiv University named Boris Hrinchenko European University and others. It should be noted active cooperation with scientists of other departments of NTU “KPI” – especially the State Polytechnic Museum, the editorial board of the newspaper “Kyiv Polytechnic”.
Regarding language publications, most of them have been written in Ukrainian. Noteworthy that almost all the articles of the first two volumes of “Pages of Political History were Russian. Exceptions were only articles of Polish scientists, written in Polish.
Audience of “History Pages” defines by the profile of journal. Most of articles are dedicated to the problems of socio-political, socio-economic, cultural and religious life of the Ukrainian people, intended primarily for researchers and teachers. De facto, the publication has a much wider range of readers, which also includes postgraduate students and all those who interested in the past of Ukraine.
At the first decade of life, “History Pages” had no permanent structure. Occasionally it was determined by thematic sections. In particular, the first book of the sixth year (1994) contained such section: “Economics, Science”, “Politics, History”, the second – “Historiography”, “Culture”, “Messages”. The seventh volume of the collection (1995) published a series of articles, distributed by categories: “Politics, history”, “Culture, science”, and ninth (1997) – had such categories as “Business, Science”, “Politics, Social issue “and” World War II”, “Culture”. Long time feature of the structure of the collection was the inclusion in it of materials science and teaching workshops and student conferences. Sometimes teaching materials also were published.
Over time, however, the structure of the collection acquired sustainability. Now there are three permanent divisions: Research Articles, Criticism and Bibliography; Chronicle scientific methods of life. The last section usually contains informational messages about the scientific and methodological seminars and conferences held by the Department of History. With the strengthening of the financial base, University have the opportunity to publish these important scientific events as separate editions. Currently the Department annually publishes materials of interuniversity scientific and methodological seminar “Actual problems of teaching the history of Ukraine and the history of Ukrainian culture in higher education” as well as members of student theses of conferences under the title “Ukraine: history, culture and memory.”
On the semantic content of the collection features “History”, the analysis of the publications for the entire period of its existence, you can distribute all of its publication in the following groups:
1. Educational materials, methodical scientific publications.
2. Documentary publications on issues of scientific and organizational work.
3. Scientific exploration of historical themes.
4. Materials of students scientific conferences.
Most publications in “History Pages” is from the third group that dedicated to coverage of the history of Ukraine. Quite significant as the number of scientific studies on various problems of the history of science and technology, especially on the history of the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. Publications on issues of world history also included to the journal. A number of publications address topical issues some special historical disciplines – especially sources, historiography.
Thus, the formation and development of the scientific journal “History Pages” was in important social and political transformation of society in general and education in particular. From its inception the collection proved to be a serious professional journals, authoritative forum for the publication of the preliminary results of research in the field of national history. Despite the physical difficulties, technical difficulties release collections have always been regular, and its architectural structure – quite reputable. This is largely made by possible enthusiasm and creative work of the History Department of NTU “KPI” – first Head of Department, Professor Borys P. Kowalski and editors of the publication of Associate Professor Nelya F. Gnatyuk and Associate Professor Larysa R. Ignatova. “History Pages” is very rich in terms of information and should be used as active researchers in the research work and the preparation of teaching materials on the history of Ukraine and the history of science and technology.
