KORNILOV, Ivan Petrovich
(1811-1901), Russian educator and curator of the Vilnius educational
district from 1864-68. Kornilov was an ardent admirer of M. N. Muraviev
(q.v.) and advised him on the Russification of
Lithuania. Together with V. P. Kulin, I.
I. Shulgin and M. N. Novikov as
well as other Slavophile officials,
Kornilov worked for the establishment of
a Russian educational system in Lithuania.
He was the chief inspiration behind Muraviev's 1864 ban on the printing
of Lithuanian books in the Latin alphabet and the subsequent
introduction 'of Cyrillic characters into the written language. Kornilov
wrote articles supporting the Russification
of Lithuania and attacking those Russian
scholars and officials who favored
a repeal of the ban on the Lithuanian
press (1864-1904). He was also active
in promoting Russian culture in Lithuania
by establishing Russian primary schools and libraries. During his stay
in Vilnius he founded a chapter of the
Imperial Geographic Society. Kornilov also
published many articles and collections of documents concerning the
history of Lithuania and Poland, especially the history of education. In
his book Russkoe delo v severozapadnom kraie (The Russian Cause
in Northwestern Territory, 1908), he describes contemporary efforts at
Russification and his related role.
