The Minsk Regional Studies Conference

On 30 March the Minsk Regional Studies Conference took place, convened by the Central Bureau of Regional Studies (Kraiaznaўstva) at the Inbelkult. The main aim of the conference was to unite all the workers who give their strength to the study of the land, to draw interested persons into this work, to find a close link between the existing regional-studies organizations and the Central Bureau, and, by joint efforts, to work out the direction to follow for greater success in setting the work in order.

The Chairman of the Bureau, A. Smolich, gave a report on the tasks of regional-studies work and presented a sample scheme of organization. In his opinion, a "Scientific Consultation" is being established at the Central Bureau, which would give final treatment to the materials gathered locally, and would also give guidance, instructions and plans for correct work. Under the direction of the Bureau are the district regional-studies societies, which set up their branches in the volosts and in more or less suitable places of a non-administrative character. The members of the societies and branches directly carry out the collecting work and such research work as they are able to do, and send the results to the higher institutions or directly to the Bureau. In setting up this network of societies, in enlivening it and instructing it, students and student circles, in the speaker's opinion, can play a great role.

The conference recognized this scheme as rationally constructed and expressed the wish that a student section be organized at the Bureau.

The Bureau's scholarly secretary Skandrakou gave a report on the mutual relations between the school and the regional-studies organizations.

Finally, a number of members presented reports of an informational character:

Prof. Picheta on the sources of Belarusian history, Kharlapovich on the position of the central museum, Barashka on the Central Archive (Tsentrarkhiў).

Stsiapurzhynski, as an example of regional-studies research work, read his work "The History of Minsk."