Volkov's 125th anniversary

Today we celebrate 125 birthday of Russian Soviet writer, storyteller, playwright Alexander Volkov, who completed "Mathematics" course at theTomsk Pedagogical Institute.Everyone knows Volkov's famous tale "The Wizard of Oz", but only few realize that it is written about our city Tomsk. Alexander had this idea back in 1907, when the future writer, arrived in Tomsk from Ust-Kamenogorsk (Kazakhstan), completed the training course and became student of the Tomsk Teachers' Institute (now Tomsk State Pedagogical University). After graduating and getting permission to teach in  higher primary schools, Volkov returned to his native Ust-Kamenogorsk, and became teacher in the school from which he earlier graduated. The desire to deepen the knowledge of foreign languages has motivated the author to  ranslate popular book by F. Baum "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." The result of these labors was the publication of "The Wizard of Oz" in 1939 with its own additions, taken from his student's life. During the period of three years in Tomsk, Alexander Volkov drew attention to the cultural distinctiveness of our city: original, picturesque wooden architecture attracted the attention by unique glittering ornaments. As in a fairy tale, the writer was inspired by skill and grace of Siberian craftsmen. A true Emerald City!