#Exhibit of the Month

The Chișinău Diocesan Girls' School opened its doors on May 3, 1864, addressing a pressing need: in Bessarabia there were no institutions dedicated to the education of clergy's daughters. According to the 1864 circular, teaching was conducted in the Romanian language, a provision applied throughout the diocese. The school's first headmistress was noblewoman Anastasia Dmitrievna Rizo, invited by Archbishop Antonie.
The curriculum, approved by the Ministry of Public Education and the Chișinău Diocese, combined theoretical subjects with practical training. Students studied religion, reading and writing in Romanian, Slavonic, and Russian, arithmetic and mental calculation, world history and geography. The program was complemented by church singing and practical skills such as sewing, embroidery, knitting, as well as household management - baking bread and prosphora, preparing meals and preserves, caring for livestock, and cultivating gardens.
The vignette, created in 1911 at the photographic studio of Z. N. Sumovski in Chișinău, depicts 29 graduates and 13 teachers. At the center are portraits of Bishop Serafim (Ciciagov), headmistress N. R. Mihelson, teacher V. E. Bejerian, and priests F. Ghiliarov and P. Jurikas. A notable figure is Praskovia Vasilievna Cuciurenko, a calligraphy teacher for 37 years, who in 1911 became senior educator and assistant headmistress. For her dedication, she was awarded the gold medal "For Long Service."
By 1911, the school had 648 students across 17 classes. Its library contained 7,414 volumes, including 3,955 for students and 3,459 for teachers. Graduates, often becoming priests' wives or teachers in rural and urban schools, contributed to spreading faith and moral education, strengthening the cultural and spiritual role of the institution.
On the reverse of the vignette is a label reading: "Store and workshop for frames, paintings, mirrors, and window glass, A. D. Kon'gova, Chișinău, Gogol Street no. 37, next to the State Bank."
This unique vignette was donated at the end of 2025 to the National Museum of History of Moldova by the Dadiștian family from Drochia.

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Research Research Projects

GDRE (Groupement de Recherche Européen) „Trouvailles monétaires" (2007-2010)

During 2007-2010 the Museum developed the international project of numismatic research GDRE (Groupement de Recherche Européen) „Trouvailles monétaires"

Members of GDRE:

France, CNRS: Paris (Centre de recherches historique) - Georges Depeyrot - GDRE coordinator; Musee des Terreaux, Lyon;

The Republic of Moldova, Academy of Sciences of Moldova: National Museum of Archaeology and History of Moldova (A. Boldureanu- coordinator) and the Institute of Cultural Heritage (S. Tabac);

Poland, Warsaw University: Institute of Arhaeology;

Romania, Romanian Academy: Institute of Archaeology; Cabinet of Medals of Academy Library;

Slovenia, National Museum: Cabinet of Medals.

Mission of GDRE:

- Facilitate and encourage contacts and exchanges of researches;
- Promote co-operation actions;
- Coordinate research programs for many partners for the purpose of supporting of research and technological development;
- Find opportunities to harmonize and complement the programs through seminars, congresses devoted to scientific themes of GDRE, etc.

Work plan and schedule for the Republic of Moldova

1. In 2009, complete and publish the book "Corpus de tresors de Moldavie".

2. Publication of the book "Tresors majeurs de Moldavie".

Activities in the framework of GDRE:

1. The round table "Discoveries of Coins" organized by the European Research Group in the framework of the 8th Symposium of Numismatics held on May 29-30, 2007 in Chisinau.

2. Participation in the session of the European Research Group in the framework of the 9th Symposium of Numismatics held in Chisinau on September 17-18, 2008.

3. Participation in the international conference organized by the Jagellonian University in Krakow, Poland, where the participants of GDRE met in the framework of inter-academic exchange on April 21-26, 2008. In the course of the work there were summed up the activities for 2007 and planned the activities for the next period.

4. Participation in the International Congress of Numismatics, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom, August 31- September 4, 2009.