Introduction. Nikolai Vladimirovich Chekhov (1865-1947), a full member of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of the RSFSR (further – APS), entered the history of Russian education as a prominent teacher of the last quarter of the XIX – first half of the XX centuries. His whole life is an example of selfless service to the interests of the Russian people. Materials and methods. The author used the following research methods: historical and biographical, analysis of scientific and pedagogical, memoir and local history literature, as well as axiological and regional approaches, which made it possible to highlight all the most valuable things in Chekhov's pedagogical heritage and identify opinions about him from his contemporaries and students. The publications of a number of Russian and foreign researchers were used in the process of work. Results. During his student years, Chekhov was a member of the student scientific society, whose secretary was A. I. Ulyanov. Later, Chekhov worked for more than 60 years as an ordinary teacher and head of a school, an administrator of a district (county) scale, and for the first half of his many years of activity he worked under the conditions of the tsarist autocracy, and the second half under Soviet rule. At the same time, he always managed to remain himself, not to change the principles of humanism and social justice. Chekhov was one of the co-founders of the APS (1943), the author of a significant number of valuable manuals and books. In total, he has published about 800 materials. KEYWORDS Discussion. Chekhov had to enter into scientific disputes with other specialists, in particular, to defend the legitimacy of the very concept of "children's literature". He opposed "gray" books, "pinkertonism", "stiltedness" and other shortcomings. He advocated the creation of a new type of teacher who combined deep knowledge and love for his native people. Conclusion. Chekhov was one of those figures of public education who paved the way for the development of the national education system and pedagogical science. People's Commissar of Education V. P. Potemkin, a graduate student from Vyatka, an advanced teacher A. I. Kondakov and other contemporaries highly appreciated his multifaceted activities. Chekhov's theoretical legacy deserves further study.
Vladimir B. Pomelov (Mon,) studied this question.