St. Petersburg historical school

The author of the publication is one of the last participants in the special course of a major Russian scientist, source specialist and historian S. N. Valk. The author, who was in close contact with his supervisor in 1972–1974, notes the peculiarities of the scientist’s work with the student audience, his approach to choosing research topics, and points out the difficulties that arose in the process of communication between students and teachers and ways to overcome them. At the Soviet university, Valk was a living bearer of the traditions of the St. Petersburg historical school and sought to pass on these traditions to his students. The author provides facts indicating the historian’s interest in the social movement in the country. Attention is paid to the controversy between Valk and A. L. Nikitin, which attracted the attention of both scientists and students. A number of episodes characterize the scientist’s everyday habits. The article is published to mark the 50th anniversary of S. N. Valk’s death.