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Richelieu lyceum
1817 became a special page in the history of Odessa. Just then in the south of the Russian Empire it was decided to create a prestigious institution of a closed type - a lyceum (Lyceum - from the ancient Greek Lykeon - the name of a garden in Athens close to the temple of Apollo of Lycia where Aristotel held discussions with his disciples; in tsarist Russia privileged educational institutions which combined secondary school and higher courses of law were called lyceums). 
It was named in honour of Armand Emmanuele du Plessis, Duke de Richelieu, the General-governor of the region. "Due to the important location of Odessa in commercial aspect, - Prince A.M. Golitsyn, the minister of education, wrote in 1807, - its vast population and a long distance from university and higher schools the necessity appeared to establish a special institute or lyceum which would combine graded classes of educational training. Such special higher institution named "Richelieu lyceum", due to respect for Duke de Richelieu..., who having been in charge of the region for a long time...never ceases to take special part in educating local youths and who allocated a considerable sum from his own annual income to support the future lyceum." In XIX century there were three lyceums in Ukraine of the higher schools level: Bezborodkovsky in Nezhin (1832 -1875), Richelieu in Odessa (1817 - 1865) and Kremenetsky in Poland (1819-1831)..
Inauguration of the lyceum took place on the 6th (19) of January, 1818. A very interesting document has remained in Odessa regional archives. Here are just some lines from it.
"On the 7th of January, 1918 the inauguration of Richelieu lyceum took place. The event began with the speech of the General-governor duke Langeron. Many local citizens were present at the event, about 500 persons all told, including clergy, officials and other honorary citizens".
The documents ended with the words:
"Thus, Odessa, which is quickly growing to compete with the first cities of Russia, has admitted to its systems this institution which serves it as the best decoration."
The speech of Duke O.F. Langeron, Novorossiysk military governor and Odessa city governor, should be also noted. He said:
"Establishing the lyceum in the country which appeared from nowhere, in the country which was for many centuries uncultivated and uninhabited, is an idea so glorious for Russia and manifests its success and power, as it is useful for this region which will add to its welfare; and altogether the idea is so important for the glory of sciences, the happy influence of which will near the felicity of new Russia".
In the end he addressed the pupils of the lyceum:
"You should know, dear children, that you can participate in the realization of these ideas only by constant diligence in mastering sciences, by respect and boundless obedience to your teachers whom you should consider your other fathers and who really deserve your trust and love".
Even before the inauguration of the lyceum on the 2nd (15) of May, 1817 its Statute was approved, and on the 15th of May the decree appeared as to the deduction of 2,5 copecks in silver of each quarter of wheat exported from the south region of Russia in favour of the lyceum.