When the court sentenced most of the Decembrists to exile, Nicholas I aimed not only to punish them severely but also to deprive them of cultural life. There were no universities, schools, or libraries in the mines, and access to information from freedom was extremely limited. However, the Decembrists managed to self-organize and effectively created their own "Hard Labor Academy." They realized that alone they could be morally broken, so they united. Living in barracks at the Petrovsky factory, the officers began to learn trades: shoemaking, clothing repair, furniture making, and the basics of agriculture.

Later, they formed a scientific circle and began teaching each other various disciplines. Each shared knowledge in the area where they were most competent. For example, lectures on anatomy were given by Ferdinand Wolf, a graduate of the Medical-Surgical Academy; higher mathematics was taught by topographer Pavel Bobrishchev-Pushkin; philosophy was explained by Yevgeny Obolensky; and English was taught by Nikolai Bestuzhev. These are just a few examples.

Soon, the "Hard Labor Academy" established an invention bureau, mainly consisting of graduates from technical universities and naval corps. Konstantin Torson and Nikolai Bestuzhev developed a water-powered sawmill, a machine for watering gardens, and a lightweight two-wheeled cart for mountainous terrain, which later became popular in Transbaikalia. Some prisoners also engaged in meteorological observations, and their records helped study the climatic features of Siberia.

Upon learning about the enlightened minds among the prisoners, mining officials began bringing their children for education. Interestingly, some of these students later successfully entered universities. This shows that intellectual activity can help survive even in the harshest conditions.