The article discusses pedagogical ideas of N. F. Sumtsov in practical activities of secondary and lower educational institutions of the Russian Empire at the end of the XIX century. The main content of the study is the analysis of N. F. Sumtsov’s pedagogical ideas for improving the education process in general, and in particular, it is about the competent choice of effective ways and methods of teaching, the rational ratio of mental, physical, aesthetic education of students for their comprehensive harmonious development. The contribution of the teacher to the development of librarianship in the Russian Empire is emphasized, the result of his initiative to open libraries for students in every educational institution of the Russian Empire is described. The article analyzes N. F. Sumtsov’s approach to the consideration of didactic principles and their importance in teaching students of secondary and lower educational institutions of the Russian Empire in the period under study. Considerable attention is paid to the successful implementation of N. F. Sumtsov’s progressive pedagogical ideas in the practice of the Pushkin School. N. F. Sumtsov’s position in relation to the teacher as the main standard of knowledge deserves special attention. The author comes to the conclusion that the rich pedagogical heritage of N. F. Sumtsov can be reconsidered by modern teachers and used in the modern educational process in primary and secondary schools.