Ph.D., Professor
Edilyan was born on December 25, 1885, in Karvansara (now Ijevan). He studied at the local diocesan school. In 1896, he graduated from Nersisian School in Tbilisi. From 1896-1903, Edilyan studied at the Gevorgian Seminary of Ejmiadzin. In 1904, he moved to Europe and studied at the universities of Jena and Leipzig (Germany), then and Bern (Switzerland).
In 1909, Edilyan defended his thesis and received his Ph.D. In 1912, his dissertation entitled "Formal Degrees of Criticism of Ziller" was published in Armenian in Etchmiadzin, bringing great fame and recognition to the author in the Armenian environment as well. He started his educational activities at the Gevorgyan Seminary, where he worked from 1909-1914, then until 1919, he taught at the Nersisyan school in Tbilisi.
In 192 Edilyan was invited to YSU as a lecturer, and in 1921, he was appointed dean of the pedagogical faculty. In 1934, Edilyan became a professor. From 1934-1937, he worked at the Armenian Pedagogical Institute.
During the days of the Armenian Genocide, G. Edilyan carried out intense nationalistic activities. In 1916, he assumed the position of inspector of migrant orphanages in the Caucasus and organized the work of education and upbringing of homeless children. Along with the creation of general pedagogical psychology, teaching methodology curriculums, and manuals, he also dealt with issues of psychological analysis of fiction, forensic psychology, as well as Armenian fonts and their readability.
Edilyan authored more than 100 scientific articles and valuable books related to psychology, pedagogy, the methodology of teaching the mother tongue, the history of pedagogical thought, the history of Armenian literature, as well as new and modern literature. The most important works are "Teaching Forms" (Vagharshapat, 1913), "Teaching Problems" (Echmiadzin, 1914), "Armenian Language Methodology" (Tbilisi, 1923), "Handwriting Teaching Methodology" (Yerevan, 1927), "Language Methodology" (Yerevan, 1930), Outlines of Psychology" (Yerevan, 1958).
On November 1, 1937, he was arrested on charges of anti-revolutionary agitation and on December 5 of the same year, he was sentenced to 10 years in a correctional labor colony.
Edilyan passed away on January 15, 1942, in Omsk.
In 1955, the case was dismissed due to lack of evidence and he was acquitted.
