Topical issues of development of reader's activity of school students are considered on the basis of the comparative analysis of the situation characterizing a technique of formation of communicative competence of the system of gymnasia formation of the Kursk province of the end XIX--the beginning of the XX centuries. The comparative-historical and theoretical analysis of the sources characterizing features of statement and a solution of the problem of training in reading in domestic pedagogics at a boundary of XIX--the XX centuries, are the main methods of work. Generalization, systematization and classification of material are methods also. The main types of reading characterized by methodologists of the specified period as "serious" and "easy", private and obligatory are allocated. Differences of a modern and historical methodical thought in the relation to reading in the system of training of school students are traced. The key principles of effective training in reading the school student (nature conformity, activity approach, presentation, communication of training with life, anthropocentricity) are distinguished. Article can be useful to teachers-language and literature teachers, methodologists, students concerning training in conscious productive reading school students.