OCTOBER 7, 1960
Russian School Life Differs
From Ours
(This is the final article on Russia, as viewed by Mr. Ralph Caprio, of the English and Personnel departments.)
People in America tend to regard school as the "happiest days of one's life." This is not necessarily true in Russia. A student under the Soviet rule knows that education is a very serious business. He is well aware that if he fails to measure up to the Party's standards of learning, he will lose his chance to escape the ordinary drab and monotonous Soviet life.
About 15 per cent of Russian youth (as compared with 60 per cent of Americans) complete high school. The Russian student is judged no on IQ, or ability, but on actual achievement. He is tested for this often, and failure of a test could mean the end of his education.
The School System
The Russian child starts school at the age of seven. If his work is satisfactory, he will attend four years of grammar school, three years of junior high, and three of senior high. He then takes what is called the "ten year finals." If he passes these, he graduates, and has an opportunity to go on to college.
Homework
In first grade, a Russian youngster can expect to do one hour of homework a night; by the time he reaches high school he is spending three or four hours in preparation for his next day's classes.
Curriculum
The curriculum in Soviet schools emphasizes science and languages. The schools are now beginning to teach
Amazed by Maine West
Schools in Russia differ from those to which we have grown accustomed. The teaching facilities are of a poorer quality, and classroom aids are few. As a matter of fact, when Russian educators were told about Maine West, they were amazed -some frankly skeptical.
No Free Discussion
The classes themselves differ from ours in one major respect: there is no free discussion. The teacher does lecturing, and students are allowed to ask questions, but the students do not discuss the things they are learning. A student's learning is done mostly through memorization, although he is given a chance to apply what he has learned to practical situations. It seems that curiosity outside the Party line is discouraged by this Party-dictated method of teaching.
Indoctrination In School
Soviet education has been a means of instilling in the students a very active feeling of patriotism, and a strong sense of national purpose. The students are constantly being indoctrinated. Even their extracurricular activities are clubs which are lesser "branches" of the Communist party. This results in a person who believes that his purpose in life is to serve the state unselfishly.
Mr. Carpio believes that America's problem is not in making a decision as to the superiority of either Russian or American education, but in placing the proper emphasis upon those subjects which will best fulfill the needs of America in the future.