September 01, 2014

The Many Days of September 1


The Many Days of September 1

This year, September 1 happens to be Labor Day, but in Russia, just like every other year, it is also the Day of Knowledge – the first day of school – and the Day of Peace.

In Russian culture, school and education occupy an especially privileged position. It’s no surprise that Russian children – like Soviet children before them – listen to songs about what they’re taught in school, how awful life would be without school, and how exciting it is to be in first grade.

Even a cartoon about a little girl and a bear (Masha and the Bear) manages to have an episode about school, despite the fact that they live in the woods.

 

While in Russia it sometimes seems like September 1 has always been the first day of school, its official designation as such is actually within living memory, at least for a few people. On September 3, 1935, the Sovnarkom and Central Committee decreed that school was to start on September 1 in schools throughout the Soviet Union. It wasn’t until 1980 that the first day of school became a Union-wide holiday, the Day of Knowledge.

Soviet poster for the first day of class:
"In cities, towns, villages, the bell sings -
Now the very first lesson is starting in schools!"

 

Much like American students stereotypically present their teachers with red apples at the start of the school year, Soviet and Russian students traditionally bring flowers, while political leaders make public pronouncements of gratitude to the country’s teaching staff. Bigwigs like Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev tour schools, with news programs broadcasting footage of these high-profile visits. Billboards on the street greet passersby with “Happy 1st of September!” – in case you forgot after a month of back-to-school sale commercials.

Visitors to Russia around this time may hear references to a cryptic “ruler” that allegedly “occurs” on this day. Nothing mysterious here! In grade schools, students line up by grade; in universities, just the first-years line up. This is also a good time for the “first bell” tradition: a first-grade girl rides around the shoulders of an eleventh-grade boy (Russian schools go up to eleven grades), ringing a literal handbell.

The first bell being rung for a "ruler" lineup of students

Once the bell has been rung, it’s time for the first lesson. But what to teach? On average, eight out of eleven times, the first day of school will involve the infamous “what I did over the summer” essay. Soviet teachers, however, had a more peculiar lesson plan: because the Day of Knowledge coincides with the Day of Peace, which marks the start of World War II (specifically, the German invasion of Poland), the first lesson was sometimes referred to as the “Peace Lesson,” and involved teaching students about “imperialist” aggressors and the struggle for peace throughout the world.

So while you enjoy your day off for Labor Day (if you’re in the US), Russian students are dressing up for their first day of school, bringing their teachers flowers, lining up and waiting for the first bell. Happy September 1, everybody!

 

Photo credit: liveinternet.ru, kuzmolovo.ru

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955