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 Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

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.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

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.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

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.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

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