{"id":1347,"date":"2010-08-30T08:00:26","date_gmt":"2010-08-30T08:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=1347"},"modified":"2014-07-17T13:34:23","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T13:34:23","slug":"celebrating-the-first-of-september","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/celebrating-the-first-of-september\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating the First of September"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n

I live 5 houses down from \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u0448\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [an elementary school]. It\u2019s a pretty useless piece of trivia, except that every year since we moved into our house, I have had an acute case of \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\u044c\u0433\u0438<\/span>\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [nostalgia] at about this time of year. \u00ab<\/strong>\u041c\u043e\u044f<\/span> <\/strong>\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\u044c\u0433\u0438<\/span>\u044f – <\/strong>\u043f\u043e <\/strong>\u041f\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0432\u043e\u043c\u0443 <\/strong>\u0441\u0435\u043d\u0442\u044f\u0431\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [I am nostalgic for the First of September].<\/p>\n

In Russia \u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0432\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u0441\u0435\u043d\u0442\u044f\u0431\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [the First of September] is a holiday known as \u00ab<\/strong>\u0414\u0435\u043d\u044c <\/strong>\u0417\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [the Knowledge Day]. This is a special day for most Russian \u00ab<\/strong>\u0448\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438 <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u0443\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [school children and college students], but especially so for \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0432\u043e\u043a\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438 <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0432\u043e\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [first-graders and college freshmen].<\/p>\n

Back in the Soviet days schoolchildren were required to wear \u00ab<\/strong>\u0448\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u0444\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043c\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> – \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u043b\u044f <\/strong>\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0447\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0432 – <\/strong>\u0442\u0451<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u043e-<\/strong>\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u043f\u0438\u0434\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u043a <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0431\u0440\u044e<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [for boys – dark-blue jacket and trousers], \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u043b\u044f <\/strong>\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u0447\u0435\u043a – <\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u0435\u0432\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u043f\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0435 <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0447\u0451<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0444\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0443\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [for girls – brown dress and black apron]. Special occasions, such as the first and the last days of school, called for \u00ab<\/strong>\u0431\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u0444\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0443\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [white aprons] and \u00ab<\/strong>\u0431\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u043a\u0440\u0443\u0436\u0435\u0432\u043d\u044b<\/span>\u0435 <\/strong>\u043c\u0430\u043d\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044b <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0447\u043a\u0438<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [white lace cuffs and collars] for the girls. Boys\u2019 uniforms looked the same, except were clean, well-ironed and not missing any buttons.<\/p>\n

The night before \u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0432\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u0441\u0435\u043d\u0442\u044f\u0431\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> we packed our \u00ab<\/strong>\u0440\u044e\u043a\u0437\u0430\u043a\u0438<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [knapsacks] with all the supplies bought at \u00ab<\/strong>\u0448\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0431\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u00bb<\/strong> [temporary back-to-school market] – \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u043b <\/strong>\u0441 <\/strong>\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u0430\u043c\u0438 <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0430\u0448\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [pencil-case with pens and pencils], \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0432\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u043b\u0438\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [wooden ruler], \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u0435\u0442\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u043a\u0438 <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043b\u0438\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0443 <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043a\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0447\u043a\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [lined and grid notebooks] with helpful reminders printed on the back cover. These reminders included rules of \u00ab<\/strong>\u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0435\u0433\u043e <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u043b\u0435\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [good behavior and diligence] (i.e. \u201cDon\u2019t play in the street\u201d), multiplication tables or \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u043e\u0431\u0435\u0449\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u043f\u0438\u043e\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0430 <\/strong>\u0421\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e <\/strong>\u0421\u043e\u044e<\/span>\u0437\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [Solemn Promise of the Soviet Pioneer].<\/p>\n

There was also a \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u043d\u0435\u0432\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u00bb,<\/strong> pristinely clean yet already threatening. The word \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u043d\u0435\u0432\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> usually means a diary. \u00ab<\/strong>\u0428\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0434\u043d\u0435\u0432\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> is a combination of a daily planner and a school diary. In it we recorded our class schedules for each day of the week and kept track of homework assignments. Such records were compulsory and regularly reviewed by teachers. At the same time, it was (and probably still is) a convenient place for teachers to record our grades along with any notes concerning our \u00ab<\/strong>\u0443\u0441\u043f\u0435\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u043c\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [academic progress] and \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [behavior in class and during recess].<\/p>\n

These notes, in red ink, were usually less than pleasant and all but guaranteed parental wrath. \u00ab<\/strong>\u041d\u0430 <\/strong>\u0443\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0435 <\/strong>\u043c\u0443<\/span>\u0437\u044b\u043a\u0438 <\/strong>\u0445\u0440\u044e<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u043b <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043a\u0443\u043a\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u043b\u00bb<\/strong> [Grunted like a pig and crowed like a rooster during the music lesson] was one such entry in my brother\u2019s \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u043d\u0435\u0432\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u00bb.<\/strong> So if a student was found lacking respect or work ethics – \u00ab<\/strong>\u043e\u0433\u0440\u044b\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [talks back], \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0440\u044b\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 <\/strong>\u0443\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [disrupts lesson], \u00ab<\/strong>\u0438\u0433\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0432\u0430\u0445\u00bb<\/strong> [ticks teacher off], \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u044b\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [copies other\u2019s work] – it was all recorded along with a dreaded \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0437\u043e\u0432 <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u0448\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [summons for parents].<\/p>\n

But that wouldn\u2019t come until a few days into the school year. I\u2019ve never known a kid who got his first red note in \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u043d\u0435\u0432\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> on the first day of school. After all, no real learning ever happened on this day.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Instead it was more of a meet the teacher day. Early in the morning parents would take their kids to the school yard for a \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u043b\u0438\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [celebratory assembly<\/a>, lit: lineup]. Although, to be honest, with so people hustling and bustling around the yard (since all grades, from 1st<\/sup> to 11th<\/sup> share the same school building), it was less of a\u00a0lineup and more of a flower-speckled huddle. \u00a0Every single student brought flowers to their teachers – \u00ab<\/strong>\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0434\u0438\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0443\u0441\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [gladioli], \u00ab<\/strong>\u0433\u0432\u043e\u0437\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [carnations], \u00ab<\/strong>\u0430<\/span><\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u0440\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [asters], \u00ab<\/strong>\u0433\u0435\u043e\u0440\u0433\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [dahlias].<\/p>\n

Loudspeakers would blare upbeat school-themed songs, including the one about all the things one must learn at school – \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043f\u043a\u043e-<\/strong>\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0440\u0435\u043f\u043a\u043e <\/strong>\u0434\u0440\u0443\u0436\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u0441\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044b\u043c\u0438 <\/strong>\u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [to form strong friendships and to be well-mannered] and another one about \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u0434\u044b <\/strong>\u0434\u0432\u0430 – <\/strong>\u0447\u0435\u0442\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0435, <\/strong>\u044d<\/span><\/strong>\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u0432\u0441\u0435\u043c <\/strong>\u0438\u0437\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043d\u043e <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u0446\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u043c <\/strong>\u043c\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [two times two is four and it\u2019s known all over the world].<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0414\u0438\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440\u00bb<\/strong> [Principal] would usually give a short speech welcoming everyone back from vacation and wishing everyone a happy and successful school year.<\/p>\n

And then all the attention would turn to \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0432\u043e\u043a\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [first-graders], frequently referred to in diminutive \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0432\u043e\u043a\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0438\u00bb.<\/strong> They got special recognition – \u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0432\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0417\u0432\u043e\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [the First Bell ceremony].<\/p>\n

For this ceremony the tallest boy from the 11th<\/sup> grade (last grade in Russian high-school) and the smallest girl from the 1st<\/sup> grade would parade in front of the assembly. The girl, seated on the boy\u2019s shoulder, \u00ab<\/strong>\u0437\u0432\u043e\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0430 <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u043b\u043e\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0447\u0438\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [rang a bell], a symbol of all upcoming school bells. This First Bell officially marked the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the new school year.<\/p>\n

Back in the classrooms the new sets of textbooks were neatly stacked up on \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0430\u0440\u0442\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [student desks]. \u00ab<\/strong>\u041a\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043d\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u0440\u0443\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> or simply \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043d\u044b\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [homeroom teachers] assigned seats and explained classroom chores rotations. We were always reminded that the desks were freshly painted or at least clean from pen and pencil marks and that they better stayed that way.<\/p>\n

Then \u00ab<\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u043f\u0438\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u0443\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u043e\u0432 <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0432\u0443\u044e <\/strong>\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [class schedule for the first quarter] was announced and written down in \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u043d\u0435\u0432\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438<\/span>\u00bb.<\/strong> Some years we had a short \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0430\u0442\u0440\u0438\u043e\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u0443\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [lesson in patriotism] with a \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043d <\/strong>\u0412\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u043e\u0439 <\/strong>\u041e\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0439 <\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u0439\u043d\u044b<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [veteran of the Great Patriotic War] as an invited speaker or \u00ab\u0443\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043a \u043c\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u00bb <\/strong>[lesson about peace].\u00a0 After another \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u044f\u0442\u043a\u0430 <\/strong>\u043e <\/strong>\u0431\u0435\u0437\u043e\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [safety brief] the first school day was over.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

I live 5 houses down from \u00ab\u043d\u0430\u0447\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0448\u043a\u043e\u043b\u0430\u00bb [an elementary school]. It\u2019s a pretty useless piece of trivia, except that every year since we moved into our house, I have had an acute case of \u00ab\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\u044c\u0433\u0438\u044f\u00bb [nostalgia] at about this time of year. \u00ab\u041c\u043e\u044f \u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\u044c\u0433\u0438\u044f – \u043f\u043e \u041f\u0435\u0440\u0432\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u0441\u0435\u043d\u0442\u044f\u0431\u0440\u044f\u00bb [I am nostalgic for the First…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":1351,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,7827,995,913],"tags":[10971,10970,1211,8889,10969,10973,10972],"class_list":["post-1347","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-russian-life","category-soviet-union","category-traditions","tag-1st-of-september","tag-growing-up-in-russia","tag-russia","tag-russian-children","tag-russian-school","tag-10973","tag-10972"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1347","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1347"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1347\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6201,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1347\/revisions\/6201"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1347"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1347"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}