Atlanta Georgian., 1914-03-01

my knee, and we would have some tea Then
we would go to bed
His education was great worry to me. l
had made up my mind that he should not fail
IN life from the same causes that | had. 1t
was for this that l cheerfully paid the police
to let us stay in Kiev. At first l did not think
that | could get him in one of the gymnasiums
because besides Christians only the sons OF
rich Jews, or those with powerful friends, can
get in. But by great good luck ! was able
10 get him some schooling when he was very
young.
1t happened this way Two Jews came to
me one day men who had educated them
selves. | believe they are now both doctors.
They had no right to live in Kiev, and no
money TO bribe the police. They said to me:
You have to give your workmen bread and
herrings and meat. Cannot you spare little
from each man-just tiny piece will be sui
tcient-and let stay here so that we shall
be safe, and in return we Will teach your
chidren?"
These men stayed with me for six months,
and taught Pinka to read But at the end
of that time they had to go 1t came about
like this: | got two months behind in my pay
ments to the police, and one day they came
In and arrested me. Fortunately the men
We're away, or else | might have been sent
to prison for long time if the police had seen
them, But after this thought it too dauger-
Gus for them to stay.
So got another teacher a Jew, for Pinka.
and paid him three roubles month for CIV
ing the boy lessons. At the end OF this time,
when he was eight years old had piece
OF good luck. Because | had done my best to
give the boy his schooling, some of the rich
Jews in Kiey got him place in the gymna'
sium.
Only ten per cent of Jews are allowed in
these schools the reason being, the authorl
ties say, the Jews will educate their children
in any event We don't want to encourage
them to live in Russia by making schooling
easy for them.'
It also means so much more to us, because
If a Jewish boy is taken into the school, ms
parents are allowed to live in the town and
the police cannot touch them. On account OF
this alone it was great relief to US wheh
Pinka was at last taken in. His school fees,
food and books cost me 200 roubleS year.
which at that time was just about half of what
] was earning, but l cheerfully paid this, al
though it meant that the rest of us had to go
short of everything.
The Struggle for Education.
This question of education is one of the
chief worries of us poor Jews in Russia Every.
thing is made hard for us l tell you of
one case in Iiev Three years ago Mr.. Mar
COLIN, the father of the lawyer who defended
me until the judge at the trial refused TO let
him go on any longer, and who has since
been disbarred account of what he did Tor
me, obtained leave from the Government 10
build a school for Jews in the city mere lie
is A very rich man, and built beautiful school.
But he has not been allowed to open 1t yet
and will only be permitted to do so at the be-
ginning OF next year, and theh ohly on cohui
tion that all the teachers are ChrlsllanS.
There are now in Kiey several secret schools
for jew children. supported by wealthy people
of our community. But If the police were TO
find them they would be shut at once ana
the teachers sent to a long term IN prison, as
well as being made to pay heavy hne
Mr. Zaitseff. the owner of the brick works
INQUIRED little while ago, whether the chill
dren at these schools had enough to eat, lie
found that the only hot meals they ever had
we're those given them at the school, Because
OF this the schools are now kept open on Sat
urday so that the children can go there and
have meal.
am glad TO say that Pinka did very well at
the school Although he so young, he un-
derstood that he was the hope of the family
because if he had been turned out of school
for not getting on well enough It would nave
meant that the rest OF us would have been sent
away from kiey. He used to work at his
lessons day and night. and was always near
the top of his class He also used to teach