New Britain herald., 1923-03-23
MOSCOW STUDENTS
fight FOR Lives
Have Hard Job Getting Their
EduCationS in College

Moscow. March 23.--American COL
lege students. who frequently COM
plain that their allowances are too
small. would learn what ronghing II
in search of an education actually
means were they to come to Moscow
Investigators for the American Re-
lief administration have come across
tragic comedy or comic tragedy IN
every nook and corner of the bare.
cold dormitories which the Soviet
government provides for Russian
youths at the big universities in Mos
COW and in the provinces Last Sep
TENDER. when the college term opened,
there were approximately $4,000 stu
dents registered in the higher insti-
tutions of Moscow. Approximately
! 10000 of these were capable of car
ing for themselves; another 10000
were to be taken care of by the gov
eminent, but many of the other 3d.
600 literally had to sleep in the
streets, because no quarters could be
found for them in the overcrowded
city.
Tasks Almost Hopeless
One member of the committee
found the task of relieving needy stu
dents almost hopeless because of the
indefinite addresses given by the APP
plicants. Peter Popoff. who Was given
pair of shoes and was to receive
a food package later. informed the
committee that he was rather a diff
ficult person to find, because he slept
in a different doorway every night.
Two young men from the electrical
college We're perfectly willing to be
called upon, the said, but doubted
that they could be found in the crowd
at the railway station. where they
slept.
So much time and energy is spent
trying to obtain food and shelter that
many of the students find study i'm
possible. They are always on the
lookout for odd jobs that will give
them bed. a meal or a few million
rubles. Three girls in one of the
universities sew four hours day for
a corner to sleep in. After meal
at the student kitchen at o'clock in
the evening. they attend their first
class. Russian universities always
ran to night work. for even in the
old days the terms student" and |
poor" were synonymous.
Sleep 40 to a Room
Conditions In the universities of |
Moscow today are said to be indifinite-
ly worse than those endured by the /
poorest students before the revolu-
ton. Sleeping 40 in room, some
r-;t 40 1nJ ~ |
these earnest young seekers after the
truth about science, philosophy or
medicine play balaiaikas and sing
songs even when they are hungry, Il
Two CHEEKY lads, owning one suit Of
clothes between them were lucky
enough to find small room by them
selves. They arranged their classes
SO that one could stay in bed and n
study while the other wore the suit to
the lectures. Another youngster had
three useful possessions. u blanket, a
Wrapped in one. he used another for
a pillow, while he read the third.
Two girls. taking a mathematical
had persistently guarded their
room, but one evening they went out
Tor moment to buy some food.
When they returned they found their
belongings in the corridor and new
lock on the door. Two young men
had moved in.
Urge For Education is Strong
The urge for education is stronger
throughout Russia these days, particu-
arly among sons and daughters Of
he working classes, than II has ever
oeen before. and registration in the
higher schools in some cases has in
'reased more than 200 per cent
In the old days at the Russian uni.
.ersities there were no dormitories.
he students renting rooms and paying
or their own board. Now the gov.
is attempting both to feed
md house students, and pays them a
monthly subsidy, amounting approx
nately to two dollars in American