Evening star., 1932-02-08

Soviet Union.
The text books have been rewritten
to present the defense program Of the
government in conspicuous and en-
phatic form The system of teaching
has been changed to connect discus
sion of the country's war and defense
plans with every topic presented to the
class.
In the study of arithmetic. for in
stance. an example which formerly
added so maNT cords of wood to so
many more cords of wood has been
changed to the addition of SO many
companies of soldiers to SO many more
companies. The study of geometry uses
by way of illustration war trenches"
In the study Of chemistry all examples
are drawn from Russia's or other coun-
tries plans and programs for the vari-
Gus schools.
Two Types of Schools.
There are two types of grade schools
in the Soviet Union. four-year schools
for the country population and seven
year schools tor the city inhabitants.
In both the pupils study the history Of
the red army. and have a survey of the
country's defense problems. They are
required to take military gymnastics"
They are taken on military excursions
into the country, where they undergo
such exercises as they might find useful
if the country had to be defended
against invasion. The pupils organize
military circles and specialize in some
branch of warfare and defense. Pupils
who reach the seventh year in their
school career are required in the final
year to put in 60 hours in more ad-
vanced military training.
Or1ear-x fortY i(I1y
have two and three year courses. The
students are required to put in 1870
hours for three years, or 100 hours for
two years, to perfect themselves in
specialized branches of service. AS the
students in these technicums are in
variably attached to some industry in
which they are employed while going
to school, the military problems con-
neCted with that industry are presented
to them in detail.
A youth attending an engineering
technicum is required as part of his
military training to familiarize himself
with some phase of war engineering A
pupil in chemical technicum is re-
quired to study some phase of chemical
warfare. The students of an automo-
bile technicum are duty-bound to make
study of the latest phases CT motor
transport and conveyance in the army
Hard Minimum" Required.
A hard minimum of efficiency in
military theory and practice is required
Of all pupils in secondary schools If
they fail to meet these requirements
they are denied graduation certificate,
and are not inconsiderably handicapped
in their career, thereby. The military
discipline in the primary schools runs
right on through the secondary schools
till the student reaches the university.
In the universities, where military
science in its advanced forms is
taught, the most noteworthy feature
is the absence of distinction between
practice are concerned. Girls in pri-
mary and secondary schools receive
training along sanitation and Red Cross
lines. They are encouraged to become
nurses and hospital orderlies, and to
learn to take care of homes or insti-
tutions for disabled soldiers. Women
students in the universities are trained
for ell branches of service for which
men are trained
A pen picture Of the actual training
Of Soviet youngsters for warfare is sup
piled by woman correspondent IN
Moscow, who attached herself to chill
country The children were between
8 and IL.
Children Know Answers.
The Russian writer's account of some
Of the incidents is given verbatim:
The leader of the children's COM
pany had just explained to the young
sters that the difficulty with China
over the seizure of the Chinese Eastern
Railway had been amicably settled.
But the leader asked, Can We
now relax our vigilance?'
No the children replied in one
voice
why not?' the leader asked.
Because the children answered,
We are surrounded by enemies.
Why must we go on preparing?'
Because the children replied, The
grown ups are preparing. So we, too,
must prepare, for when we grow up we
will go into the Red Army
Now, children said the leader, We
are going to test and find out which
little company is best prepared among
you. All together. like regular Red
Army soldiers, form according to COM
panies. One, two, three! Attention.
All the companies formed as
directed The children stood as quiet
as II theJ were little hgureS OF StOnH.
They were told to march. Th =
marched in splendid order
Now, then the leader commanded,
Which company can march SO quietly
as to pass the enemy without being
noticed?'
'All the children marched Stealthily.
Their steps were as noiseleSs as those of
Kittens
CCopyright, 1892, by the North American
Newspaper Alliance, Inc)