The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-04-19
BY NATHANIEL BUCHWALD
Daily Worker Correspondent

BY NATHANIEL BUCHWALD
Daily Worker Correspondent
The demonstration was so clear and
the teachers explanation so lucid
that even your correspondent was
convinced that things do expand with
heat. But the pupils Of the physics
class in the FLU Gactory school
we're obviously distracted by the
presence OF q conlrade from the semi
legendary America, and while copy
ing the diagram of the experiment
into their notebooks they cast side
long glances in the direction of the
stranger who also was taking notes.
But my notes were not about the
expansion of the coIored liquid in
the glass bulb with its narrow gradu-
ated neck. AS the teacher was heat
ing the bulb over the blush Game
CT an alcohol lamp, I tried to record
the conversation I had just held
with the pupils.
The teacher had introduced me to
the class as "a comrade> from AM
erica who wants to see how workers
children study to fit themselves for
the building Of socialism"
In their turn, the workers chill
dren of this particular group want
ed to know how the American factory
schools were run, what subjects we're
taught there, and whether all chill
dren went to school in automobiles.
For a few minutes the lesson and
the class-run discipline went to
pieces. Some Of the better read
pupils deprecated the naive questions
of their comrades, stating that AM
erica was capitalist country and
had no F.z,Uis at all, others were
sure there had to be F.Z.U.'s in the
United States because American
workers were known for their skill.
and American industry-for its high
technique.
Puzzled BY U. S. 'Foolishness"
Under the circumstances I quite
naturally became the final Judge and
arbiter of the dispute. The young
sters were plainly puzzled by the
foolish country which neglects its
workers children and drives their
fathers and mothers into the street.
And again was asked the ques-
ton which is SO natural for a Soviet
worker to ask and so difficult for
most Of us to answer plainly: "Why
don't the American workers make a
revolution and take things into their
own hands?"
The Flu. of Gluhovo has about
700 pupils from IA to 10 years old.
The school is run by the Gluhovo
Textile Combinat. The pupils get
free tuition and school supplies and
also shoes and clothes at nominal
prices. In addition they get monthly
allowances ranging from 30 to SO
rubleS.
The term Of study is from ~ to
2 years, depending upon the pre-
liminary education of the pupils. The
school trains the pupils for specific
skilled trades in the Textile industry
weaving, spinning, machine-repair,
dyeing, etc.
Tied Up With Practice
Work in the factory is altcrnated
with classroom studies and labora-
tory experiments. In scma cases
they work and study on alternate
days, in other cases - OH alternate
"pystidnieylzas' (flve-day period com
prising a work-Ncek, with day OF
rest following every five days Of
work..
A young worker who Is graduated
from the Flu. is automatically ac-
cepted as a skilled worker In the
factory and Is assured steady en-
ployment at a high wage-rating.
The general academic" education
of a Flu. graduate is in every way
equivalent to an American high
school education, except that the
Soviet Flu. graduate is also poll
tically intelligent and possesses in
formation on economic, political and
social questions which in America
would be considered by the school
authorities as high brow" If not
downright dangerous. The graduate
of q factory school is fully qualified
to enter college and pursue course
OF engineering or any other profess
sion.
Schools For Adults
The Textile Conlbinst maintains q
Of other schools directly con-
cerned with training OF skilled work
Frs and experts for the factory. Nor
are these schools confined to The
children Adult workers have all
he chances and get every encourage
nent to attend evening courses.
,n,iivsler4 bc The FLU, where the
inkki11sd az, e.us,nt skilled GRADES