Evening star., 1934-01-11
Regards Study of Russian
Language Real Privilege

To the Editor of The STAR
was much interested in reading in
recent issue of The Star of the es-
tablishment of courses in Russian Ian
guage, literature and recent Russian
history at George Washington Univer-
sity following establishment of rela-
tions between the United States and
the Soviet Union. 1t is notable that the
courses are to be conducted by a born
Russian, Prof Kolesnikoff. This is
doubtless wise choice, for there are
few, indeed, not natives of that coun-
try who have the requisite knowledge
and the native touch" to impart in
struction In that wonderfully difficult
but marvelously beautiful language.
Nearly 40 years ago the writer began
the study Of the Russian language in
Washington, and was greatly handi-
capped by the lack Of instruction and
books. Just one native was found who
volunteered to give Russian lessons, but
as his terms were S5 an hour, they had
to be dispensed with by a student whose
salary was only $75 a month. At a
cost Of about $40 dictionary and text
1oeks pS tsa put he eess asd
in the giving OF copies of the famous
Russian newspaper Novoe Vremya (The
New Time). A newspaper is a mirror
of peoples life, and even the adver-
tisements were instructive. The alpha
bet which is simple and phonetic, was
mastered in one evening, and by dint
of continuous reading of books and
papers through many years a more or
less complete vocabulary was built up,
and translations, especially of the
poems of Lermontof and Pushkin, were
undertaken, followed later by prose
work of that kind done for the Russian
embassy and for the United States
Government. The pronunciation of
Russian is much easier than that Of
French for the average American.
Studying Russian has been hkened to
the cracking of very hard-shelled nut
which contains meat of exquisite flavor
and richness. The works of Leo TolStoi,
Turgenieff, Chekhof and Dostoyevsky,
to say nothing of the poets, offer in
tellectual pleasure of very high order,
which no translations, no matter how
accurate, can impart. But it is in the
works, and especially the poetry, in the
original of Alexander S. Pushkin, that
the Russian language reaches its pin
nacle of perfection. Reading the writ
ings Of this great artist is like listening
to the tones of an organ Of thousand
keys, all Russian, but all art. 1t Is
significant that in the ninety-seven
years that have passed since the death
Of Pushkin, no Russian writer has ap-
preached him in poetic power, although
the lyrics Of Lermontoff, Nikitin, Ne
krassof and host of minor stars are
all worthy of reading.
The study Of the Russian language
has been undertaken by number Of
Americans. some Of whom have mas
tered it well. Mr., Ropes of the De-
partment of Commerce, Prof. Samuel N.
Harper of the University of Chicago,
Mr.. Ignatius Jawney of the State De-
partment and Wilfred Stevens, the
famous linguist who formerly translated
for that department. are outstanding
Russian scholars, and Mr.. Robert F..
Kelley, chief of the Eastern European
division of the Department of State,
and his assistant, Mr.. Earl L. Packer,
having had the advantage Of residence
in Riga, have a practical knowledge Of
the language, and some Of their ofacial
subordinates are making good progress
in its study. Having recently retired