Evening star., 1934-06-07
RED YOUNGSTERS
SEE TOYS At LAST
New Order Of Education
Commissariat Emphasizes
Play at Cost of Instruction.

MOSCOW-The street-front Of a
small shop on one of Moscow's prin-
cipal thoroughfares had been newly
painted in bright colors. A crowd Of
children had gathered on the side
walk before the display windows.
which were filled with an enticing
assortment of toys.
Here it Is, mamachka Cittle
mother) 7" It was the high pitched
voice of a small boy, who was point
ing at the doorway with one hand
and tugging at the skirt Of a middle
aged woman with the other. The
woman smiled, and permitted her
self to be led into the shop.
Once inside, the youngster ran
about, shouting look, look" With
his eyes fixed on some miniature
trains which were lined up on
shelf, he tripped and fell over
toy automobile Of the kind which
pedals" Quite unabashed by his
mishap, he picked himself up and
went on running about the shop and
calling the attention Of the woman
to the toys which caught his fancy.
Children Enthusiastic.
There were many other children
looking at the toys, and they were
equally enthusiastic. No one of
them had ever before seen such a
display, for not since the revolution
had so many attractive playthings
been gathered together in one place.
There were dolls Of many kinds
and sizes. toy drums, hobby horses.
building blocks, miniature kitchen
ranges, doll houses and sets Of small
sized dishes There were likewise
miniature trolley-cars, tractors, der
ricks and airplanes, wooden Red"
soldiers, sailors and nurses. toy
cannon, tanks and Red Cross am
balances, together with the toy trains
and automobiles.
The shop had been open only
few days. The appearance of the
toys had conceded with an an
nouncement that the commissariat Of
education was radically revising the
programs of the Soviet kindergsrtens
with a view to placing a new en-
phasis on toys, games and laughter
at the expense of instruction of an
advanced nature. The discovery had
been made, it was stated. that less
than one hour in five of the kinder
garten time was being devoted 10
play.
Old System Harmful.
"It is not difficult to understand"
wrote a contributor to the official
organ of the commissariat of educa-
ton. how much harm might result
from attempts TO turn the child into
Nestor, over-taxed with scientific
knowledge and equipped with q mi
croscope instead of toys.
The existing pre-school programs
are too advanced in subject matter
Thus, the program for the first group
calls for a study of nations and ma
tionalities. Children of the second
group are expected to learn the
names of various instruments and
machines, and must know how to
distinguish weeds from cereal plants.
"All of this goes to show that those
who make up the programs have not
the slightest idea of the characters
tics of the mind of the pre-school
child. The greatest defect of the pro-
gram is the improper division Of time
between science and play. Not more
than 10 or Is per cent of the time IS
being devoted to the latter"
All to Be Changed.
But all of this is now to be changed.
The kindergarten youngsters are to
have their toys, games and laughter
in quantity. And this is not the only
innovation of Importance to be noted.
At the end of 1881 this correspon-
dent described a set Of new Soviet
toys, which, it was said, had been
cleansed of all bourgeois character
istics. These toys were to serve as
the material basis for the new forms
of collective play" calculated to turn
the Russian youngsters into good
little Communists. They were to de-
velop the fighter, the builder, the
active personality, possessing a
clear-cut materialist, Communist con-
ception of life"
Toys to be barred to Soviet children
included those which might serve to
develop "individualistic tendencies Of
Va AAASSASSS AA ~O@NSJ
clothes, and toys calculated to de-
velop prematurely maternal feelings
In young girls"
War Still Paramount.
But whatever the new trend, 1t is
obvious the time has not yet come
when the Soviet educators are pre-
pared to lessen the emphasis on mill
tary toys. The shelves Of the new
shop contained, among other toys,
formidable array of wooden Red
soldiers and miniature implements of
war. The decision to introduce more
toys and games into the Soviet kin
dergarten and the temperance of
''the toy without purpose" are two
manifestations Of general reaction
from extremes, reaction which is
affecting nearly all phases of Soviet
life. Another manifestation of the
same trend was the recent decision
to eliminate the formal study of Marx
and Lenin from the Soviet primary
schools, this on the ground that the
children are too immature to digest
the theories Of these masters.
tCopyright, 1934)
Royal Chapel Used.