Evening star., 1952-12-15
REDS Fight Hard to Capture Young Minds
I'm East German Elementary Schools
Better Housing Than West Textbooks Free,
Says Young Germon Teocher Here Under MSA

monitor happened to pass her
classroom one day when she was
instructing her charges in the
words Of q familiar old German
folk song about five geese who
went over the line" The monitor
felt the parallel between the words
Of this song and the desire of
some Germans to go lover the
line" was too marked. Her friends
career in the Red zone was at
an end.
The Red textbooks are full of
Communist propaganda, Of course,
declaring that the Western coun-
tries want war, the Soviets, peace
Children are expected tO indoctri-
nate their parents, or denounce
them.
Miss Fender recalled invitations
youngsters In schools in the West
received to one peace" meeting
in Red Berlin. written by 8 and
year olds. The schools compared
letters. found they were all very
much the same. Packed with
propaganda. they were probably
dictated by teachers.
German children in the Red
zone all are required to learn Rus
sian in the elementary grades
English is offered in high school
However, most German children
the young teacher pointed out, de-
not continue their schooling be-
yond the age Of IA.
The Russians are making 9
great effort to provide what they
consider good schools, Miss Fender
believes. Their teachers are uni.
verSity trained. Their schoo
buildings are good. Modern teach.
ing aids are employed. Textbook.
are free, which is not the cast
in West Germany.
Mokeshift in West
In the West, by contrast, sht
said. school buildings are for tn,
most part makeshift and made.
quate. At one time she had II
girls in one room. "It was MOI
teaching" she said sadly.
1--WE need more teachers, yes
she added, "but we have no class.
rooms"
Commenting on German life ii
general, Miss Fender believe!
there would probably be more
Communists in Germany today il
the Russians had not given then
such an appalling preview in thu
Eastern zone Of what life woulc
be like.
As a member of a union, Mis-.
Fender hopes to work for i'm.
proved teacher salaries, which II
Germany, too, are low. And shs
is interested in the growth of tht
free trade union, active before
Hitler, eliminated during his re.
gime.
But now, after Hitler, all Ger.
mans are afraid to join things,
she said.
At the University of Wisconsin
Miss Fender attended regular
classes and lived with severa
American girls. The courses in
volved field trips as well as lee.
lures, where students had on op.
portunity to talk to labor ant
management.
"They talked so frankly, 81
warmly to us. it was wonderful,
she said. "It would not be this
way in Germany"
Dressed in a smart black blouse
and skirt with a scarf with 9
Washington motif at her throat
Miss Fender wore her blond hail
in q modified poodle cut. She is
engaged to a young economist who
is working on the Schuman plan
She will teach after marriage, be-
cause it Is an economic necessity
but is rather surprised at > neri-
can women who continue tc
work when they do not really
have to.
People Must Meet
In spite Of some differences,
however. Miss Fender is convinced
that when individuals from vari-
Gus countries meet. their common
hopes and fears as human beings
far outweigh dissimilarities.
'The best thing for peace" she
said, "is that people meet each
other"