Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1958-07-31
BY Aide Here
Visit to Russian
School Described
By Dorothy Waleski
staff Reporter

staff Reporter
What goes on inside Russian school and how
does it impress an American visitor?
The School Board last week was entertained
by a detailed report complete with three dimen-
sional slides from an elementary supervisor, Mrs.
Sonia Bremen
In May Mrs Bremen flew to the USSR with
her husband who was attending the Scientific
Conference in Moscow. While there she spent a
day observing the activities at the Pedagogical
Institute which has an enrolment of $50 student
teachers and $50 primary grade children.
Her first impression the busy atmOs-
phere created by the sound of Ii pianos and
26O vioIins in every nook and Granny. Prac-
tice sessions by the students go constantly
throughout the school day.
The biggest surprise to Mrs Bremen was the
relaxed happy attitude in this school behind the
Iron Curtain. Instead of the strict and rigid dis
cipline she expected, she felt the students worked
hard for the sheer pleasure of job well done and
their teachers were lavish in their praise.
AS her visit fell on the last regular school day
of the year, Mrs Bremen attended the final as
sembly which was typical of all such affairs.
To the long program of songs recitations,
piano recitals, etc. the children responded
with spontaneous enthusiasm when they
liked something and with wiggling and
whispering when they didn't.
The unexpected atmosphere was apparent out
side the school well, Although she had per-
sonal guide and interpreter assigned to her, Mrs.
Bremen was allowed to wander at will when she
wanted to sightsee alone. In May at least the
Russian people seemed friendly and cooperative to
foreigners although Mrs Bremen wonders if this
attitude might not have changed recently.
At the Pedagogical Institute Mrs. Bremen ex-
plored every corner of every classroom and all of
her questions on curriculum and methods she
says, were answered freely by the staff.
The comparison she found most unfavor
able to Montgomery schools was i'm the Ii
brary. 1t contains 10000 volumes for the COM
bined enrolment of 700 students or about 81
books per child.
The present minimum standard of the Amer
lean Library Association is five books per child
Many Montgomery schools do not even meet this
minimum.
Highest number of volumes here are found in
elementaries that have had Libraries and librar-
ians well established for some time Bethesda has
5000 books for its 573 children and Westbrook
1926 for SIT children.
Newer schools are not as well off West Rock.
vile for instance has 1908 books for 8O5 children
and Twinbrook, the largest school in the county
has only 1929 books for I'LL children.
Examples of the secondary school libraries
are Bethesda-Chevy Chase, 1892 books, 1912 stu
dents; Montgomery Blair, 1O,946 books 2O24 stu
dents; and the new Broome Junior High, which
has 1874 books, for 896 students
Other highlights of Mrs. Brenner's observa-
tons are:
The primary school has four forms" with the
children entering the first at age seven after at
tending kindergarten elsewhere.
Tuition is free but books and uniforms are
now bought by the parents
The marking system goes from one to five
with y" corresponding to a ID" in the county
One %" can be made up in Summer school but
more than two means grade failure, with special
schools for children who cannot keep up to grade
level.
On the whole, subject matter is similar to
ours on the different grade levels but Mrs Bren-
ner noted an arithmetic problem given at the end
OF the first form as being difficult than Sec
ond grade problems given here. Handwriting is
stressed and pen and ink are used after the first
week in the first form
Materials of instruction are similar The stu
dent teachers make many of their teaching aids
and tools in carpentry, wood working and metal
working shops.
Extra-curricular activities include working in
the garden attached to the school and twice a
week excursions to places of interest outside.
Once month they attend the Children's Theater
which is an important part of Russian life. There
are at least 100 childrens theaters throughout the
country and four five in Moscow alone
Teachers are paid on the basis of education,
and the type of school with higher
scale for the higher grade In addition to a higher
salary secondary teachers work IS hours weekly
as compared to "a hours for the elementary
teachers.
The schools open in the Summer for
III
mothers.
In summingup her impressions, Mrs. Bremen
told the board that the Russians seem committed
TO education as means of national advancement.
For this reason its teachers rank high in both
prestige and pay, she said.