September 01, 2014

The Many Days of September 1


The Many Days of September 1

This year, September 1 happens to be Labor Day, but in Russia, just like every other year, it is also the Day of Knowledge – the first day of school – and the Day of Peace.

In Russian culture, school and education occupy an especially privileged position. It’s no surprise that Russian children – like Soviet children before them – listen to songs about what they’re taught in school, how awful life would be without school, and how exciting it is to be in first grade.

Even a cartoon about a little girl and a bear (Masha and the Bear) manages to have an episode about school, despite the fact that they live in the woods.

 

While in Russia it sometimes seems like September 1 has always been the first day of school, its official designation as such is actually within living memory, at least for a few people. On September 3, 1935, the Sovnarkom and Central Committee decreed that school was to start on September 1 in schools throughout the Soviet Union. It wasn’t until 1980 that the first day of school became a Union-wide holiday, the Day of Knowledge.

Soviet poster for the first day of class:
"In cities, towns, villages, the bell sings -
Now the very first lesson is starting in schools!"

 

Much like American students stereotypically present their teachers with red apples at the start of the school year, Soviet and Russian students traditionally bring flowers, while political leaders make public pronouncements of gratitude to the country’s teaching staff. Bigwigs like Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev tour schools, with news programs broadcasting footage of these high-profile visits. Billboards on the street greet passersby with “Happy 1st of September!” – in case you forgot after a month of back-to-school sale commercials.

Visitors to Russia around this time may hear references to a cryptic “ruler” that allegedly “occurs” on this day. Nothing mysterious here! In grade schools, students line up by grade; in universities, just the first-years line up. This is also a good time for the “first bell” tradition: a first-grade girl rides around the shoulders of an eleventh-grade boy (Russian schools go up to eleven grades), ringing a literal handbell.

The first bell being rung for a "ruler" lineup of students

Once the bell has been rung, it’s time for the first lesson. But what to teach? On average, eight out of eleven times, the first day of school will involve the infamous “what I did over the summer” essay. Soviet teachers, however, had a more peculiar lesson plan: because the Day of Knowledge coincides with the Day of Peace, which marks the start of World War II (specifically, the German invasion of Poland), the first lesson was sometimes referred to as the “Peace Lesson,” and involved teaching students about “imperialist” aggressors and the struggle for peace throughout the world.

So while you enjoy your day off for Labor Day (if you’re in the US), Russian students are dressing up for their first day of school, bringing their teachers flowers, lining up and waiting for the first bell. Happy September 1, everybody!

 

Photo credit: liveinternet.ru, kuzmolovo.ru

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955