The Daily Worker Newspaper, June 13, 1925, Page 13

| CULTURAL LIFE I New Literature for Children MONG the many problems faced by Soviet Russia after the revo- lution, one of the greatest and most important was that of a new educa- tion for the young, as well as the creation of a modern basis for the bringing up of children. In line with the new educational principles it became the chief aim of the school system to inculcate a scien- tific view of life in the children, to facilitate the full development of the child’s individuality and to help it to become an active and conscious mem- ber of the community, It therefore became necessary to undertake a complete revision of all the existing literature for children, as well as to create a new literature along these lines. The Section for Juvenile Literature of the State Pub- lishing House was created toward the end of 1923 for this purpose. First a@ number of representatives of high- er pedagogical institutions was charg- ed with this work (People’s Commis- sariat for Education, Moscow Educa- tion Department, Institute for Juven- ile Literature, etc.), as well as a num- ber of writers, educators, and work- ers in juvenile libraries. New pub- lications in the field of children’s books, as well as manuscripts of such, received from the authors were sub- mitted to them to be judged. Gather- ings of reviewers were held, in which judgments and decisions were pro- nounced concerning the publication of “ new books, S haaor next step toward the creation of a new juvenile literature was the reading aloud of these manu- scripts to an audience of children of the age required in each specific case. Educators and librarians read the books in their respective schools, kin- dergartens, children’s literary circles, and subsequently transmited to the education department the views of the children, as well as a report of the children’s reactions to various pass- ages in the manuscript as a whole. As the work went on, two commissions were created to encourage the produc- tion of a new juvenile literature: the first of these commissions is con- cerned with the books for children of pre-school age, while the second con- siders the needs of the older children. The commission includes the best writers for children, those who are trying to meet the demands of the present day, artists who have special- ized in the illustration of children’s books, teachers and librarians. Each of the commissions meets twice a week. At these sessions a manuscript is usually read which has already been submitted to the critics and to the young readers, and which is fur- thermore considered to be in some way typical. A general discussion of the manuscripts follows, which aids in the fixing of definite principles that have already been elaborated during the year in which the commissions have been at work, and have been used as guiding lines in the selection of new books to be published. following subjects were. consid- ered during the past year by the commission for pre-school children’s books: 1. The study of the work of the women in charge of kindergartens, touching upon various phases of the life, the work and the play of the children in the various establish- ments of this kind. It was found ex- tremely desirable to continue and de- yelop this work still further, in which connection three of the books of the American educational writer Lucy Sprague Mitchel were published, as well as a collection of notes made by the women teaching in the 2. Books on Productive Industry.— considered necessary to initi- children not only in the sub- those kinds of work which they to perform but also in the grown-ups, in which children often interested showing e most characteristic features branch, Among publicaitons Basse pt tyne QF 38 Tver kin-| way. of this kind books on table crockery, transportation, newspapers and the locomotive, may be mentioned, Books on the postal system, rubber shoes, and on various trades, are in course of publication. 3. Biological Books.—In the case of books on animals, plants, the evolu- tion of man, etc., it was considered imperative to deviate in no degree from the scientific facts. The material to be used in such books is to con- sist of phenomena and objects from the daily life of the children, in this way encouraging the children to en- gage in their own observations and studies. Young scholars, biologists, have been placed in charge of this task. A book is about to appear, with the approval of the commission on the metamorphoses of insects, and an- other on poultry. : 4. Books on the Revolution.—Inso- far as the children are growing up in the atmosphere of revolutionary cele- brations and parades, and the looking daily at the portraits of revolution- ary leaders, etc., the revolutionary reality is one of the earliest experi- ences of Russian children of the present day. Steps were taken to give the children books concerning revolu- tionary holidays, Lenin, the “Pioneer Movement” etc. HERE is about to appear an album entitled “On Lenin—For Children” which will contain a large number of pictures dealing with the life of the workers and peasants under the czar- ist regime, with the life and strug- gles of Lenin, with the world-war period, as well as with the Russian revolution, all appropriately annotated in the text. 5. Hygienic Instruction and Physi- cal Culture—A number of books in this field are in course of preparation. HE work of the commission has been further extended recently by inviting the participation of an organ- ized circle of women in charge of Moscow kindergartens, for the pur- pose of consultatién on a number of questions connected with juvenile lit- erature. This circle has drawn up a program for the publication of works of juvenile literature which are to be in accord with the requirements of the present day. A portion of this program has already been carried out. Books now being printed concerning the “Young Pioneers” and the Red Army are in every way suited to the uses of chil- dren of pre-school age, Writers and artists who are desir- ous of specializing in the field of juvenile literature are eagerly partici- pating in the work of the circle. ASSING on to the literature for the older children, it is of course necessary to take into account the far more extensive circle of interests characteristic of this older group. The sessions of the commission have thus far approved the publication of books in the following fields: 1. Books on Production—As dis- tinguished from textbooks and books of a popular scientific character, the description of the various trades and industries is here to be combined with a tale, a narration of some plot. A book on the origin and evolution of the book (from the earliest times) has been approved and published. A book (in verse) on the printing of modern books is being prepared. An- other book in verse has been approved dealing with the tractor and its im- portance for Russian agriculture. Au- thors were recommended to treat sub- jects from all fields of the national economic life. 2. Books Dealing with the Past.— The commission has resolved that the historical literature prepared for the consumption of the older children must present to their minds in a pop- ular way the labors and struggles of past generations without indulging in too many details. Special-attention is to be given to Russian history and to the circumstances which brot about the revolution. A comparison be- tween the present and the most re- cent past is to be made possible, and the children are to be encouraged to combat such remnants of the old sys- tem as are still in existence. A num- ‘ber of books of this kind have already appeared; others are in course of preparation. 3: The New Social Life.—This sub- ject ‘ts being taken up along very broad lines and includes the new life of the children in city and country, the schools, the children’s homes etc. A number of publications have al- ready been examined and somé have already come from ‘the press. ~ 4. The Civil War.—Books dealing with this subject fully satisfy the na- tural appetite of the older children for stories. of action and adventure. The commission has made it a prin- ciple, in this connection, that both brutality and sentimentality must be shunned in equal degree, while the goals and objects of the struggle must be emphasized. A number of such books are now going thru the press- es, some of them dealing with the share of the children in these strug- N SOVIET UNION gles, others dealing only with the actions of their elders, 5. The “Pioneer Movement,.”—The powerful movement of the “Young Pioneers” among the children, which is growing year by year, cannot fail to find its expression in juvenile liter- ature. It has been shown in many instances that children show the greatest enthusiasm and affection for stories and poems dealing with life among the “Pioneers.” Two or three books dealing with this subject have been published; further books are in course of publication. 6. Foreign Countries—Children of school age: are often more interested in that which is remote than in their immediate surroundings. But mere narrations of travel are not enough to satisfy this hunger. Stories, short novels taken from the daily life of other countries will soon be made available. The commission recently approved a very good book dealing with the lives of the African natives (about to appear). A number of books’ are being translated from foreign languages. It is also confidently hop- ed that foreign writers will submit thelr manuscripts, in so far as they may be available for the use of the Russian children of the present day. 7. Struggle Against Superstition. —Books of this type are intended primarily for the children of the vil- lages and are to be published in a perfect artistic form. A number of books of this kind have already ap- peared. : ie the discussion of all these and other questions, certain general principles to be followed in the cre- ation of a new juvenile literature have already taken shape, for ex- ample: (a) There is to be no mys- ticism; all the happenings of this world are from natural causes; (b) The collective consciousness must take precedence of the individual. eon- sciousness; (c) Dynamic and dramat- ic plots are of the greatest im port- ance, but their use must not be car ried too far; they must.in some cases (particularly for the village chikiren) be varied with epic narrations of a calmer type; (d) The style ig to be simple, devoid of all adornments and obscurities. About the middle of January, 1925, the commission for preparing books. for the uses of children of school age undertook laboratory work on books for children of school age, similar to that undertaken by the pre-school commission. A circle of Pedagogues is being formed who work over the books and manuscripts. The Fountain of Youth By WALT CARMON OT in sunny California ner the balmy breezes of palm fringed Florida, but in the pursuit of the aims of the working class can you find the fountain of youth, Or so one would think who knew Ella Reeve “Mother” Bloor. For how else would you explain the fact that at sixty years of age, when the’ aver- age person begs ease of life and rest for tired bones, this veteran agitator begins on a spectacular coast-to-coast tour for Communism and brings its message thru the DAILY WORKER. Campaigning thru the country is a thing even experienced agitators flinch from, Yet Mother Bloor grimly determines to go from San Francisco to New York, speaking on schedule at every important city en route and at every place where opportunity al- lows, without the comfort and con- venience of the railroads, walking, “hitch-hiking,” using every mode of conveyance whatever gods there be to protect a Bolshevik will 22 § ge £ i -| truck for conveyance. From Sacra- mento the road lay east to Salt Lake City. Crossing the mountains, she “got a lift” in a machine driven by an old Russian revolutionist, lost to the cause in America, where life was not such a struggle to him—tho his heart still lay with the movement. Meetings on the way, preaching Communism, talking about the DAILY WORKER, holding a tent meeting tn the mountains, soap-boxing, riding, Mother Bloor arrived at a meeting ar. ranged for her by old German com- rades in Fallon, Nevada. OPE ert of thts young old comrade, stirred the workers of Fallon, Nevada, and a new local 4s being formed—another link to the American Communist chain—while the DAILY WORKER became stronger with a number of new subscriptions. Old fighters in the class struggle, joined in the welcome extended to Mother Bloor, among them an aged mother rought her five sons to the meet- have them inspired ¢o take part fighting ranks of the working . week, Mother Bloor arrived in Nevada—city of scandal and PpESee gre i 3 F 5 ty to adjust some local trade difficulties, together with the authorities, threw difficulttes in way to discourage attendance at meeting. : BEE 5F The president of the local labor council in person picketed the hall to prevent trade unionists from attend- ing. Every method was used to dis- courage attendance, To an old guard fighter, these difficulties, and worse, “are all in the game.” Mother Bloor reached all the workers she could, More subscriptions were secured for the DAILY WORKER, more seeds sown for future Communist growth. tpt Reno, Mother Bloor . spent part of this week crossing the desert. On June 13 and 14 she ar- rives at Rock Springs and Cheyenne, Wyoming. On the 16, 17 and 18 she will hold meetings in Denver, pro- ceeding from there to Kansas City. Meetings will be held wherever pos- sible on the way, eventually bringing her to Chicago, to hold open alr meet- ings for a few weeks and then she will continue to “hike” thru the coal fields of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania, visiting also all the im- portant large cities, landing eventu- ally in New York to complete a trip of three thousand miles. To attempt such a journey at sixty years of age should be an inspiration to the youth of our movement. In { the glorious fight for the working class, surely, here is the fountain of youth, Don’t you be a campaign shirker— get subscriptions for the DAILY WORKER! Sine athe Lestat ee ae ee