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… Page 99…
RUSSIA IN 1919
EDUCATION
February 28th。
At the Commissariat of Public Education I showed Professor
Pokrovsky a copy of The German…Bolshevik Conspiracy； published in
America； containing documents supposed to prove that the German
General Staff arranged the November Revolution； and that the Bolsheviks
were no more than German agents。 The weak point about the documents
is that the most important of them have no reason for existence except to
prove that there was such a conspiracy。 These are the documents bought
by Mr。 Sisson。 I was interested to see what Pokrovsky would say of them。
He looked through them； and while saying that he had seen forged
documents better done； pointed as evidence to the third of them which
ends with the alleged signatures of Zalkind； Polivanov； Mekhinoshin and
Joffe。 He observed that whoever forged the things knew a good deal； but
did not know quite enough； because these persons； described as
〃plenipotentiaries of the Council of Peoples' Commissars；〃 though all
actually in the service of the Soviet Government； could not all； at that time；
have been what they were said to be。 Polivanov； for example； was a very
minor official。 Joffe； on the other： hand； was indeed a person of some
importance。 The putting of the names in that order was almost as funny
as if they had produced a document signed by Lenin and the Commandant
of the Kremlin； putting the latter first。
Pokrovsky told me a good deal about the organization of this
Commissariat； as Lunacharsky； the actual head of it； was away in
Petrograd。 The routine work is run by a College of nine members
appointed by the Council of People's Commissars。 The Commissar of
Education himself is appointed by the All…Russian Executive Committee。
Besides this； there is a Grand College which meets rarely for the
settlement of important questions。 In it are representatives of the Trades
Unions； the Workers' Co…operatives； the Teachers' Union； various
Commissariats such as that for affairs of Nationality； and other public
organizations。 He also gave me then and at a later date a number of
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RUSSIA IN 1919
figures illustrating the work that has been done since the revolution。
Thus whereas there used to be six universities there are now sixteen； most
of the new universities having been opened on the initiative of the local
Soviets； as at Astrakhan； Nijni； Kostroma； Tambov； Smolensk and other
places。 New polytechnics are being founded。 At Ivano…Vosnesensk the
new polytechnic is opened and that at Briansk is being prepared。 The
number of students in the universities has increased enormously though
not to the same proportion as the number of universities； partly because
the difficulties of food supply keep many students out of the towns； and
partly because of the newness of some of the universities which are only
now gathering their students about them。 All education is free。 In August
last a decree was passed abolishing preliminary examinations for persons
wishing to become students。 It was considered that very many people
who could attend the lectures with profit to themselves had been prevented
by the war or by pre…revolution conditions from acquiring the sort of
knowledge that could be tested by examination。 It was also believed that
no one would willingly listen to lectures that were of no use to him。
They hoped to get as many working men into the universities as possible。
Since the passing of that decree the number of students at Moscow
University； for example； has more than doubled。 It is interesting to notice
that of the new students a greater number are studying in the faculties of
science and history and philosophy than in those of medicine or law。
Schools are being unified on a new basis in which labour plays a great part。
I frankly admit I do not understand； and I gather that many teachers have
also failed to understand； how this is done。 Crafts of all kinds take a big
place in the scheme。 The schools are divided into two classes…one for
children from seven to twelve years old； and one for those aged from
thirteen to seventeen。 A milliard roubles has been assigned to feeding
children in the schools； and those who most need them are supplied with
clothes and footgear。 Then there are many classes for working men；
designed to give the worker a general scientific knowledge of his own
trade and so prevent him from being merely a machine carrying out a
single uncomprehended process。 Thus a boiler…maker can attend a course
on mechanical engineering； an electrical worker a course on electricity；
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RUSSIA IN 1919
and the best agricultural experts are being employed to give similar
lectures to the peasants。 The workmen crowd to these courses。 One
course； for example； is attended by a thousand men in spite of the
appalling cold of the lecture rooms。 The hands of the science professors；
so Pokrovsky told me； are frostbitten from touching the icy metal of their
instruments during demonstrations。
The following figures represent roughly the growth in the number of
libraries。 In October； 1917； there were 23 libraries in Petrograd； 30 in
Moscow。 Today there are 49 in Petrograd and 85 in Moscow； besides a
hundred book distributing centres。 A similar growth in the number of
libraries has taken place in the country districts。 In Ousolsky ouezd； for
example； there are now 73 village libraries； 35 larger libraries and 500 hut
libraries or reading rooms。 In Moscow educational institutions； not
including schools； have increased from 369 to 1；357。
There are special departments for the circulation of printed matter；
and they really have developed a remarkable organizat