USSR Education*Propaganda*Booklet

I would first like to begin by saying that I have spent hours compiling this from pamphlet to e-pamphlet, wondering what I will say, scanning, scanning, scanning, cropping and pasting descriptions, etc. My primary question is this: Why do you believe that this was printed in English? It's date is approximated at 1960-1970. The link to the entire pamphlet will be posted at the bottom of this post.


Here are a few photographs that I've cropped, with commentary.

This image gives me the creeps. It is obvious that this photograph was posed for (as all of them are in this booklet), but what catches my attention is their lack of expression. Nil.


Can afford to wear makeup at such a young age? Healthy, happy students with perfect hair. Models.


It's Britney! BRITNEY! All three children pictured have perfectly-plucked eyebrows, straight teeth, and are obviously models wearing makeup.


Finally! A genuine expression of uncertainty. The only such expression in the entire booklet.


Look at the cartoon in the background. It is at a level of which it could not have been drawn by either gentlemen. It is extended too high above them. Look harder. It's of a fat, happy man stepping on the foot of a startled, skinny man.


A prophetic photo of students smiling for the camera as an opposing figure stands in the forefront.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I spent hours scanning and putting the entire booklet online. It's fascinating to read about the USSR's opinion of themselves. Please let me know why you would think that they would publish such a booklet in English? Who are they trying to target with this information?

RUSSIAN EDUCATION PROPAGANDA BOOK IN ENGLISH



Dot.

edited to correct the link.

[edit on 5-5-2005 by dotgov101]

Being a product of the Soviet system, I can assure you that even though posed for, the photos are mostly authentic. There is no makeup, the pics were simply retouched as very common in these days, not just in propaganda bookilet. The hair looks fine, too.

The first pic is suspect, though, as I simply don't recognize the classroom furniture. Must be an elite school of some sort.


As to why in English, I suppose the booklets were printed in many languages. This one could have been meant for American visitors.

The education system was pretty good in those days.


[edit on 5-5-2005 by Aelita]

What was the information in the booklets? To be honest the pictures don't look much different to other countries staged educational pictures of the era, though maybe better suited to the 50's. I mean these things were always stagemanaged everywhere, a lot still are. Everyone told to look their best, sit up straight etc.

Edit: sorry, missed the link. Reading now.

Okay, my dail up can't get through it all but I get the idea. Just seems standard propaganda for the time. Not sure why it's English but it was probably a reply to disparaging remarks about their education system by the US, UK, whoever. Maybe sent to newspapers or the like.


[edit on 5-5-2005 by kegs]

Sorry about the link misshap. I corrected it.

I don't think of the photographs as not being "authentic." They just seemed obviously posed for. It seems to me that the many of the children's faces were "chosen models." Their clothing is perfectly pressed, some of them have plucked eyebrows, and only a few of them seem to have genuine expressions.

Perhaps it is their culture to guard their expressions.

I am just curious as to why it is printed in English, as this was during the beginning/middle of the Cold War.

Dot.

Originally posted by dotgov101
Their clothing is perfectly pressed

Well, sorry to break it to you, but that's how we used to dress for school

some of them have plucked eyebrows

Doubt it, either the eyebrows were that shape, or/and the pic was retouched.

and only a few of them seem to have genuine expressions.

Perhaps it is their culture to guard their expressions.

I can still tell a Russian from 100 ft away. The facial expressions there are just a tad different.

I am just curious as to why it is printed in English

The title of the thread you created is already stating that, now doesn't it?
Look between the astersisks.

Cheers

I spent three hours scanning every single page of that booklet. Then I spent another hour cropping. Fifteen minutes uploading. Fifteen minutes posting.

In short, I went through a lot of effort to avoid one-line answers. As you consider yourself familiar with the originating country, can you give me a detailed guess as to why a Russian school booklet was floating around in English during the Cold War?

Dot.

Aelita, privet!

As you consider yourself familiar with the originating country, can you give me a detailed guess as to why a Russian school booklet was floating around in English during the Cold War?

Obviosly it was made to show English-speaking people how good is education in Russia.

By the way, do you know any booklet of another country, where kids won't be posing for the camera?

A Blast From The Past

dotgov101, this is awesome. Thanks for going to the trouble of scanning and sharing this delightful piece of history.

Ironically, what it resembles most to me is comparable U.S. propaganda from the same period.

I remember watching school movies back in the '60s which were scripted almost identical to this pamphlet, trumpeting their messages in glowing, patriotic tones-- except they promoted the superiority of the U.S. instead.

My conclusion: we really are more alike than different.

Special bonus feature: genuine Russians on the Internet to comment on it. Klyovo!

Oh yes, you better believe I archived this gem on my hard drive!

Thanks again, dg1!



[edit on 5/6/2005 by Majic]

Originally posted by Majic
A Blast From The Past

dotgov101, this is awesome. Thanks for going to the trouble of scanning and sharing this delightful piece of history.

Ironically, what it resembles most to me is comparable U.S. propaganda from the same period.

I tend to agree. I'm a young'un, and thought that I stumbled on a jewel to find a Russian brochure in English from that era. I did not add that nearly all information geared toward influencing another group to accept one group's system is propaganda.

Which rings true for American pamphlets, also.

I did not intend for this thread to be "USSR VS USA." I just thought it was a remarkable find, a booklet in English from the Cold War.

Regarding the poses and models and shining faces, I'm still convinced that the children are wearing make-up. But a brochure published in the United States at the time would do the same.(?)

My conclusion: we really are more alike than different.

If only we'd known that back then. It may have saved a lot of sacrifices. Hindsight is a pain, isn't it?

Special bonus feature: genuine Russians on the Internet to comment on it. Klyovo!

Yes, спасибо.
Dot.

Talk about ironic...

The Soviet Union -- the home of Communism, and enemy of capitalism -- was involved in a marketing campaign! In one of the great ironies of life, the USSR had to sell the idea of Communism to other nations during the Cold War.

There's no conspiracy here -- this is just like the brochures that you get from any school district or college in democratic nations as advertising... but I found it hilarious to see that the Soviets were doing it.

Nice work.

I think you might be reading too much into the photos tho. Your interpretations are ironic, i.e., the Soviets don't want the meanings that you interpret from the photos, they want everyone to think things are hunky doory over in the worker's paradise.

I believe the reason that I speculated a bit too far was because I was far from being alive back then (not that I'm saying all of you were). I know very little about the human culture of that era. The only booklets I have seen in my life have been from boarding schools and universities.

They were posed for, also. Grin.

Even in today's school booklets, there are no overweight kids, acne is completely cured, and they look like they just stepped out of the beauty shop.

Another similarity I've noticed is that the booklet seems to feature a representative of many different ethnicities This is not a bad thing..it's merely a common feature. You also see it on modern television commercials; everyone is included so that the marketing tries to reach as many demographics as possible.

I stand corrected. But thank you for taking the time to look.
Dot.

no offence but this booklet looks the same as any other booklet that i've seen by schools about education, west and east. It shows kids at school doing school related things and in different poses.

While there are many failings in the soviet system that you like to point out, education certainly wasn't one of them.

I find it ridiculous also that you think that kids in the soviet union didnt smile or laugh and the only 'genuine' expression is one of fear and uncertainty. Go have a look at your state education booklets and information i'm sure you'll also see plenty of nice smiling kids there too

thanks,
drfunk

[edit on 11-5-2005 by drfunk]

admitted I was wrong?

Sorry to jump the gun. My primary question (no pun intended) was genuine, not conspiracy-related. Why was it printed in English? Members have explained it to me. Mystery solved.

I still find it fascinating, however, to look back into the past of an enigmatic era, and have it spelled out (no pun intended) for me in English.

Dot.

The booklet is certainly pro-communist propaganda tho. Thats why it was printed in english and sent out abroad. TO show the world that the worker's paradise, the only country to not suffer thru the economic destruction that occured prior to WWII, was the best way to do things.