◆ SpookStack

G ot a Or ore Soviet Education ana Wuliure Since Leninist doctrine in the Soviet Union is proc] as the one infallible key to truth, the principle function . Soviet school system is to bring the younger generation u Staunch believers in the Marxist religion. And since the Ma doctrine of class war has jed jegically to the extension of mil thinking, military strategy snd wartime ethical values ¢ areas of life, the Soviet educations] system can likewise be pared to the special training programs set up within mc armies to supply whatever cadres of trained personnel the 1 of the armies require. According to Marxist-Leninist doctrine, there is no cant between these two aims and the aim of giving every persor opportunity to develop his own abilities. Since Marxist-Leni doctrine teaches that the individual finds real self-fulfilln only in identifying himself with his Soviet society, the us Soviet schools as instruments for the propagation of the Mar faith and the gearing of Soviet education to the needs of state are considered actually to make it easier for the indiviu, Soviet citizen to achieve self-realization, Within this framework, reflecting as it does a system values considerably different from those which are reflected system offers significant opportunities for a large number young men and women to get training in proportion to th ability. It is understandable that the opportunity is greater present in the cities than in the country. Whereas rural childre form 69 per cent of the total Soviet school enrollment and ov’ number city children in the first four grades by three to o7 the proportion is almost reversed in the last three grades (eight ninth, and tenth), where city children form 59 per cent of ¢ total enrallment.* Soviet children start to school at the age of seven. Thr types of basic schools exist side by side: the “primary schoo’ “These figures and much of the other statistical data in this chapte are drawn from the excellent new study of the whole Soviet education. system by Nicholas DeWitt, Soviet Professional Manpower (Washingtor National Science Foundation, 1955). 38