for a wide and serious organization of the cultural-educational undertakings. Undoubtedly there are in the provinces comrades who, with love and interest, will set themselves to this task, after having been trained in this direction.
Therefore we are anxious now to open in Moscow courses for instructors.
This is the programme of our immediate activities. With the greatest attention and gratitude we will listen to all suggestions from comrades. Only through the latter's responsive attitude and active support can we hope to grapple with the tremendous problems facing us.
DOCUMENT No. 7
Schools for Workmen
(A News Item, from a Russian newspaper)
The cultural-educational section of the Soviet of Railroad Workers' Deputies sent out a statement to railroad organizations regarding the opening of a school of drawing, painting, designing, mathematics and modeling, attached to the section of graphic arts of the Proletcult, and open with free tuition to such as are admitted. Admission to the school is only for workers and their children.
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Much has been said boastfully in our country of our great system of popular education, and, in spite of the many other disadvantages to which our proletarians have been subjected, it may be admitted that a certain rudimentary education has always been rather well conducted in America. But the gates to higher institutions have been closed to all but the wealthy, not only by the general conditions of life, which have not afforded the leisure for higher study to the great masses of the population, but also by high tuition fees, which have made the barrier still more insurmountable. How the Russians now decide the fee question, even for higher institutions, is the subject of Document No. 8.
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