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Stalin projected his views into all aspects of Soviet Union culture and society, includung the arts and sciences. Although Stalin approved vast resources for science efucation and research, he also reppressed individual scientists who displeased him. The best know exbmple of this was Stalin's extension of Communist ideology to biological science in the 1930s. He reduced support and eventually ordered the arrest of one of the most notable botonists in the world--Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov. Vavilov collected plant genetic material from all over the world. He was working on developing improved strains of wheat, corn, and other grains. This could have made a major contribution to Soviet agriculture. Instead Stalin backed a scientific charlatan--Trofim Denisovich Lysenko. After undercutting Vavilov's carrer and institute, Stalin had him arrested (1940). Vavillov died in the Gulag (1943). Soviet biological sciences never recovered. A Soviet TV serial entitled "Nikolay Vavilov" was broadcast in 1990--just before the disolution of the Soviet Union. One scene from the shows shows a a squad of Young Pioneers that participated in the Young Naturalists program (Yunnaty). It sounds like the Soviet equivalent of $H. They are shown participating in the opening ceremonies of the the annual meeting of the USSR Agricultural Sciences Academy (VASHNIL) in 1938.
Stalin projected his views into all aspects of Soviet Union culture and society, includung the arts and sciences. Although Stalin approved vast resources for science efucation and research, he also reppressed individual scientists who displeased him. The best know exbmple of this was Stalin's extension of Communist ideology to biological science in the 1930s. He reduced support and eventually ordered the arrest of one of the most notable botonists in the world--Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov. Vavilov collected plant genetic material from all over the world. He was working on developing improved strains of wheat, corn, and other grains. This could have made a major contribution to Soviet agriculture. Instead Stalin backed a scientific charlatan--Trofim Denisovich Lysenko. After undercutting Vavilov's carrer and institute, Stalin had him arrested (1940). Vavillov died in the Gulag (1943). Soviet biological sciences never recovered.
A Soviet TV serial entitled "Nikolay Vavilov" was broadcast in 1990--just before the disolution of the Soviet Union. One scene from the shows shows a a squad of Young Pioneers that participated in the Young Naturalists program (Yunnaty). It sounds like the Soviet equivalent of 4H. The Pioneers are shown participating in the opening ceremonies of the the annual meeting of the USSR Agricultural Sciences Academy (VASHNIL) in 1938. Soviet television was not noted for introspective programs like this . It is a good indication of how the Soviet Union was changong in the late 1990s. Even so, the responsibility for the repression of Vavilov was given to Stalin and not the Soviet System. The children pictured are costumed in pioneer uniforms. A reader writes, "How old would you say the boys are? They seem a bit older than I would have expected to be in white tights." Well of course the white tights are meant to be represent long stockings. Children tights were not availavle at the time, but finding long stockings and hose supporters is more complicated than simply purchasing children's tights which are commonly available. The boys to me look to be about 11-12 years old. I think that is well within the age range for long stockings. The shorts, however, don't look to me quite right. But remember that this is a TV show recreation. I am guessing that there is a photo the scene is based on. I'd like to see that actual photo. White long stockings would have only been worn for formal occassions like this.
The Young Pioneers were the Soviet government-sponsored youth group. We don't know enough yet about Soviet television to know how commonly the Young Pioneers were depicted on Soviet Television. The Pioneers were a schhol-based program that was vurually mandatory for children to join. The Soviets founded Pioneer programs in each of the Eastern European countries they occupied after World War II. While the program was primarily school based, the Pioneers opened a summer camp program that became quite extensive in the 1950s.
The Young Naturalists Program (Yunnaty) was a state-run youth organization called the Central Station for Young Naturalists. The Young Naturalists, or "Yunnaty". I am not sure when the program was founded, but it was active in the 1930s. Yunnaty appears to have been part of the Young Pioneer organization. It was an after school activity that the Pioneers could chose. Yunnaty was a network of clubs for young people who were interested in nature. Here the focus was on nature rather than farming, but there was some overlap. An impotrtant Russian environmentalist, Alexander Bogolyubov, was unhappy at the time with how the organization was run. He writes, "There was no financial support, and the government took away any money that we earned, which was extremely unfair." Yunnaty still exists today. It is now part of the Center for Youth Creativity, what is left of the former Pioneer Organization. The Center provides many other after-school occupations, from dance and drama to photography and travel. The Center is based at the Anichkov Palace, which I (Carol) visited at the end of my stay, so more below on its programs.
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