* Soviet young pioneer s: camp activities








Soviet Young Pioneers: Camp Activities


Figure 1.--Here we see Pioneers at a summer camp. This camp had an ourdoor stage and arena for the children. I'm not sure what the entertainment was. The posters suggest a dance performance, but a reader tells us that they are posters illustrating the destinctive costumes of the diiferent nationalities in the Soviet Union and had nothing to do with the actual performance. I assume there were different kinds of performances. Many of these children seem cold. It must have been a chilly day. We do not know what camp this was.

Pioner camps had many of the same activities as camps in the West. There was a greater emphasis on sports than was the case in Western camps. One Russian reader indicates that, "Camp activities were mainly sports. Unavoidable football (soccer), basketball etc." [Prokiof] Swiming was a major activity and most camps were located near a body of water for that purpose. There were also expeditions, camping, hikes, fishing, all kind of races etc. Some campers report that the atmopsphere was highly competive. There were many competioins among groups, rarely individuals. Singing and dancing performances and competitions of all sorts were very typical. Russian folk dances of the various Soviet national groups were commonly performed, but I'm not sure to what extent they were taught. Television was hardly ever allowed at the camps, but sometimes selected movies were shown. Arts and crafts, especially wood craft, seems less common than at American camps. A feature at every camp was morning and afternoon cermonies--a kind of parriotic drill called "lineika".

Organization

Pioneer camps were coeducationsl. The only "separation" at Pioneer camps was that boys and girls slept in different dormitories, houses, tents or rooms--and that's all. Because of that, and only because of that, there existed boys and girls groups at camp. The activities were, however, largely coeducational.

Individual Activities

Although the sleeping accomodations were separate, almost all the activities were fully integrated.

Sports

Pioner camps had many of the same activities as camps in the West. There was a greater emphasis on sports than was the case in Western camps. One Russian reader indicates that, "Camp activities were mainly sports. Unavoidable football (soccer), basketball etc." [Prokiof] Swiming was a major activity and most camps were located near a body of water for that purpose.

Expeditions


Camping

There were also camping and realted activities like hikes and fishing.

Competitions

There were all kind of races and other competitions. Some campers report that the atmopsphere was highly competive. There were many competioins among groups, rarely individuals. One camper tells us about sand castle and chalkndrawing competitions.

Games

I assume that wide games like "capture the flag" were popular, but we have few details.

Performances

A range of perforamances were commonly offered the children. Often the were performances the campers themselves produced. This could be choral singing, a music concert, skits, or other entertainments. Most of the camps had some sort of outdoor stage for these performances. The image here show the children in one of these arenas listening to some kind of entertainments. We thought it might be a dance pergormance because of the psters. A Russian reader writes, "About posters. In Soviet Union there were a lot of posters of this kind. They showed the different national costumes of the Soviet people. I recognize Russian folk suite (poster in the middle) and a national costume of one of the Baltic Respublics (here I'm not so sure) - Lithuanian or Latvian (the closest poster). So I don't think the children are watching a dance performance. It might be some kind of skit or play. Note one boy in a jacket with black a bowtie (called a butterfly-tie in Russia). He would be unlikely to wear this at summer camp. Another boy looks to be wearing a kind of medieval cloak over his shirt. It seems like these are costumes and they they both are taking part in this show."

Skits

Skits are a popular activity at Scout camps. I assume that they were also performed at Pioneer Camps, although I have no details at this time. We don't know jist how popular skits were and what kinds of presentations were prepared.

Singing and dancing

Singing and dancing performances and competitions of all sorts were very typical. Russian folk dances of the various Soviet national groups were commonly performed. [Prokiof] I'm not sure to what extent folk dancing were actually taught to the campers. Singing was even more common. I'm not sure if campfire singing was as popular in ther Pioneers as it was in Scouting.

Television and movies

Television was hardly ever allowed at the camps, but sometimes selected movies were shown.

Arts and crafts

Arts and crafts, especially wood craft, seems less common than at American camps.

Drill

A feature at every camp was morning and afternoon cermonies--a kind of parriotic drill called "lineika".

Para-military activities

I'm not sure if there were any para-military activities ar Pioneer camps. Such activities were part of the program at some of the specialized camps.

Sources

Prokiof, Ivan. E-mail message, October 2, 2002.







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Created: October 3, 2002
Last updated: 4:11 AM 5/7/2006