Education and Art in Soviet Russia/Document 11
Document No. 11 is an interesting, though rather brief, outline of an experiment with a model school of vocational training for children.
DOCUMENT No. 11
Experimental Vocational School
The first experimental vocational school of the department of school reforms, attached to the People's Commissariat of Education, began to function June 19, 1918. Great difficulties connected with food problems have made it impossible thus far to admit to the school its prescribed full quota of pupils. The school has the character of an experimental institution, established for the purpose of a scientific and practical solution of questions connected with the new pedagogy and, particularly, those regarding the school-workshop. Its activity has been conducted along scientifically experimental lines and for the comparatively short period of the school's existence many valuable results for the realization of school reforms have already been achieved.
The activity of the school has manifested itself within the following spheres: 1) Biological and sociological study of children of school age; 2) Physical instruction and education; 3) Experiments along the line of an extensive organization of a vocational school; 4) Experimental investigation of various methods of educational work; 5) Social education; 6) Esthetic education.
To accomplish the aims stated above the school has been organized as a vocational school-commune, having at its disposal a number of scientific and auxiliary institutions: shops, scientific cabinets, laboratories, and cabinets for medical, anthropological and psychological investigations.
The school has been completely furnished with the necessary economic and school inventories; it has several shops for carpentry, book-bindery and classes in draftsmanship. In addition to this, the children receive instruction in embroidering, modeling and weaving. A biological cabinet has been purchased and a juvenile and teachers' library has been established. Instructions are also given in national history, mathematics in connection with national history and elements of the Russian language.