Thursday, Oct. 3, 1963
University Daily Kansan
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Page 9
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Language Is Key to Understanding in Russia
By Jim Langford
Twelve students found that their knowledge of the Russian language was a passport to getting to know the Russian people this summer.
After eight weeks in Jarvenpaa, Finland, as participants in the Kansas-Colorado Summer Russian Language School, the KU students took a two-week tour of Russia.
THEY DISCOVERED that their ability to speak Russian often passed them off as either natives of the city they were in or as Russian or European tourists.
"One Russian," Roger Findlay Prairie Village senior, said, "found out I was American and could speak Russian. Soon I had a crowd of about 20 people around me, asking me questions. They seem to be highly interested in material goods, since they themselves have such a lack of goods in both quality and quantity."
The students found that it was easy to trade on the black market while in Russia, Harold Baker, Osborne senior, said.
"They're not afraid of approaching you. One man walked right up to me and tried to buy my raincoat." Baker said.
"THERE WASNT a day that I wasn't approached by somebody wanting to buy something," Findlay said. "They wanted to buy clothes mostly, but would buy anything I wanted to sell. The Russians are
KU People-to-People will have its general membership meeting tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Ballroom of the Kansas Union. Patricia Koos, Mission junior and P-t-P membership chairman, said all students interested in joining are invited to attend.
P-t-P Schedules Genesal Session
poorly dressed. They wear paper thin sandals. The men wear cheap suits with shabby sport shirts underneath. The whole time I was there I saw maybe three or four white shirts. They were probably government officials."
The students began their Russian study in the Finnish school in June.
The students began their Russian study in the Finnish school in June. "We started our Russian courses after being there one week and taking Russian tests," Findlay explained. "We took the same tests after the course was over to find out if we improved."
"WHILE WE WERE in Finland we toured Tampere and on July 4 we were in Turku, their second largest city." Findlay said.
Jarvenpaa, the site of the language school, is just outside Helsinki.
"I had a fairly accurate idea of what Finland would be like," Donna Hannemane, Junction City sophomore, said, "with the people working in rolled-up sleeves. They were friendly and hospitable."
The students arrived in the Soviet Union August 4. They toured such cities as Leningrad, Novgord, Kalinin, and Moscow. They made the trip in an old bus.
"I DON'T THINK I'll forget for a long while the first time I saw a Russian soldier other than a border guard," Miss Hanneman said. "He was carrying a brief case and I couldn't help feeling that he was carrying things anti-U.S."
Karl vonLoewe, Lawrence graduate student, had been in Russia before. "The program being new, it was a little different for all of us, a new experience," he said.
"When I was there three years ago, I was working on a project for the Student Promotion of Amity Among Nations (SPAN). We were there about six weeks and got to travel quite a bit. I was doing research on the "Young Pioneer" organization, something like the Boy Scouts in America," he added.
"I found that overall Russia had
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changed for the better," vonLoewe said. "Their living conditions are better, with more private apartments for the individual. Before, living was more communal, with families sharing a common kitchen."
"I felt the program was very successful in comprehension," Findlay said. "We were forced to use the language, and for me it seemed to come alive. It was amazing the difference and enthusiasm I felt in changing from classroom to actual conversational Russian."
dized. When he came out he seemed a little embarrassed, as if he realized it had been a little too hard to believe," von Loewe explained
WHILE IN MOSCOW, vonLoewe obtained an appointment to tour Radio Moscow.
"While I was there, I watched one Russian taping a program about 'What is Communism. It was a little too heavy.' highly propagan-
"However, they were very easy to talk to, and just jabbed away until I mentioned the Chinese. Then they clammed up. They wouldn't say anything."
The other eight students from KU
After two weeks in Russia all the students seemed to be relieved to be back in Finland.
Sam Anderson, assistant professor of Slavic language, joined the tour in Finland and guided the tour of Russia. It was Prof. Anderson's fourth trip to Russia. He had been there previously in 1956, 1959, and 1960.
"WHEN WE crossed the border," vonLoewe said, "we all let out a big cheer and when we stopped we all bought chocolate."
Baker said "Finland was the closest thing to Heaven I had ever seen. Even fields and forests looked different."
who participated in the program were: Barbara Backus, Lawrence graduate student; Joy Bullis, Davenport, Iowa junior; Joseph Cerniglia, Lawrence graduate student; John Finger, Lawrence graduate student; Stephen Klemp, Lawrence sophomore; Annalay Nickum, Lawrence graduate; David Seal, Independence, Mo. senior; and Irene Zaluski, Ontario, Canada. senior.
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